The New York herald., 1876-10-20
NEW YORK HERALD FRIDAY OCTOBER SHEET

tion of the age, it maintains steady ad-
herence to the principles by which 1T has
been governed from the beginning. To 1T
belongs the credit of inaugurating the era Of
cheap newspapers and popular journalism.
There were so-called newspapers In this
city sold for cent when the HERALD
was started, but they were papers
without news, containing nothing but trum-
perry, local items and gossip. The HERALD
dealt from the beginning with all the greater
interests Of society with vigor and vivacity
which had the exhilarating effect of per-
petual new sensation. 1t speedily destroyed
all interest in the slow, heavy, high-priced
field, and its success revolutionized the
press of the country. The other two-cent
journals in this city previous to the war
the Tribune, Times and Vorld-were the
progeny of the HERALD, as were also the
leading papers in the Western Cities of
which the Cincinnati Commercial and the
Chicago Tribune were leading representa-
tives. Having been the originator of cheap
journals of the enterprising order; having
broken down the old-fashioned heavy. high
priced newspapers in this country;
having led by its successful example
to the establishment of the London
Ielegrdph-a cheap newspaper which
threatens the supremacy of the Times the
HERALD remains true to it's old instincts and
takes the lead in reducing the price of the
largely circulated American journals as soon
rs it feels that it has q solid assurance that
there will not be a return Of imitation to
carry up general prices. The HERALD has
never rested its claims on mere cheap
ness, but on cheapness combined with
copious news, with enterprise, with
dash, and, above all. with independence.
When the HERALD was as yet scarcely two
months old it gave the keynote of the sur
prising success which has attended its re-
markable career. 1t said:-"What free,
noble, Intelligent, independent city New
York is Here is the little HERALD, not yet
two months in existence and already out
numbering the subscription list of the
largest, mightiest, broadcast Of the ten-dollar
daily prints. Now, to what cause is the
1t is entirely to be attributed to
its spirit Of independence it's un-
conquerable love Of liberty, its disregard of
all merely party or partisan results, its con-
tempt for those self-constituted bodies
called partisan committees, and its resolu-
ton to toll the whole truth at all hazards
A few weeks afterward, in the same vein, it
concluded leading editorial with this
characteristic sentenoe:-s'So, therefore,
men Of every party may expect truth
naked truth-from the HERALD" These brief
quotations are the key to the policy of the
HERALD and explain its marvellous success.
if we add the fact that the HERALD has i'm
measurably distanced all rivals from the
beginning of its wonderful career until now
in the promptness and copious fulness of
its news from all parts of the world in which
anything of in nterest was transpiring !
We trust it may not be thought inoppor-
tune if we avail ourselves Of this occasion
political contest. We take no sides, feeling
that we have no other duty than to give
citizens Of both parties correct information
for their guidance in casting their votes.
Whichever party succeeds we expect to be
of service to it and the country in
giving the new administration good coun-
sci and warning it against mistakes. We
think it inexpedient to impair our influence
in that capacity by taking sides in the elec
ton. We are afraid that President Grant
has been hasty in his recent South Carolina
proclamation, but we are prepared to sup
port him in any constitutional and
necessary interposition to suppress do
mestic violence A mere call by
State Governor does not bind him
to interfere unless his own judgment is
convinced, after full examination, that he
cannot evade so unpleasant duty, and we
earnestly hope that no merely partisan con-
siderations will be permitted to influence
his official action.