Year: 1871

can be called to something hgner.


Journalistic Amenities.


The New York papers, with their metropoli-
tan opportunities and pretensions, set a pc
culiar example to their provincial contempora-
ries. Not to speak of the "vast and varied mis-
information" on all kinds of subjects, especially
the politics of neighboring states, which may
be found in every one of their issues, the in
tensely partisan view which most of them take
of all political topics, being able to see no good
whatever in their political opponents or any of
their arts, or anything reprehensible in the do
ings of any of their friends, their mutual
amenities are among their most admirable
traits. The Tribune has always been noted for
its placidity of temper and urbanity of diction.
Ii seldom allows itself to use toward any of its
contemporaries language more emphatic than
the words "liar," "fool" or "villain," and then
it is so generous, so ready to give to Others all
the credit for enterprise and elevated motives
that they deserve, and so ayerse to insinuating
dispara .ement of others while Wanting itself.
For these merits the Tribune is perhaps some
what more noted than its rivals, but it has not
in fact greatly the advantage of them. The
Times, for example, of yesterday, having lit
tie controversy with the Evening Post, deli
cately refers to the editor of the latter in this
fashion:


'1t may, therefore, be advisable to state that
in the Posts rigmarole about US on Saturday
there is not one word of truth from beginning
TO end-that it is all sheer invention, and that
the person who wrote the article is what dis
tinguished journalist, farmer and candidate for
the presidency, would call "liar"-but as we
like to keep cooP we will not use strong lam
guage. Nevertheless, the writer in the Post is
unquestionably the thing described by that
word"


Observe how gracefully by this circumlocu-
ton the Times combines sneer at the "distin-
guished journalist, farmer and candidate for the
presidency" with the gravest charge against the
Post, and all without transgressing, in its own
opinion, the formal limits of journalistic de-
cency. The Post, too, can use language quite as
vigorous, dictated by spirit no less generous
and conciliatory, and the World has hardly a
rival ini its peculiarly elaborate styl5 of vitu-
peration. These journalists have evidently some
"reminiscences of early training in good morals
and good manners. They have read or heard
repeated those touching lines of good old DR..
Watts, wherein he commends to the young the
example of what are sometimes called the IRA
tional creatures; but only some disioluted frag-
ments of his teachings remain in their memo
ries They remember that he wrote:


LET bears and lions growl and fight"


and they distinctly recall these lines also:


Birds in their little nests agree,


And tits a shameful sight"


Adhering to the apparent teaching of SO mucl
as they retain of the good doctors pious rhymes
they have perverted their real meaning, and
gathered from the mutilated remnants of an i'm
perfect education rules of conduct just the re
verse of those ii was designed to inculcate.


Just now, when an attack is made upon the
corrupt and insolent oligarchy which rules theil
city, it might be expected that all the republi
can papers would unite, dropping their private
jealousies, in a concerted assault upon the com
mon enemy, each contributing what it can, in
the way Of fact, argument or appeal, to promote
the common cause, and make the revolt against
misgovernment successful. But this is not the
way the journals, representing the people who
are most interested, regard their duty. They
seem to think it no shame to pause in their as
sault upon the ring to throw mud at each other
The Times began the present active warfare
upon the civic thieves, and brought some very
heavy artillery to the front. Its republican con-
temporaries Joined in the attack at first with
considerable spirit though not without
covert sneers at the Times weapons and methods
of assault, but it was impossible for any COM
mon purpose to restrain them long from active
hostilities among themselves The Tribune and
Post have already begun to renew their custom
ary filings at each other, and both of them take
the pains to remind their readers that the Times,
though it may tell the truth about the ring and
so do the public service, is, as Mayor Hall
says, stimulated by a private grievance to a
treacherous assault upon its former friends.
The extract we have given above shows how the
Times responds to these taunts There is reason
to apprehend that the force of the attack upon
the ring is already spent, and that the papers
which ought to sustain and continue it are di.
yerting the attention of their readers and vast
ing their own strength in bitter assaults upon
each other. Messrs. Hall and Connolly may
probably dismiss their uneasiness and regard
the storm that menaced them as essentially
blown over.