New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-01
London, August :.

II we put the adjective EngIisn pe-
FORE the substantive Journalism II is
none the less Journalism; and what
ever is said about it is. or may be- OF
general application. l hope that may
serve as an excuse II write too much
on a subject which is. after all, special,
and may or may not interest people In
General. 1.-The Athen8um." reviewing
certain chapters on Journalism in a
last years book Of mine remarked that
nobody cared how news got into q
newspaper office. but cared only for the
news. 1t may be So Whatever sub
.oct one writes on, one must choose;
and no subject will interest everybody.
There are, however, a few journal
;sts who interest everybody and Lord
Morley Of blackburn is one of them.
He Is never more interesting than when
in photographed mood partly be-
cause such mood is with him rare
one and most rare OF all with refer
ence 10 his journalistic life. But It
happened the other day that he pre-
sided over dinner given TO Si9-E. I.
Cook. who had been kni9ssed because
Of his public services,n journalism.
The hosts were Journalists; all the COM
many present were or had been journal
;sts In one way or another; the speak
ers were journalists. Nearly all the
most eminent London members Of the
nrofessIon were there, and some whose
eninence is Of the future. IT, as the
uublic is invited to believe. the profess
slon--unlike all other professionals
subject to jealousies, the jealousies
we're. on this occasion. forgotten or
suppressed. So we're politics. The
roaring lion OF Radicalism and the
lamb of Conservatism found them
selves side by side and on good terms
which. indeed. is a very common
hing in this English social world. The
snimosities of the arena are laid ASIDE
for the drawing room and the dinner
table.
If the note was sometimes pl'cheo
| rather high, that is one way 81 set-
| ting even with the outside world "hlch
| often pitches ii rather low: and more
| aften Is altogether silent, and so lar
| As the personality Of journalists Is
1 concerned ignorant. Men Ike Lord
| Morley and Lord Miner are known
| 10 everybody, but why are they
| known? Not for what they did as
ournalists. but for what they nave
done since they ceased 10 be Journal-
ISIS. Lord Morley is known in htera-
lure and in public life; LORD Miner
Is known as a great Proconsul III
South Africa. Not in their time had
Municipalities begun to emerge from
The obscurity. or. if you like, the mys-
terv. which enshrouds the edtorlai
Office. There were exceptions, out /
sneak Of the rule. Yet Lord Morley
though more than a quarter OF "a cen
t,rv he has held great public offices
and is to-day Lord President OF the
Council, Is able TO say:
Journalism Is a great profession
In many ways. excepting the proleS-
sion of Cabinet Minister, 1t Is the
greatest"
| The exception is but one more toucn
Of that ironic humor Of which ne Is
master. thrown in because he is nm
self a Cabinet Minister. IL Is announcer
efec, OF irony that he should hold the
Office which, next after the Lord High
Chancellor and the Prime Minister
gives him precedence over all ms other
/ Colleagues. There is not one OF them
who would not value the social spien-
dor OF that position more highly than
ne does But he took il when ne round
The duties Of the India Office too bur-
densome 10 his advancing age, though
now only in his 74th year, but years OF
unremltting, multitudinous, and most
exacting toll. The Lord Presidency OF
the Council, with all its historic Dig
lity, Is next door TO sinecure. Like
the Lord Privy Seal and the Chancel-
lorship OF the Duchy of Lancaster. this
post is often given TO men who are
wanted in the Cabinet, yet desire to be
free from purely Departmental duties.
In this case II preserves 70 public life
great public servant
Evidently. however. there are mo-
ments during which the great public
servant looks back longingly, if not re-
gretfully, to the days when he just held
pen. or sat in an editorial chair. He
said Of Sir Edward Cook:
He has dignified public discussion
and has brought into rather coarse af-
fairs-f may say IL without disre-
spect 10 Parliament and Cabinet-the
spirit of cultivation and refinement"
And again:
| He has shown what men In public
careers, whether Parliamentary or
journalistic, do not always show, per-
feet modesty.'
These and many other tributes TO Sir
| Edward Cook are Of course deserved,
and 1t Is equally true that during his
career he has "made sacrifices OF ma
terial interests so that these interests
might not overpower his sense Of duty;
his sense Of responsibility" l do not
II inf