National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-17
,JOURNALLsM

The Methodist of this week says: 1--WE
" obserVe, as being in evidence that the
"tone of American journalism has greatly
improved within the last dozen years,
"that when the party in power wished to
"secure reliable organ, it had to make
cup the stock and start new paper; that
sit was necessary to offer the new paper
ga: lower price than the other papers to
"enable it to compete with them; and that
f'its first number had thousands of pur-
''chasers who bought it as a curiosity"
We cannot agree with our religious cotem-
porary in the above opinions, and we are
certain that if it had looked little below
the surface Of affairs it would not have put
forth so extraordinary proposition. The
establishment of new journal in New
York city is no evidence, one way or the
the other, that the tone of journalism is
improving or deteriorating. In that city
and State certain number of gentlemen
were dissatisfied with the paper which ad-
vertised itself as the only Republican paper
in New York; it did not represent their
views, and they did not care 70 be held re-
sponsible for its opinions. They were
nearly all journalists; had been connected
In responsible positions with the jour
nal from which they seeded. To make
newspapers was their business, and when
they could not find congenial positions in
other establishments, it was the most
natural thing in the world that they should
set up in business for themselves.
According to the theory Of the Methodist,
the more independent newspapers become
the better their ''tone" The experience
of the last couple of years certainly does
not sustain that position. Take the case of
the New York Sun. 1t was purchased for
Mr.. Dana by some respectable gentlemen
In New York, mainly belonging to and in
sympathy with the Republican party. In
the beginning it was conducted as a Re-
publican journal. 1t supported Gen. Grant
for the Presidency in 1868; its editor be-
came so enthusiastic during that campaign
that he even wrote poetry in his advocacy,
calling upon the Opposition to match him.
But when the matches candidate was
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Office, except the Office Of spy, Mr.. Dana
became independent Was the tone of the
paper improved thereby? And so of the
Tribune. Itwas good Republican organ,
as it is the fashion 10 call Republican pa
pers, until its editor became insane on the
subject Of the Presidency. Was its tone
improved by his nomination at Cincinnati
and Baltimore? When It left the Repub-
lican party it became the organ of the Gree
ley faction, and, after the overwhelming
defeat Of November, 1872, what is called
independent We may be prejudiced, but
really we cannot see where or in what re-
spect its tone has been improved.
There is good deal of sheer nonsense
said and written on this subject of news
paper tone and Independent journalism.
Looking back to the past the honors of
journalism are worn by the Iarty journal
lists There 10 Mr.. Blair and Father
Richie, and Prentiss and Greeley, Green
and Seaton, and Gales and a hundred
others, who stood out like mountain peaks
in partisan history A new generation,
however, has improved upon their work
and their example, and to succeed we must
all become independent Perhaps they are
right, but if Reid and Halstead and Bowles
and White. and Watterson were to be trans
ferred tomorrow from a world which they
seem to think is unworthy of them what
reason is there for believing that they
would be remembered longer than twenty
four hours Their whole course has been
characterized by simply factious opposi-
ton to the Administration; to, in nine
cases out Of ten, bitter and unjust criti-
cism Of public men. They are identified
with no great reform; they cannot point to
a single instance where they influenced
legislation, or nodded the thought of the
country. They publish great newspapers,
collect all the information that is possible
to collect, and that is all That they have
in any way advanced journalism in the
United States, improved its tone. or made
It better or broader, is very far from being
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