New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-28
The New Journalism
Mr. ooNALD's WsioNs-PREsE Mt Observation-Disclosures
WV ADMINISTRATION. EDITORS PUBLISHERS
Copyright. 1919. by George W. smau.yJ
London. August so.

strN
prefer examples 20 distractions
more likely TO interest distant
.oblic ] did in previous letter and
T shall do SO again; though well aware
.,sa more dangerous path TO follow.
u,t 7 discuss journalists. 4 at all as
i,urnalsts and not otherwise: and as
,or the great journals which serve as
.rustrations they are as much public
.cs,itutions as Parliament itself, and
&C impersonal Mr. Donald in his ad-
are.s 20 the Institute of Journalists
svoided the pitfalls amid which I am
wandering His was the part OF pru-
dence. and since he was talking 10 men
.. his own profession he had no need
70 name either the men or the papers
be had IN mind for they we're In all
other minds as we'll.
! smoke OF Mr.. Donald as a prophet.
and OF prophecies his address is full.
II they are not prophecies they are
forecasts but. whichever they are. their
value is speculative. Sometimes they
are appalling enough; as if meant to
attract not merely attention but con-
tradiction. I}ut the one merit OF a
prophecy is that you cannot contradict
., that is its chief aTgumentative
utility. lie has visions and dreams
dreams. and some Of them are night
mares. The public is to be allowed no
respite. SO Ter as one can Judge from
This press horoscope. the sole ocCupa-
ton Of men. women and children
twenty years hence will be the read
ing Of newspapers. There are to be
neither morning nor evening editions,
but hourly issues, day and night. Nor
is that the worst. News is 10 become
not only the business but the recreation
Of life At places OF amusement all the
news Of the day will be given hot from
rs source: delivered through a gram
ophone and illustrated by the cine
matograph.
The home itself is not to be sacred.
News in be laid on TO the house or
Office like water or gas. There are 20
be Photographs in gardens: fountains
which spout news; and a machine in
the hall 20 print these hourly gazettes.
Mr. Donald does not say so, but doubt
less there will be policemen 10 enforce
the reading OF them; and an immense
increase in the number Of lunatic asy-
lums. Every public body, county coun-
ellis, borough councils, every Depart
ment Of State or City. is TO have its
own organ in which all its proceedings
Will be reported in full Presumably
it will be an indictable offence not 10
read them. The millions now spent in
fleets and armies are 20 be devoted TO
the diffusion OF knowledge; or, which
is not always the same thing, Of news.
And the taking of he next census Will
he so far simplil ed that the entire
population will be included under two
heads: writers Of newspapers and read
ers OF the same. What are Mr.. Car
negies amiable Authorizations 10 these!
Clearly. that new Palace Of Peace al
the Hague must be a printing office
and nothing else. l am sure MI. Car
negie would rejoice - see his name
as a headline TO every journal.
Circulation. the number OF copies
which the public can be persuaded 10
buy. has never been so vital 10 the
prosperity Of the newspaper as since
the halfpenny journal became power.
It is not merely that the advertiser de-
mands 10 know what publicity he is 10
get for his money. The power and in
huence which every editor coyets de-
PEND in most cases-not in all-on cir
culation. 1t might be charitable to al
lege this one reSso- why the editor
long since allowed the publisher to en-
croach on his prerogative. But it is
the point on which ever paper insists
on which rivalry is fiercest, on when
the fallibility Of human testimony Is
most plainly seen. I have before me
two OF the most important papers n
Great Britain. On the editorial page
OF one-a penny sheet-stands and has
stood for many years this legend;
Largest circulation in the world
On the editorial page Of the other al
a halfpenny. you read:
Daily circulation six times as large
ss that Of any penny London morning
journal"
Obviously. both these statements
cannot be accurate The halfpenny pa
per is The Daily Mall which now ana
again publishes a sworn statement, py
chartered accountants, of its actuai
eales from month TO month. The aver
oge is over 100000 daily. Its morning
cCmpetitor-iS competition there can
be between the penny and halfpenny-
units this formality, but does not
Withdraw its assertion. l do not sup
pose the assertion was ever exact OF
ever capable Of proof. II may nave
been true nj one time. Of England only
Blu, That about France, where 'he
Petit Journal" printed daily for years
more than a million copies? France Is
surely lin the world" Or does the true
Bri,on. the patriotic Briton. decline 10
admit that there is any world outs'ue
bis island empire?