Year: 1872

Americas Journalism in Europe.


The enterprise and go-ahead quality Of


American Journalism are rapidly bringing


about change in the slower and less wide


awake organs of Europe. While there is


manifested disposition to resist the New


World innovations the logic of events is


proving too strong for even the most inveterate


prejudice We see the staid and pretentious


English journals slyly adopting such unpar-


donable American inventions as 'the inter-


view while frowning upon the authors of the
innovation. Only few years ago the respect
able old women who preside over the London
dailies would have gone into commissions had
any one had the temerity TO propose such
breach of old fogy etiquette as ON interview
but ''noms avons change tout ocla," and the
English reporter nowadays seizes on every
possible opportunity to give the public the
benefit of that spicy Transatlantic abomina-
ton. They have not, it Is true,
yet acquired the chic, or Yankee
smartness of the American pressman, but in
/ their own dull way they have entered on the
path of progress. Among the English jour
nails one only has had the manliness to ac-
knowledge the influence that American jour
nalism and American thought are exercising
Daily Telegraph, as the most successful of all
the London papers, can well afford to make the
confession. Indeed, the success that has at
tended its career is in no small degree due to
its having closely modelled itself ON the Ameri-
can press.


Perhaps the best example of the growing in
fuence and importance of American journal
ism i'll Europe is furnished by the success Of
the american Register in the capital of France.
Until few years ago the only journal in the
English language published in Paris was the
English organ, the Galignani, which monopo-
lized the patronage of the English-speaking
people; but in order to obtain partial sup
port from the French population, one-half tho
paper was printed in the language Of the coun-
| try. From time to time efforts were made to es-
tablish an American paper, but the attempts had
in every instance before the appearance Of the
american Register ended in failure. This was
no doubt, in great part due to the inexperience
and want Of training of those who undertook
to carry out the project. Of course the diff
culties to be surmounted were considerable,
and at first sight the results to be obtained,
even with success, seemed inadequate to the
labor involved in the undertaking. Matters
remained in this condition until the arrival in
Paris Of Mr.. Ryan, the present editor and pro-
prietor of the American Register. This gentle
man had been connected with the HERALD,
and received journalistic training while on
its staff that stood him in good stead when he
resolved to found an American organ which
should rival the long established but some
what slow Galignani. The undertaking was On
arduous one; but by dint Of energy and o
display of rare journalistic ability Mr.. Ryan
has succeeded in creating an organ of Ameri-
can opinion in Paris that not alone rivals but
already surpasses the English Galigmni in all
the essentials Of good newspaper. Unlike its
rival the Register is wholly written il English
and relies for support on the English-speaking
population. While preserving the valuable
qualities of the American newspaper the Reg
lister has been somewhat modified to suit the
habits Of thought of the society for which it
is written. It has therefore adopted some of
the peculiarities Of the French press, but this
very adaptabiity is the best test of the abil-
ity of the gentleman who controls its fortunes.
He is not one Of those unprogressive people
who are unable to recognize that the chief
merit Of newspaper is in rejecting accu-
rately the state of society in which It exists.


The tone Of the paper is essentially Ameri-
can, and the freedom and ability with which
all subjects are treated place the Register in
the front rank of Parisian journalism. We
are proud Of the success that has been won by
American energy and intelligence, and espe-
cialfy proud Of Mr.. Ryan as an old attach< Of
the HERALD.


When we consider that tine American Regis
ter yields little in the enterprise of its manage
ment to the best class Of New York dailies we
shall be able to form something like correct
idea Of the number and importance Of the
American colony in Paris upon whom it must
rely for support. The attraction of Paris for
the transatlantic traveller seems to be irresist-
ible and the growing popularity Of European
travel promises to furnish q. constant stream of
readers to an American paper in the French
capital. Mr.. Ryan may, therefore, look for
ward to reaping rich harvest in the
future as the result Of the enterprise and
ability he has displayed in founding and
managing his paper SO as to place it in q
position where it need fear no rivalry. Indeed
we look forward to the day when the american
Register will take the place of the Galignani,
or at least so dwarf the other, the older paper,
that its importance as an organ Of the English
speaking residents Of Paris will be at an end.
The work already accomplished excites our
admiration, and we recognize in it signs of the
| influence that the press literature Of America.
is destined to exert ON the journalism Of the.