The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-15

meath the surface of things the gathering on
Saturday at Washington to do honor to MIR.
Stanley will not assume the importance we
propose to show inheres to it, A good deal Of
the popular wonder that would have sur
rounded the circumstance, had it happened
forty or fifty years ago. has been worn of by
the progress of journalism itself. The notable
fact, however, remains that the representative
of thoroughly Independent journal receives
the greeting and tho praise of men high in the
leadership not merely of party but of the nation
itself That a hundred interests and number
less points Of etiquette would have prevented
such gathering in the long past days of the
reign of the party press is as patent as that
tho party press could never have originated the
enterprise which the assembly met TO honor.
TWAS simple act of justice to the Independent
press, and as such we wish it to be appre-
dated. We can fancy the surprise which
would light up the ghostly features Of an old
time editor could he haven rise from the
grave he has tenanted for forty years and
looked in last Saturday evening upon the
gathering at Wizards His surprise would
be as great as that Of the most conservative
mandarin in the Chinese Empire who would
witness the Emperor and his Ministers rowing
| an eight-oared race with the Harvard crew
upon Lake Quinsgamond. The disciple of
Confucius might console himself with Whit
or two Of opium and then die; the resurrected
party editor would hurry back to his grave
and mover leave it until Gabriers trump
reused him up for his last great earthly sur
prise. The Speaker Of the House of Repre-
sentatives, the Vice President elect, the Com
mander in Chief of the Army. half dozen
United States Senators liberals democrats
| and republicans-th leader of the House of
Representatives and half score of his fellow
members of every shade of party and inter-
est. the Secretary of the Treasury. two As
sistant Secretaries of State. Judges, Gov
ernors, Generals and Commissioners were
present, and warm notes of apology were read
from the President the Secretary of State and
other distinguished personages. The hosts of
the occasion-the Journalists Of Washington
too. must be taken into account They repre-
sented, collectively as much intelligence, as
| much influence and as much patriotism
| and high sense Of official responsibility
as those we have previously enumerated.
It would be difficult indeed, in the
capital of our country to collect number of
gentlemen of whom it could more truly be
said that they represented that great tangible
giant of unmeasured force called public
opinion. And yet the object of all the kindly
| outpouring Of well-worded welcome was
merely tho representative of an independent
American journal. Verify. if the ears of the
dead editors of the party press could hear the
force of that welcome their bones would rattle
in protest. Now for the reason.
In the palmy old days when party patronage
and q partisan subscription list were the only
legs under editorial chairs no great repre-
sentative of political party would dare
to publicly honor the man who represented
journal opposed to that party. As soon would
the Captain General of Cuba make o COM
plimentary speech over glass of
postprandial champagne to the editor of
La Revolucion The feelings of the editor of
the Diario de la Marina would, on such an oc-
casion, be on par with those of the resur-
rected party editor. In honoring the repre-
sentative Of the HERALD Secretary Fish paid
respect to journal which, in its fearless
Independence, has found grave fault with his
official career. This instance alone will suffice
to point our meaning although in the persons
Of almost if not quite all, Of the public off,
cials present at the banquet the instances
time to time felt called upon to pass censure
upon public acts of theirs. But their presence
or their written compliments testify that the
journal which, through its heroic representa-
tive, they honored is one above party, and,
therefore, in position, without loss Of dignity
or party standing, to be treated in o friendly
way. 1t is, in fne the triumph of the indie
pendent press, signalized in the most emphatic
and impressive manner.
We would further mark that its especial
fitness arises from the concentrated compli-
ment being paid to the HERALD in the new
field of journalism of which it is proud to be
the pioneer-the field Of action. It tells
unequivocally that the new departure in jour-
nalism has in its myriad paths Of public good
the assurance beforehand of manifold appre-
citation, increased dignity and material profit
There is o key to all this, which will be found
an easy means Of solving what appears myste-
rious at first sight. 1t is that the HERALD
holds before itself reliance on the people as
a whole and consideration only of the gen.
eral good. In carrying out a course guided
by such conditions it is natural that
condemnation of the acts Of
man, no matter how high his
position, or party, no matter what its pre-
tensions, must have its place, as we'll as the
approval which of other times creditable
deeds may call forth. 1t is in the certainty
Of this high impartiality in criticising and I'M
ceasing activity in collecting facts that truly
independent paper like the HERALD finds its