xxxv.] COOBDEN’S VIEW OF JOURNALISM. 903

from the public, so far as lies in its power, all knowledge of the fact, or
the plea that it is a personal matter?

1863.
Ar. 59,

Here we may leave the subject, merely remarking that to
the present writer it seems that the word “illicit ” in the
letter is entirely misplaced and unintelligible. There was
only one way of effectually checking the excessive authority
of a journal which had abused it; this was to encourage the
establishment of competitors. Cobden did as much towards
this desirable end as any one, by his share in the reduction
of the paper duty, which was what made the cheap press
possible. The multiplication of newspapers and periodicals
has had the farther effeet of clearing away the old charlatanry
 and the mystery of authorship and editorship. The
names of all important journalists are mow coming to be
practically as well known as the names of important members
 of Parliament, and this change has naturally been
followed by that more careful sense of responsibility which
Cobden was quite right in insisting upon,