The number of ‘most remarkable' men and women who thus dis play themselves in print is surprising." 65 It was Anthony Trol lope who later found that while signature was good for the journalist himself, anonymity was better for the public .68
Yet if fame is sought by the journalist, it must never be for gotten that signature alone has never gained for articles the
enduring fame that has been that of the author of the Letters of Junius.67 The question remains as to how far all of these many minds of many men, these varying practices of the press in different coun tries and of the press in a single country at different times affect the authoritativeness of the press from the point of view of the
historian . The historian must prefer the signed article whenever the identification of the article adds authoritativeness, but when signature has encouraged the reporter or the correspondent to roam far afield and to add to his report of news his own interpre
tation of news he must prefer anonymity. No general principle can be deduced from themass of conflicting opinions and customs, - each case must be decided on its merits. Even Zola , strongly as
he urged signature as a personaladvantage to the individual journalist, admitted " that the practice of signing political arti cles in France had undermined the authority of the press there,
and tended to the destruction of parties ; but at the same time, said he, it had to be recognized that much of the inspiriting ardor of the political battle sprang from that same practice . On the other hand, as it was the custom for English political journalists to write anonymously , it might be well if they continued to do so , in order to preserve the power and authority of their press.” 68
The question really in the last analysis resolves itself into one of national differences. “ In France the modern newspaper press is what journalists have made it, in England it is a reflection of the
public mind,” 69 — a situation regarded with complacency by 65 " The Periodical Literature of America ,” Blackwood 's Magazine, Janu ary , 1848, 63 : 106 - 112 .
66 “ On Anonymous Literature," Fortnightly Review , July 1, 1865, 1 : 491- 498 .
67 See Byron , “ The Vision of Judgment,” stanzas 74 -84. 68 Résumé of address to the Institute of Journalists, E . Vizetelly, Emile
Zola, p . 330 . 69 J. Macintyre, “ Théophraste Renaudot: Old Journalism and New ," Nineteenth Century, October, 1893, 34: 596 -604.
