ITo MR EDITOR OF TER "SPECTATOR.")
Srn,—Are you sure of your facts ? You describe the Star as "the great inciter to betting." You state that it urges "men to put their money on a horse." Can you quote a single sentence in any issue of the Star urging men to bet Of course you should be able to do so, because your statements form the basis of the most odious charges that could be levelled against honourable men. It will not do to say that the mere publication of " tips " or betting news is an incitement to bet. The Star, in common with almost every other news- paper, recognises the fact that it is the duty of a newspaper to supply news. It further recognises, apparently, that if it would further the cause of progress and justice to the fullest extent it must be read by men who back horses as well as by those who do not, and that in order to become read by the former it must give the news they are chiefly interested in. In effect, " Captain Coe" says :—" My selections are So-and-so. If you will insist on backing horses you will probably lose as little by betting on my tips as on those of any other sporting journalist." But this is not inciting to bet. If the Star inserted the advertisements of bookmakers or tipsters, as many daily newspapers do, you would have a case ; but as as impartial observer of a very pretty quarrel, I fail to see what grounds you have for attacking the Cadburys and Rowntreee. Many a man has doubtless become a good sound Land-taxer through buying the Star for its racing news.
The analogy you draw between the Star's betting news and your attitude towards "poisonous literature" is not con- vincing. No one holds that betting news, which almost every newspaper publishes, and indecent books are equally infamous If every weekly review except the Spectator published "poisonous literature," and the owners of the Spectator also owned other weekly reviews, your argument would be tenable; but under present conditions you would not be likely to secure half-a-dozen new subscribers by the publication of obscenity, and you would surely lose many thousands.—I am, Sir,
" 'Maya ' have a good time down at Chester, Let this meny month furnish a tip,
Pack up all that you've got and bundle the lot On the daughter of Desmond and Gyp."
Another example of incitement is given by "X." in the previous
letter. If further proof is wanted, we advise "Astronomer" to study the Star for a week. Unless it has changed of late, be will find plenty of examples. At one time the proprietor of the Spectator controlled another weekly paper. While that control existed he stopped incitements to betting in the paper in question.—En. Spectator.]
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