New-York tribune., 1872-09-10
DOES INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM PAYf

DOES INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM PAfF
Probably the notion that sundry late-comers
in the Republican party can kill OFF the jour
nails which built it UP, has had a backset Ii
not the statements of The Springfield Repu6-
Hcan are calculated to send cold chills through
the enterprising Buchanan Democrats OF 1861
and the other rightful judges OF orthodox he-
publicanism who have undertaken the
task. The Republican was supposed TO De
rather beyond the battle-line, in the Clncln-
natl moyement,-tO be in fact sort OF sKlr-
misher in the enemy's country, and, II not cut
off, sure to be severely crippled. Well; 1t has
been hosting its books. The result is, gain
of about one tenth This may be due TO the
natural increase of business in Presidential
year 1T certainly is not due to the alleged
popular disapproval of its course. Whatever
the peOple of Western Massachusetts, may
think of the Cincinnati movement and the
Cincinnati ticket, more of them read Ihe
Springfed Republican now than before 1t be-
gan their advocacy.
The same thing is true of the Independent
press generally. The Chicago Tribune lately
suffered loss which for time seemed de-
structon. 1t is now rebuilding It's splendld
Office out of the surplus of its earnings since
the fire 4 its shares are held more firmly than
ever; and it was never so valuable property
"a it is to-day. The Cincinnati Commercial
has a larger circulation and more profitable
business than ever before. The Louisville
Courier Journal makes the same report As
for THE TRIBUNE, our readers have once or
twice, of late, been taken into our confidence
and they know that not all the power OF all
the postmasters could prevail against us. In
short the people have made up their minds
TO support the papers which express their
honest opinions and honestly give the news
without reference to party dictation.
Now that the small papers have all had
their little Jokes about the papers which are
not organs, another word may be worth whhe.
THE TRIBUNE declared its independence OF
marty dictatiOn; it did not declare neutrality.
IL cherishes just as strong convictions as ever,
and means to express them just as strongly {;
it simply does not accept the party decisions OF
Simon Cameron, Zachariah Chandler and their
fellows as binding on its judgment and con-
| science. party caucus OF such people uoes
not shape its action, whether held In Wash
| ingtOn Committee room or Philadelphia Con-
yention 1T thinks and acts for ITSELF 1t led
in political reforms before these people were
invented lit is likely to continue 1t
after they are forgotten. For the rest,
the pretense, by the small laughers OF
wonder that THE TRIBUNE, after declaring
that it would no longer submit to be regarded
as, in any sense, party organ, should earn
estly advocate the nominees of the party
whose Convention assembled at Cincinnati,
is either singularly ignorant OF supremely
| silly. We do not support that ticket
because the party machinery has been set in
its favor, but because we believe in it. The
organs may have great difficulty in under
standing so original a motive for newspaper
conduct; but our readers have none.