THE PRESS PERIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7330, 17 February 1902, Page 2

THE PRESS PERIL.

« A PESSIMISTIC ASSERTION COMBATED. \ In the " Nineteenth Century," Mr G. M. . Trevelyan exclaims that the country 'is. go-i'jx-g to the dogs for many reason?, but mainly because the newspapers of the period are full of irresponsible frivolities. That some of our jouimala dio deai undiuly in trivialities "will certainly be adimiftted by every thoughtful student of them; but (says the "Daily Graphic") the p^esimists must not forget tihait. tihis has been a characteristic of ephemeral journalism of every age. A day spent with a competent guide in tlie newspaper room of the Britdeh Mxiseuin wouH quioldy dlssipaite the b> lief tina/t the piresamen of the past had batter information or better manners tiham> the pressmen of the pressnt. The jokes in lynch defunct oomdc papers as "The Man in iha Moon " and " 'lihie Devjl- in Lond'on " were of a vulgarity w'M>ah the comio Press of today has quite outgrown. There were fair miore scurrdloxiß personaiities in the oldi "European Magazine" than ai>e to be found ib any oontemjiorary sooiefcy paper ; whiile the" idea of " gstting bcid of tioe faots" before taking a strong Ijaiei in controversy will be found 1 , by exaamiination. of the files of flin-y ol<di <i<aaly, to be quite a modem inoiovaihion. The newspapers of to-: day may not, 5md i e2di be always >tlhat one 'could %vish,; but these who contrast them, unfavourably with the newspapers of tiho, past only prove that their ■ knowledge of itth/e newspapers of the past is imperfect and :i inexact. ; . ' :