"THE TIMES."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 105, 27 January 1908, Page 9

"THE TIMES."

: The; denial by Mr. CV A. -Pearson, anions others) flint "Tho. Tinites-' ; was to pitss into iliisi lianllpj' vfar," probably' literally' aechrato, but It Was,- nevertheless, calculated to conV.ijyi aii '■inaccuratc improssiini; - -For "thougharc spared for the present the pain of iStoing "i'ho Times" becomc the sole, property- of the; enterprising controller: of tho "Daily Kipress" and tho" .."Standttrcl;"- it : baSj :.aS..ll»s ;been-Bdidj-.becH: sucked into'tho syndicate infielstfcimi .It is. to he l'o'rnicd into a limited-, company, ofjrhici: the' present■ ropro3entative..,o(..tJie.foYmder';> family is to bo chairman, while.MivPeni'son is to.lit.managing directorj.,.and ,wil|.,''reoi'gani_so tho busihess department.",-, ,'fiiero is no doubt..necessity for.-reorganisation in t!;at-!direetion, andii\' tlic-capablc hauds of Mr. Pearson- tho .paper, may .become a. better; paying" property ; itliaii-it UilS; UeoiV of -late yeavs.,-. But it is-im-;WOsfe{Jjlckfo/,,holi(iyci, ihat"-witli jjtjv Pearsonrjielijlns,; .■ttfii.-Uc.^ust,-- a large;;3liavc.,i\v: tins papeiv its editorial - cWracter. .will; as,; bV. sM'tedifteniaiii- jliiehiviigec!,, Wo cannot' forgot: tihii.t thorsamn tiling \vas .'said' when, ho first 'took>;byer;'-.the ".Standard,"- -hilt within 'fow ;,iv;nff]vs .:tho jpdi.tor.. resigned,- and ' the '.'paper.-, fronv being ,-tjie. leading. advocatc of became .nix out-and-out exponent of protection-, .-_.ilr. Pearson'ij too strongly imhued with-his own-ideas as'-to what coil-., stit\lteS-,-good journalism ; to heablo to resist.' ' the temptation to/bring ."Tho Times" mora or. loss into line'.with'-the "Daily .Express," : ."ct hoc gemis omiie.'-' -And with thatrhaiigc will pass a'.vay tho iglorv of '-'Tho-TLinos," which,. 4 in ?pite -. tit the. mistakes of.' recent years,;. is. still, as' jt has been for generations, i .the pride.of British: journalism.- -ijs -journal-. 1 ist-s wo .regard'-ns a,-disaster tho possibility that tho uttered conditions of tho great puper will result in the lowering of its high tone, the introduction of the methods of cheap sensationalism, and the disappearanceof tho splendid traditions associated v.'ith its long -mid renowned career. ■ Jint apart from this tho now departure is to be. deplored from the: public point of view. . . . Thetimo seems, to .be approaching when he and tho II arm worths will .'control the greater part of the Press of tho United Kingdom. It ean- . not-bo to thu public interest that the organs of public, opinion should puss into so few ■ bunds. Pursued to ' tho conclusion-which seems inevitable, this policy must- mean that the British public Will receive just such -political and other news as two or three men chobsc.to give it., . The possibility, of this •news,:;; .coming. ;,.'fqoia biassed, " if. not from" .taintqd., . .\.s6nrce,s is .immeasurably increased by ' tho abolition of that hoaltby competition by which ;in ; tho. pant .the paper with tho best reputation!-.for accuracy and enterprise* has secured itlico,greatest influence. - We shall watch thor future .course of "The-. Times"' ■witlwleep -interest, -but- without -much hopo J.hat it will preserve, the characteristics ■■ which have given it world-wide fame aild au-' Jthority.—ClirisUiburcli. "Prow."-