The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-05

beautifully complicated and is rich booty for
the crowd of lawyers on either side.
The Newspapers of tho United states-The
Secret Of Their Success.
A late English journal contains some SEN
s'ble comments upon the daily press of the
United States, and notices among other things
the fact that in many of our cities, and espe-
cially in the West, newspapers are now estab-
lished upon sound business basis and are
making fortunes for their proprietors. In this
respect England and the United States are
alike. While the London Times, like the HERALD,
stands prominently at the head OF journalism
in the whole country, there are yet many
provincial papers that have succeeded by long
perseverance, industry and enterprise in secur-
ing firm footing and establishing reputa-
ton that insures their permanence and pros
perity.
There are, it is true, in this country vast
number of trashy, obscure, irresponsible pub
locations bearing the name, but without any of
the real qualities of newspapers, which en-
deavor to make show of success and are noisy
on the subject Of their own merits ; but they
are ephemeral concerns, and die away year by
year, one after the other, and are forgotten.
They are generally started in the interest OF
particular notion, clique or faction, and invari-
bly, change from hand to hand and from party
to party according as one side or the other
can command the means of buying them up.
Sometimes they commence as religious organs,
and after carrying on sickly career as saints
are bought up by copperhead politicians, then
sold out to republicans and after brief space
are again turned over to copperheadism for
consideration the, whole stock company OF
editors, correspondents and reporters being
traded off with the establishment and Topping
over from the Church to Satan and from one
faction to another as readily as the types with
which the paper is set Such concerns are
not, however, worthy to be regarded as types
of American journalism. They are now grow
ing more scarce than they were few years
ago, and when the present batch have finished
their brief career and gone into bankruptcy
it is to be hoped that there will be an end to
them forever
People are beginning to understand that a
newspaper, to be fully up to the standard Of
the day, must hold itself altogether inde-
pendent of political parties and Individual
interests. II must be in condition to
take broad, unbiased views of every great
public question; TO criticise fearlessly the
acts Of all parties and of all public men,
and to depend solely upon its own re-
sources, energies and enterprise for lis
success. The paper that is simply
political pauper, bought up by politicians for
their own purposes and run in the interest Of
any particular clique or organization, is no
longer newspaper, but mere political
machine, undeserving of public confidence
and presenting no inducements for the sup
por, of the masses Of the people or the patron
age OF business men.
A newspaper business does not spring up
in day nor in few years, but is only estab-
lished on broad and secure basis after nearly
a lifetime OF application, ability and large in
ves;ment A political paper now and then
experiences a temporary increase OF circua-
ton in the heat of political campaign but
such unsubstantial help dies away ard leaves
its recipient to anguish and. expire or to be
sold out TO the next party that may require
the services of an organ. IL is only truly
indcp Andent press that can ever hope to
acquire position equal TO that of the HERALD
or tie London Times.
This is indeed, the case with other enter
prises besides newspapers that depend upon
the general public for their success. A good
Illustration is presented in the instance of the
..n' -;
though issued from the Office of u party
Journal, has taken a position as
strictly reliable business undertaking, and as
such is universally used rs u book OF reference
by all parties. 1t puts forth facts and statis-
ties with remarkable accuracy and without
reference to their effect upon this or that poliii-
cal organization, and has, on this account.
secured surprisingly large circulation all
over the United States. Every year. other
political papers have put forth pamphlets in
opposition to the Tribune Almanac but they
have invariably been the poorest description
of partisan trash, full OF errors and misstatc-
ments, utterly unreliable and worthless Tor any
purposes OF reference. AT one time they are
issued from some envous republican estab-
ishment and at another by some obscure
copperhead Office but they all end in the
waste basket, and are eventually sold to the
rag and bottle dealer at so much per pound.
As the concerns that father them generally
follow them to that final resting place, parent
aud offspring appropriately find a common
grave at last.
The Alabama Election.
An election In Alabama commenced yester-