ll, 1892.
put a stop to my ‘Monthly Oracle ': for, though his answers were false and impertinent, (and for that reason his interloping con
tinued but a few weeks) yet, being published every Tuesday, they
ruined my ‘Monthly Oracle'.” 38 These facts have been stated to indicate that almost as old as the newspaper itself is that part of it that makes special claim
to wisdom . The first Harmsworth paper , called Answers to Correspondents (and later Answers ), was dated June 2 , 1888, and the first number of The Athenian Gazette, March 17 , 1689-90. The very nature of the newspaper lends itself most readily to this ·most pronounced element in its personality , - omniscience. Omniscience is the twin of infallibility and this is another
characteristic of the newspaper's personality . “ In America apology in journalism is unknown ” is the somewhat flippant re mark of a visiting journalist,39 ignoring the fact that its very na ture may prevent an apology not only in the American newspaper , but in the newspaper of every country and of every time. “ The
demands of individuals,” says Munroe Smith , " for the correction of misstatements or for the withdrawal of misjudgments are un reasonable demands which the newspapers are compelled to resist. Any considerable concessions to these demands would be distinctly injurious to the essential interests of journalism .” 40 And he further sums up the situation in saying, “ It is well known
that doctrines expressing policies tend to harden into dogmas presented as truths. With this tendency every student of govern ment or of law or of religion is familiar . To this peril journalism has also succumbed. The Dogma of Journalistic Inerrancy converts a maxim of policy into a tenet of faith .” It is, however, very obvious that a great change has of late years
taken place in the press, and that if it does not yet acknowledge its
errors on questions of public policy , it is at least ready to apolo gize for incorrect statements made with reference to individuals.
The New York Tribune, for example, now carries the statement
that it “ will be glad to receive and publish corrections of inac curacies in its columns.” Such corrections it often publishes . 38 Life and Errors of John Dunton , II, 423. 39 Harry Furniss, The Confessions of a Caricaturist, I, vii. 40 “ The Dogma of Journalistic Inerrancy," North American Review ,
February , 1908 , 187: 240-254.
