It is assumed that Lord Camrose's purchase of the "Morning Post" for so comparatively small a figure as £150,000 may involve merger of that jourmal—the oldest London daily—with its new owner's vigorous "Daily Telegraph," itself the bearer of great traditions, It is more than probable that the event had been largely discounted in advance in Fleet-street so the resultant hardship may not be so great as accrued, for example, from the disappearance of the "Daily Chronicle" as a separate entity. Moreover conditions in the "Street" are reported to be reflecting the present buoyant state of industry generally. Lord Camrose's announcement neither confirms nor denies the possibility of a merger. Regret at the evidence of the famous newspaper's difficulties is tempered by satisfaction that it has fallen into such hands as those. of its new owner and not into the rapacious net of the "stunt" peers whose journalistic adventures are more spectacular than edifying. Lord Camrose's resourcefulness is great.
He moy find it possible to retain the "Morning Post" as distinct from the "Daily Telegraph" but the circumstances of the purchase mako it doubtful, The internal history of newspaper management cannot satisfactorily be discussed without access to data which are noi normally at public disposal. It is therefore futile to attempt to say at what point the "Morning Post" which was founded in 1772 and celebrated its 50,000th issue on Sept. 19, 1932, amid congratulations from friends and foes alike, might have been preserved to continue the useful function of voicing conservative opinion as a salutary check on over-zealous empiricism. Many remembering the palmy days associated with the Borthwick regime (1877-1903), will be inclined to assert that the untimely death of Oliver Borthwick, the son and designated successor of Lord Glenesk, as Algernon Borthwick became in 1895, was fatal, From that time the paper seemed always to be dogged by uncertainty, although it brilliantly maintained the literary traditions which set it apart from all its contemporary For the Borthwick policy in Oliver's hands seemed to give the journal's conservatism a less rigid and obscurant touch than that which kept it so manifestly out of tune with the bulk of the official Conservative party in its later years. The soundness of its imperial vision was never in question when the issue concerned the fundamental principles of British liberty. Where it seemed to go astray was in lacking faith in the applicability of those principles to the constitutional problems of the Empire. This was not due so much io a loss of contact with realities as, perhaps, to a too impatient intolerance of the smugness which so often mars the presentation of progressive views. The "Morning Post" has been well-informed on labour issues and has not allowed its conservatism to warp its sense of social justice. It has frankly fulfilled the role of champion of the aristocratic tradition without sycopliancy or snobbery. Nothing can be more severe than its chastisement of those who are false to that tradition. It is not ashamed io wear the "old school tie" but it never fails to remember ihat the privilege has unescapable responsibilities The genius of Lord Camrose may be able to ensure extension of the "Morning Posts" career of usefulness, albeit better armed against the dangers of modern newspaper competition, That would indeed be a happy outcome of his purchase. He might be inspired by the knowledge that in its 165 years' existence the journal has survived more than one apparently desperate crisis.
In these days when the financing of a daily newspaper is so intricate and elaborate an adventure it is unwise to lay too much stress on accidents of policy. The "Morning Post" was believed to have been heavily hit by the disastrous speculation of the newspaper "boom" just after the war. It may well be that that had consequences which no editorial excellence could remedy. Still it is significant that the present change in its fortunes coincides with the amalgamation of the "National Review" and the "English Review" and follows various other developments which, for example, have virtually elimin nated the right-wing Conservati policy from representation in the senior ranks of journalism. The late Lady Houston's death has no doubt been one factor in the change. Her munificent if overwhelming support of unbending toryism produced an unhealthy vigour which collapsed by reason of its very unreality when she was no longer alive to discharge the functions of fairy godmother, The present occasion, however, chiefly demands generous recognition of a fine literary record, In its early days the "Morning Post" had as its leader-writers or staff contributors men like Coleridge, Southey, and Wordsworth. The traditions thus established were honourably preserved, so that, however much the reader might disagree with the journal's views, it was impossible to withhold admiration for its devotion to the writing of good English. It managed to endow fidelity to that art with an alert perception of the best in modern literature. So it never made the mistake of confusing purity of language and diction with archaic modes of expression. Its passing—if such the event proves to be—must be saluted with regret and with the tribute due to craftsmanship at its best.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.