Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-03-14

We have noticed some discussion
IN other journals as to the merits
or rather the stanchness, OF The Triy
me as a party organ-whet';cr ii ha
been, or may confidently be expcc,oe
70 be, ''rcliable," to use word O
dubious proprie;y. We desire te
help the negative in this controversy
Iae Tribune was designed to be
something quite different from a
party organ, as organs ca in this
country. 1t was meant to discuss
political as we'll as other questions of
general interest with entire freedom
and frankness commend whstey
er its Editor should believe to be
right and condemn whatever appear.
ed to him wrong, without regard to
the party affiliations OF the doer. It
was intended to be as independent of
ofiice-holding and of oficc- seeking
control as Tie Tines (London) or any
OF The great European journals, none
OF which ever subserved party with
the docility mot to say servility) often
exhibited o. this side OF the Atlantic.
But, soon after the establishment
Of this journal, the country was
plunged into controversy respect
ing the contrasted merits of Protec.
tion and Free Trade; and the Editor
AN ardent, devoted Protec,ionist
from boyhood-rushed instinctiyely
into the thickcst of the fight. 1t was
not in his nature TO do otherwise.
When Henry Clay was superseded
by Gen. Taylor in 1913, in a Con
vention which laid Free Soil on tie
table, The Tri5Mse did not behave ike
a good party organ. It told .rutlis
that the party did no, relish, and did
not harry itself in taking ground for
Gen. Taylor. A good many people
liked it less for this; bat we believe
they respected it-more.
Again in 1852, when Gen. Scott
was nominated for President on a
Compromise platform, it ac.
cepted the candidate, but emphatic
ally spurned the platform. A good
party organ would have swallowed
the platform at the first gulp, and
to like it.
In 1854, there was New Depart
ure. A startling and temporarily
successful effort was made to open to |
Slavery territory which had been |
solemuly consecrated to Free Labor. |
Again The Trib,oe stepped to the |
front, ant die is best IN opposition
to what it deemed pertidlo1s crime, |
till that issue was forever settled.
Still, it did not earn the reputation
of a stanch. "rellable' party organ. |
w hen the Republicans Of Illinois un,
dertook to turn Stephen A. Douglas
out OF the Senate in 1858, just after
lis magnificent and successful fight
against binding Kansas over to Slav
cry under the fraudulent Lecompton
Constitution, The T.i5ane thought
hey were wrong, and, thinking, said
30. A genuine party organ would
rot have thought at all, or, thiuking
10. would have said the opposite.
Again in I>av, the Republican
Legislature OF our State passed sew
,ral bills for Horse Railroads in our
City. collectively known IS .tha /
The Tribune was not con.
ent with opposing those bills TO the
Utmost; it paraded the names OF
xhorted It's esas readenFsa nFsastss1 t plh tbs lot, and
hem who should presume to stand
or re election. Several OF them uere
'eaten in consequence, and the party
machinery considerably deranged.
hat is not the sort of music expect
d from party organs. I
Enough for this time. 1t is pain
hat they are right who insist that
he Ttbans is not a reliable party
rgan. We presume it never was :
at. if it ever has been. we are deter
lined that it shall not be hereafter.
New York Tri5stas.