Mr. C. P. Scott
"LIVERY newspaper which has joined in the con- gratulations to Mr. C. P. Scott on his eightieth birthday, and on his fifty-five years' editorship of the Manchester Guardian, has honoured not only Mr. Scott, but the journalist's profession. For Mr. Scott is at the head of his craft, an inspiration and an example to all. On Thursday, October 21st, Lord Derby presented to the City of Manchester a bust of Mr.- Scott by• Mr. Epstein, and 'on Tuesday Mr. Scott celebrated his birthday.
It was a significant and characteristic fact that when- Mr. Scott was asked to choose a sculptor he chose Mr. Epstein. His mind is composed of devouring curiosity, in the best sense of that word; and Of an intense and comprehending sympathy.- in : his S old age ' his choices are as often as not the ehbites of youth. This is largely the -secret' of his 'success'; he is' not merely ready but -- anxious to entertain' 'hew' ideas ; • and although -he has' unyielding pririciplegc ihei‘has., always 11441 av 'perfectly open' 'nnitld,-AbOnt ,111911t, timetlioda =Or • presentatiom liking for experlinents has become keener, rather than dimmer, as happens to most men,. with the passing of the -years. London is only vaguely aware of the great influence which the Manchester Guardian. has in foreign countries and of the reasons for it. It' may not be amiss, therefore, to examine some of the virtues of Mr. Scott's editorship. - The - first thing which strikes one in the Manchester Guardian is that it is both scholarly and popular. If it were written obscurely, in the manner that conceals' both thought and facts ; if it were elusive ; if it were written to create rapture in a coterie ; if it were, in a word, merely " highbrow," it could not possibly have the -great weight which has belonged to it for more than fifty years. Mr. Scott has seen to it that though no serious subject is neglected, everything should be treated in a planner that can be " understanded of the people.". Not only on polities, but on literature -and the arts—. and let us add the art of life—the judgments of the. Manchester Guardian have always been erudite and distinguished, yet clear and readable. It is possible - for those who do not belong to the Liberal Party to say this with all the greater conviction—their opinion has been formed in spite of political disagreement. No one could possibly fail • to respect . the methods by which the Manchester Guardian arrives at its conclusions. It is always careful to collect the facts and fearlessly to put them on record. The business --of an editor is to make up his mind after consideration of the facts, not to make up his mind on part_ of the facts or—still worse—to suppress part of the facts. As Mr. Scott himself has said, " Comment is free, but facts are sacred." That is the whole truth, and it would be a desirnble motto for every newspaper office.
Mr. Scott, though he can and does use sharp weapons, abides most honourably by the rules of the game.. not only allows opponents to state their ease fully in his paper (conceiving, as he does, that one of thofunctions of a newspaper is to be a forum of discussion), but often states an opponent's case for him, feeling that lie can dispose of it more honestly, and perhaps with more effect, if readers know exactly what there is to be said on the other side. In fine, Mr. Scott's methods are informed by courtesy and fairness. ..The polite argument that has the air of being an investigation is, in nine cases out of ten, the most . convincing. Probably. at no moment of his career would Mr. Scott have found it difficult to sit down to dinner with any one of his political enemies.
Another thing which has brought a high repute to the Manchester Guardian under Mr. Scott is the excellence of the writing. He looks upon the English language as a trust. He knows that phrases, constructions and idioms which are before the eyes of the public day after day will pass into the language, and he therefore holds it a duty to keep false coinage out of the currency. This is not to say that he is ever pedantic. He can enjoy a telling colloquialism as much 'as any man, but he must- first convince himself that anything • which seeks e honour of-being admitted to the 'cinTeney.is warrant- able, is well based- or -reasonably derived. The general reader very likely' does not know the difference between the good' that 'he gets from Mr. Scott and -the bad which he gets in -many other papers, and yet all the:time the good- is secretly. working like. yeast that leavens tile lump: - Such care is never wasted. 'Every -man who has -,served. on the staff of the • Mantlitsfer- Guardian has been chosen by- Mn- Scat himself, -And; be never pieced anyone 'who wad indifferent to --the'-tiOnique opwritinn. • . ; • • ::" • ; The service which the Manchester Guardian has done to Manchester is immeasurable. - Londoners are proud of London in a large and grand way; but it is impossible that they should have quite the sense of belonging to a " local habitation " and the highly conscious civic patriotism that are common among the people of Manchester -and- of several other large towns in England and Scotland. Such towns want- their -art, their drama, their music, their public parks, and their civic amenities to be better than those of corresponding towns and better even than those of London. In these healthy ambitions the Manchester Guardian has been a magnificent inspirer to the people of Manchester. The point was long since reached in Manchester where the inspiration became reciprocal. The Manchester Guardian has created a great deal that is admirable in Manchester, but all that is good in Manchester helps to support and to spread the fame of the Manchester Guardian. All these facts are summed up in the long and honourable career of Mr. Scott, to whom we offer our hearty congratulations and our thanks.
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