New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-07

london. January II.
Two kinds Of force have gone to the
making Of the journalism which rules
the world: the creative force and the
directing force. Most Of the great
journalists have belonged TO one or
the other % these classes. 1t was the
distinction of Lord Burnham. who died
a few days ago. full Of years and Of
honors. that he belonged 20 both. do
not forget what "The Daily Telegraph
owed 10 his father. Mr.. Joseph Moses
Levy. and 10 his uncle, Mr.. Lionel Law
son. But none the less saw that Of The
Daily Telegraph" as the world Of Eng
land has known 10 these last forty
wears and more Lord Burnham was the
creator. ! need not repeat the history
Of its origin. IL Is too well known
/ coudeuse d. into a sentence ny say
iDc that compulsory investment III
a bad debt and m0ribund paper p.us
cash investment Of some SiO'Vuo,
which the father, uncle and son raised
with difficulty. was the source OF
great fortune and Of far greater
power in very high order oil Jour
nalism. This il was which opened 70
Lord Burnham the opportunity OF
which only a man Of genius could nave
made what he did.
An Early Incident.
| will put two incidents in his career S,
in contrast. II was he fortune OF MI
Edward Levy Lawson 20 have as an
enemy Nr. Henry Labouchere. w e
love him for the enemies he has mace
aid an American Of a very dlherehI
TYNE of man. but it IS remark when
hold, good on both sides of the ATTAIN
tic II happened 20 me hrst TO meet
Mr.. Levy Lawson IN court or law uui-
ing the trial Of one OF sevefai hc'lons
20 which he and Mr.. Labouchere were
paries. Mr. Lawson IN the VII
ness box. and Mr.. Labouchere, cohuucl-
ing his own case, was crosS-eAAH'l )
him. Il was spectacle rareIy seen III
an English court. Mr. LaDoucneie was
allowed T. attack Mr.. Lawson III way
which would h. G. been permitted 10 40
barrister. His questions were lrai'eu
TO annoy and insult, AID to brlhR the
witness into contempt: 10 you hho"
lotion Of London" Mr.. Levy Lawson
faced all this with composure. lie kept
his temper. Mr.. Labouchere had dla-
bolical cleverness, but in this encounter
il was not Mr. Labouchere who came on
hest A little later he would not nave
tried such an perimen..
The Meeting of Challenge.
When Lord Northclife created the
balfpennv DAILY Mail" he flung down
a challenge. just as the Levys ana rho
T.awsons did when they launched ne
Daily Telegraph" at penny. IN thlS
case il was long before there came an
answer Theirs was the original ana
only penny daily paper IN the klhgdoh
They had the field TO themselves ana
public TO themselves, for years. bGt
lord Northcliife and his Daily MAI
had 20 be met al once II nj all I"g
very existence Of the penny Jouihal
was at issue The Lawsons mad APP
pealed TO a public which for otner
newspapers did not exist PuDoLc
which they OWNED Lord Northciiie
now stepped into the arena saying.
"You have had your monopoly long
enough. intend TO break IL down. |
want YOUR public for myself
Within twenty-four hours Lord burn
ham had transformed his paper, en-
laroed It's scope. set himself TO supply
p
a greater variety Of subjects, 20 satisfy
more various demands, 20 popularize
Ills handling of the news; to appeal, IN
short. 10 his own constituency 10 con
tinue his. The briefest delay might
have been fatal, but there was 10 delay.
ONLY the intuition Of great Journalist
couid have saved him that and ms
habit of decision. Il used TO be said o.
the old-fashioned papers that thsy pup
Nshed what the editor thought the pup
lie ought 20 want 70 read. The MAXIM
of The Daily Telegraph" was TO pub
lsh what its public did actually want
10 read. Lord Burnham's mind ran on
q level with perhaps a greater NUM-
Of minds than any other knglishman'
Call il middle class; it is the middle
classes with whom the secrets OF pros
perity have found refuge.
Stanley Africanus.
The Stanley case offers not less
striking example of Lord Burnham 9
mower of making up his mind instanta-
ueouslv. When the proposal 10 send
Stanley to Africa was laid before HIM
it was perfectly new. II was far be-
vond the range Of ordinary journalism.
II involved the spending Of a very large
sum of money which might or might
not come back. 1t involved possible
consequences and sequels which no
man could foresee. And 1t took Lord
Burnham exactly three minutes TO re-
solve that IN this novel adventure ne
would embark as he did, with results
OF immense value 10 his paper and to
the world. II was Napoleonic.