The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-28
The Three Reasons Which Compelled 'ne
chanpe in the Chicago Tribune.

Tho change in the edltorl@l mahaRehien' I
of the Chicago Tribune, from MIR. Horace
White to Mr.. Joseph Medil, excites gooa
deal of interest both in journalistic and po-
litical circles Very little Of the comment
upon it seems to us much to the polnt.
There are three reasons, we suppose, tnat
have influenced the change. FIRST lne
personal one, is Mr.. Whites willingness 10
retire, because Of his health, and because because
of the change Of his ambition from pohtics
and journalism to scholarship and ntera,
ture, and Mr.. Medilfs hunger for ms J,a
position and power. Then there Is 'ne
journalistic or business reason, when vi Is "
so modify the character OF the lrto1, n az
to cut out the opportunity when Ihe In'er
10 Rermbl;can party. is an asst improving
w tho threatening Of the Tibuaes future
dominance. And, third, is the Prestden,,
t;al or nol;t;cal motiye-the candidacy OF
MIR. Elihu 3. WashburEe OF the proposed
reform Republican party in 1876. 1t Is
well known that Mr. White, from persona
reasons, was implicably hostile to Mr.
Washburne, and under his management
the support by the Tribune Of that gentle
mans Presidential aspirations, so essentia
to their success, was impossible while MI
Medill is his friend and partisan 1T Is nc
lifting the veil too rudely, we imagine, |
intimate that in these facts lies the prime
pal motive in this newspaper revolution.
How far the character of the 1r,bul
will be changed by this change of leade
shin. and somewhat of motive also 1t
probably not easy for anybody, not eve
Mr.. Medli, to say. Even under Mr., w hi
the paper has always greatly felt the III
press given to it by Mr.. Medilfs form'
management Even under Mr. Medill
cannot escape keeping measure OF tt
character that Mr. White has given !
The paper has never fully reflected NJ
Whites personality; it is impossible no
that it should be absorbed in MIR. Medlll
There is something very curious IN Ia
taking on of an independent personality l
a great newspaper. 1t comes to have
conscience and a character of its oWn,apaf
from the men who conduct il. Its history
its traditions its constituency, its Decessi
ties and its opportunities, all go to the
making up of this subtle journalistic char
acter-to shade and qualify the prejudices,
the desires, the whole personality OF the
man or men who may happen to be its di
recting agents. The man is a fool who
coming to the management of a great jour
nal ignores these elements of its own char
acter, its own duties, and its own necessi
ties. The man who puts his mere person
al friepdships or enmities into newspape
is not fit to be journalist, and has n
right to be trihing with the sacred respon
sibilities of great journal. The individ
ual may feel or do what he will-the jour
nal can only say and do what it must
Samuel Bo,cles, IN the Springfield Mass
Republican.
And it is noticeable fact that on IL
day after the Tribune returned to its wa
lowing in the party mire and showed Wi
ingness to do the dirty work Of the Repu
lican party, Grant ordered fat job of a
yertisiDg for the paper 1t had had not
ing of the sort under Horace Whites ma
agement because he would not march