New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-17
DEPENDENT JOURNALISM.

There are few newspapers in New-Jeisey
which feel aggrieved that the action OF LIE
TRIBUNE in exposing the legislative printing
frauds is likely to result in deprivng them Oh
q portion of the support they have been acchs-
toned to draw from the Treasury OF the state
1t is represented that some of them are 10 Il
certain extent dependent upon this State ain'
and that its withdrawal will subject them TO
great embarrassment. The invariablc argu-
ment is. at is a small matter, not worth
"quarrclng over; these editors are gooa lei
CLOVIS, and if there is anything going, our
"men ought to have it,"
We can see the force of this argument, Dht
it is not sufficient to justify the system we are
attacking. We are glad to recognize the worth
and the usefulness of the country press. III Is
probable that no class of men in the cOmmu-
nifty do so much honest and advantageous
work for so little pay as the editors and pub
fishers of the newspapers of the INTERIOR 1hey
deserve all the support and aid which can
honestly be given them. The good ones among
them are among the most valuable sources OF
true progress and enlightenment, and even the
inferior ones have a use and merit OF their
own. But it seems to us that 1t would DC
better for a newspaper to die than to live de-
pendent upon official patronage. If there Is
public advertising to be done, it is reasonable to
expect from the fairness and the common
sense of the authorities, that it Will be sent to
the papers which can give it the widest and
best publicity. A journal receiving work in
this manner, and charging for it an honest
price, is thereby laid under no obligation
whatever to any man or to any party. NO
paper can afford to accept what Is ordinarily
called official patronage on any other terms.
Still more impossible is it for journalist
to reconcile independence i'll his profession
with Office holding. If there is a man in the
United States better fitted than any other by
nature. by temperament, by long experience
and standing in the Republican party, to har-
monte eifectualy the positions of an independ-
ent journalist and an Olfce-holder under the
Administration, that person is John W. Forney.
But years experience convinced him that the
work was too heavy even for him. A journal
ist who holds an Office writes in straight
Jacket. IL he be of a generous and grateful
disposition, he cannot freely discuss the meas
ures of the men whose favors he is enjoying
If he be sordid and selfish, a mean regard Tor
his own interests is enough to deprive him OF
|
These evils could to certain extent be mod
flied by proper civil service reform, such as
we have frequently demanded, and the Presi-
dent has promised us. If this were once
established, an editor might accept Office, If he
had time and inclination, without any sacri-
fee of self respect But for another class OF
papers, which seem led by innate servility OF
character to natter power and palIiate Its
| errors, no reform can ever accomplish any
thing. Not only the men III authority can
do no wrong in their eyes, but even the
lesser rOgues in the ranks OF Its own
faction must be defended at all hazards. There
was an article in The Times of yesterday which
was positively discreditable to journalism.
1t says some angry things of us which call for
no notice, and then adds 1.-The sum PAID
"to Mr. Terwiliger-little over $4,000 year
ais contemplate; it would not corrupt
"doorkeeper q Mr. Tcrwillger would
"have been thought very eccentric had he
"refused to take itn OF course, Mr.. Terwil-
| Tiger did not want to be considered eccentric,
| and so he was forced reluctantly to
fob his $1,000 How can journal ex-
| pect to retain any influence among honest
! people when it exhibits such ignorance OF, or
such contempt for the very elements of COM
mon morality This is the point to which
newspapers are brought by slavish adherence
to supposed political or factional expediency
The paper we are speaking of can fight gal
lantly enough when the wrong doors are its
political opponents. But the moment wrong
or an outrage is traced home to one Of Its
own color, it feels that its whole duty lies in
abusing the prosecutor and shielding the Grim
inal. We are glad to believe this old-fash-
toned partisan journalism is passing away.
THERE TO FIND HOMES.