Canadian Journalism

Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,

Circumstances surrounding the invitation to address your Club afforded only two days for research and discovery, and I must be pardoned if I talk " shop," though it be upon the thing most in evidence in public life, the office and the home--"The Press." It is no longer a case of his one favourite paper which the citizen regularly carries home, but of a roll of them, as varied in politics and style as the cherished one formerly was narrow and fruitful of partizanship. The thought of this subject was precipitated by a criticism from a weekly journalist of Toronto, whose chief excuse for issuing a paper at all must be that he " had to live somehow," though few persons seem to recognize the actual necessity of that proposition. To his attack there is a complete defence.

The members of the Canadian Press Association travel like other public bodies-like gentlemen-paying their way in every respect save the hauling of chartered cars over railway lines. Their individual trips are not taken on " passes," but on tickets issued in exchange for advertising at current rates, a fair business transaction, mutually helpful and not destructive of the independence of public expression. Defence of the personnel of journalism seems to be unnecessary in Toronto, since several of its publishers are its leaders in philanthropy even more than in enterprise, and since its editors preserve an estimable reputation. The loyalty of the local press is a community's best asset, and this is so evident and effective here that it does not fail to dissatisfy other cities of Ontario regarding their disadvantages in the line of competitive publicity. The press was the star of empire that westward pointed the Canadian way. It pierced the literary gloom in Halifax in 1752, in Quebec in 1764, in New Brunswick in 1785, in Montreal in 1788, in Newark in 1793, and in every case the name of the paper was the Gazette. The fashion in names was restricted or arbitrary in those days, and that particular title is now sadly worn out; yet has a saving reputation in the Montreal Gazette, deeply respected for eminent virtues at the still vigourous age of 118 years. That the art preservative of arts became the handmaid of civilization is clear from its rapid growth in the creeping period of colonization. In 1824 Upper and Lower Canada possessed nineteen journals; the record of 1836 was fifty, with a Liberal preponderance due to a sense of wrongs, some fancied and some very real, and to the people's thwarted aspirations for Parliamentary independence and adequate representation. This was, the introductory era of the magnetic telegraph. Newspapers had been devoted to long reports from European papers through ocean-sailing packets; to editorials which called a spade a spade in heated terms; and to essays on current topics which displayed a beauty of diction quite rare nowadays. Henceforth they became active purveyors of news and gave the scare-head a modest introduction. The spirit of government was executive domination, sustained by a " family compact " which inwardly felt a divine right to office and supremacy.

There were no popular municipal institutions in those days. Towns were ruled by magistrates, even by wardens of churches of the generously endowed order. The dominant party used their power with little regard for criticism or appearances. For instance, they regulated the banking accommodation, and in those days of open voting it required a strenuous air of politics to nerve men into opposition. Naturally, Radicals from the old lands were moved to action, and created fresh organs for wider avenues of protest and denunciation. The battles of the editors were the life of the towns, and were welcomed, in their isolation, for travel was possible by stage only during at least half of the year. The humours of the types were also much in evidence. It is a tradition in Kingston that the influence most potent in its precipitate loss of the Government seat was the ridicule of Madame Lafontaine's poodle by a saucy paper which still dares to exist.

The business side of journalism was not ideal in those days. Vapid jokes now current anent cord-wood subscriptions had then a real substance. The experience of a certain office was perhaps that of many others; subscribers who began by bringing in four loads of wood for a year's paper lived to receive four years' of the same paper for one cord of wood. Publishers made journeys by sleigh for days together, gathering subscriptions and advertising, and making collections. The papers, having but one writer each, were dull in their absences, but were brightened after their return through " sketches by the way," which still are readable in this distant day.

Along came the era of the Grand Trunk, of the Browns, of E. G. Penny, of Smiley, of Beatty, and a host of less prominent men of vigour, of action and intellect, who elevated journalism, gave it a system, eliminated the degrading personal element, and made news a prompt and far-reaching feature. The business office must be fed, or the editorial side will languish, and happily, as commercial stakes have been lengthened, advertising has grown, and the craft has steadily advanced. Several Canadian evening dailies indisputably rival those in the more wealthy and populous land to the south, while the morning papers cover their own land much more completely than do their United States contemporaries. No more convincing evidence of this could be offered than the reports of proceedings of the Dominion Parliament-in view of labour and cost involved and the pressure of time.

A Canadian population scattered over thousands of miles is not greater than that which almost immediately borders on the City of New York and becomes a local feeder to its journals. The comparison most complimentary to Canadians as regards that intelligence which begets readers and advertising effects, is that a noted authority on publicity accords the Dominion the credit of a greater circulation of newspapers in proportion to population than the Union as a whole. Since wealth of communities is the greatest factor in creating great journals, Canada has reason to be proud of the product of its yet modest competency. From 311 in 1864, the number of journals rose to 567 in 1881, to 1,031 in 189i and to 1,307 in 1905. The first Canadian daily was issued at Montreal in 1833, but it became a tri-weekly

in winter. The Kingston Whig was the first all-the-year round daily. Brockville, in the Recorder, treasures the oldest Ontario weekly, aged about 75 years.

It goes without saying that no campaign for half a century has failed to yield, in great measure, to the stirring activities of the fourth estate, when either the rising or the dominant party had a presentable case. It can make or unmake leaders. Memory recalls a quiet conference of Editors of Ontario dailies, soon after the fall of the Mackenzie Government, to start Liberalism on the road to resuscitation and to incidentally resent the dictation of The Globe and the indifference of the late Premier to the Provincial press. They resolved to invoke a new guide and carve out a fresh policy for the party. They laid hold on Blake's name, and the sentiment created all over the land brought that politician speedily to the front as leader-not at his desire, for he was scrupulously just to Mackenzie. In the landslide of 1905 in Provincial politics the press, and not the Opposition Leader, and not Gamey, and not the platform, was the most potent Conservative factor. Where Liberal candidates used that weapon most freely they were most successful. Liberal editors won in four cities; one gained the day and one was defeated in rural constituencies. This was a large measure of success when so many of their comrades fell by the way. In England, in the recent general election, old-time customs yielded very significantly, when the Conservative party paraded a page of black letter appeal in the most unheard of quarter the London Times. Journalism is becoming more and more a profession rather than a calling, and it is a tribute to its fairness and dignity that it furnishes so many successful candidates in public contests. The Canadian press is now only in rare instances owned by wealthy or ambitious leaders for purposes of influence. It is an independent press, though very devoted to party. Distinguished politicians have emerged from modest places in' its ranks. Sir John Thompson and the Hon. W. S. Fielding were reporters in early life. Sir Mackenzie Bowell has continued to own and direct the Belleville Intelligencer. Sir Wilfrid Laurier launched The Settler (one who clears the way), but did not succeed in perpetuating it and consequently become enslaved to the desk--another proof of manifest destiny. Sir John Macdonald placed a higher value on the press than did any other politician of his time, and scarce one of the scribes devoted to his cause failed to receive favour at his hand.

There is a Canadian journalism which bears the higher name of literature and for which pride can honourably be evoked. As Stewart's, Belford's and other magazines of excellent merit passed away this country was voted a barren field, but the Canadian Magazine has lived long and has grown' better with age, because well supported. Pleasantly surprising has been the success of such illustrated journals as the Standard, Canada, the Graphic, Resources, and the Saturday supplements of the Globe and World. The illustrations are super-excellent in some cases; compared with United States publications, where wealth and population should give much greater effects, the Canadian presentment is a triumph. A livelier sense of this excellence should help to stem the inward flood of magazines, often anti-British in sentiment, running counter to our Imperial desires and weakening our national spirit.

The impulses and benefits of an absorbing national ambition-inflation some may call it have been lessons from across the border that we should imbibe without their rival sentiments. We cannot retain the Parkers, the Barrs, the Bliss Carmans or Roberts, but we can sustain many worthy literary workers, holding fast to our patriotic record, treasuring our best traditions and at length commanding respect abroad. It is a good rule--yes, a national service--to patronize every Canadian book of merit, and thus materially help our country and inspire our thoughts and actions.

Upon the reserve, dignity and independence of the secular press, and upon the broadening spirit of a highly creditable religious press, rests the unity of the country in large measure. Quebec and Ontario would be warmer national colleagues but for feelings of hostility arising from a too serious consideration of occasional vagaries of party journalism baseless as an evidence of public feeling. A few heated expressions are remembered and a thousand just and friendly articles forgotten. In no particular can our enterprise, our enlightenment and our capacity be more conspicuous than in an improving and a helpful press, yielding to no estate in chivalry, patriotism or endeavour, braving the ingratitude, seemingly inevitable, from those it serves most generously, and attracting still brighter intellects that it may become more worthy of an exalted service.