LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF THE " SPECTATOR."
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—As a whole-hearted admirer of the Spectator I have read your " lifer " article with the greatest interest. There lurks a danger in it so obvious that no doubt you have dis- counted it, but as your suggestion overflows from the realm of journalism into that of organization—at least, I think so —perhaps you will not resent it if I am delivered of some criticisms. You propose to create a machine. For the Lord's sake, don't. If I were a malignant political opponent of the Spectator I would get into that machine and I would undertake to drive you and the whole staff mad within six months. I am all in favour of your scheme without the machine. Your safeguards, you say ? A fig for them ; they are mere ink on paper : you cannot in such a case devise any safeguards which will protect you against collective human nature, which is always at the mercy of an astute wirepuller. " But," you say, " you propose taxation without representation." Certainly I do. And I believe that all sensible readers of the Spectator would support—and indeed insist on—this arrangement. Concede to the " lifers " one general meeting a year at which to blow off steam, without any power whatever to ram their ideas into you against your will. Grant them the opportunity of moral suasion—one really good field day per annum with a good lunch or dinner —at their own expense—thrown in, but not a shred, vestige or ghost of rights, however safeguarded you may contrive to be. For some reason or other nearly every man thinly that he is a born journalist and quite competent to run a paper ; and most of his friends think that they are bora writers ; and I can easily imagine with what a zest a pro- portion at least of the " lifers "-5 per cent. would be enough to hamstring you—would jump into your lap and show you exactly how to run the Spectator. Having once created your machine you could not dismantle it. You enjoy a unique independence in journalism, hedce the power and value of the Spectator, and I am afraid that you are proposing to dilute the source of your power. Every successful enterprLe is a " one-man show." Why not issue debentures—without voting power—say, £10 debentures, and nobody to hold more than £50 worth amongst your readers to cover the death duties ? You would have to turn yourself into a limited company, but I should imagine that you could do that without surrendering any of your power. However, I hesitate to make constructive suggestions because I expect that you will have already canvassed them.—I am, Sir, &c.,
X.
Previous page
