Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-11-20
The Chicago Tribaue and Times to
rethcr with Anil .Monnn liberal

I
and Democratic papers everywhere
rejoice in common, over gains against
the Republicans in the late election.
\ The Tribune and 1f,ae$ claim TO be OF
the independent species OF Journalism.
4 The fact IL, however, that their party
may be properly termed the Anti
Republican party. No Journal in
the country is more devoted to party
than arc they to this progeny oftheirs.
Their party is purely negative one ;
I its policy is simply to tear sllown the
party in power because it is in their
way, because they are not leaders of
&c. Could they remove this obstruc-
tion to their ambition, then they would
strike out aggressively as leaders of
! an affirmative party, provided mey
could settle the very difficult problem
as to the precise status of each paper
in the new concern.
The insurmountable stumbling
block in the way of these journals is
that the personality of their editors
has become SO strongly defined in
each of them before the people. 1t is
true they are numerously taken and
read, they are newsy and enterpris-
ing, they are quite reliable in market
reports, their editorials are crisp,
sharp, and, in a certain sense, able, but
when you have said this, you get the
clue to the reason Of their extended
circulation. They amuse, they please
In style of diction, they crafty in their
selected matter the sensational mind,
they furnish the trashy pabulum, and
they instruct the commercial world,
but they are never read and believed
in as faithful, honest, political journ-
ais. Wilbur r. Story and Horace White
have made too mauy tergiversstions,
have shown their unprincipled policy
head of Medusa, in politics so often
and so pertinaciously for years past,
that their beslimed tortuous paths lie
exposed full and fair before the peo.
pie, and faith in them at this time is
impossible. This explains how and
why 1t is that with their immense cir
culation they make no impression up
on the body polite. In the late elec.
tions they imagine they see the fruit of
their labor in apparent Republican
losses. This but shows their incapac.
ity to rightly read themselves and the
signs OF the times.
The Republican party was never
stronger than it Is to-day in real mum.
bers. The Republican Congressmen's
wrongs, chiefly in the increased sal
ary bill, and hence the apathy Of dis
satisfaction, the monetary difficulties
the temporary ENHANCEMENT arising
with the birth and growth of the
Oranges, and finally the ofl.year in
politics, the effects Of which the party
has felt in former years, has simply
decreased the Republican vote and
to such things alone do we intelligently
look for full and complete
explanation of the result of the
recent elections. To the vanity or
braggadocia of these journals alone
are we to charge their claim of aid
rendered ; any other conclusion is an
insult to the good sense Of the people,
who do not and will not trust the in
tegrity OF either of these journals.
They preach but they do not prac-
tice in accordance with their teach.
ings; they bray loudly Of their neigh
bors being corrupt, ard how they wish
to inaugurate tie reign of economy
and honesty, but the people read and
turn away untouched and unchanged,
because they feel and know that the
,braying springs from heart as voice.
less Of the sentiments announced, as
the drum-stick without its counter
part, the drum-head.