Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-11-13
Tho Chicago Tribune.


The Chicago Tribune.
The Republicans of the Northwest
have reason for congratulatlon that
the above leading journal, which,
since it drew away from the Repub-
lican party and took its place under
the piratical flag of the independent"
press, has represented the mercenary,
INSCRIPTIONS, Machiavalian phase of
politics, in this character, emitting no
opportunity to unfairly and triculent
ly assail the Republican party, tradu-
cling its leading men and wilfully
disappearing its administration,
has changed hands, and will hence
forth be an Independent Republican
paper. Horace White, with his hyp-
ocritical prctensions and cold-blooded
cynicism, steps out of the editorial
chair, and Hon. Joseph Mcdill, the
man who made the Tribune what it
was in its palmy days, when it had
the respect and confidence of all par
ties, and deserved it, assumes the
management. The change occurred
on Monday last and in the issue of
that date, Mr.. Medill defines the flu
ture status of the Tribune. We give
few extracts, which, while only as
suming to deal with general truths,
yet embody sharp criticism of the
recent management of the paper I'M
der Mr.. White:
The Tribune hereafter will be, as
it formerly was, when under my di-
rection, an Independent Republican
journal. 1t will be the organ of no
man, however high; no clique or ring,
however influential; or faction, how
ever fanatical or demonstrative.
While giving to the Republican par
ty and lis principles hearty and
generous support, it will criticise the
actions and records Of Republican
leaders, as freely and fearlessly as in
days of yore. But it has seemed to
me unwise for great representative
.jousaal, for the purpose Of correcting
some alleged abuses of administra-
ton, to desert its party organization
and turn its guns on its old friends,
or help into power and place the
leaders Of the organization whose po-
litical record and whose official con
duct shows that they are insincere in
their professions of desire for admin
istrative publication. AS general
rule, man can exercise more intlu-
ence for good among his friends by
remaining En-, rapport with than by
assailing and traducing them. The
same rule holds good in regard to
newspapers. The government of the
nation must be conducted through
the instrumcntality of parties. l
know of no other agency which has
succeeded in free countries. The
party in the majority must assume the
responsibility of governing. A party
is simply voluntary organization of
citizens united to carry into effect
certain principles and purposes. 1t
must employ and entrust individuals
to collect and disburse taxes, to per-
form executive and police duties for
protection and security of person and
property; men must be engaged to
construct public works, carry the
mails, administer justice, and make
and execute laws, and do thousand
other things which the public we'll
being requires; and these individuals
will often prove careless, inefficient,
or corrupt. But a party whose aims
and purposes are good and patriotic,
and whose record is grand and glo-
rious, should not be condemned and
thrown out of power on account of
the defective work OF misconduct of
a few of its employees, in order to
make place for an antagonistic orga-
nization whose record cannot be de-
Tended, but is regarded with sorrow
and shame by its best members, and
whose conduct when in power never
fails to show that its reformatory pro-
LESSONS when out of power are de-
fusion and snare.
A political newspaper, to be of SER
vice to the public, must give one par
ty or the other the preference. And,
while the Democratic party embraces
many excellent and worthy members
who would be an honor to any orga-
nization, yet l sincerely believe the
Republican party comprises a much
larger proportion of the intelligent
and educated classes, of the moral
worth and business enterprise, as well
as of the patriotic elements of the ma
ton; and therefore the Government
of the country and the civil rights of
the poor and weak can be more safe
ly and prudently committed to its
keeping than to that of its antagonist,
whose past history and antecedents
furnish so much cause for misgivings
and dread of it's future behavior.
Looking, then, at the individual
composition of the two great parties,
all other parties being mere frag
ments, ephemeral in duration and
narrow in object,-and at their re-
spective records and underlying prin-
ciples, l cannot hesitate to give the
decided preference to the Republi-
can party. Hence, the Tribune will
be conducted as a Republican journal.