The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-30

ment which is to determine the fate of so
many mounting ambitions-which is not
only to decide the character of the adminis-
tration for the next four years, but the po-
ltical tendencies of our people for the next
generation, the excitement increases to a
fever heat. Speculations run wild. This is
the season for false information-for those
"Roorbacks," as they used to be called in the
political nomenclature of the past, which are
put into circulation at the last moment to
disturb the unwary and carry the conven-
tons by storm. There is nothing the aver
age politician likes better than a majority.
Many convention has been swept by the i'm
preston falsely created that some scheming
politician really had majority. This is the
are influences at work in this canvass that
would not respond to any quack medicine
system of political advertising. There are
issues to be settled too grave to be re-
manded to a shouting mob at Gin
cinnati and st. Louis. Those who
have looked carefully at the varying
moods of the canvass see it every day as
sumo graver shape The republicans are
fighting for power-for the issues of the
war, which the earnest members of that
party believe to be in peril from the success
Of the party which was in opposition during
the war; The democrats, conscious of the
great need for government reform, are
anxious to show the country that the gov
eminent of q reconstructed Union might be
intrusted to them without any fear of the
disunion element, and are resolved to name
the man and construct the platform that will
give them victory. The political campaigns
for the last twenty years have been shaped
by events--by the overmastering importance
of the slavery question and by the war. The
republican conventions have since the nom-
nation of Lincoln at Chicago simply re-
corded the understood wishes Of the people
For twenty years events have controlled
conventions. Now conventions bid fair to
control events.
1t is the earnest will of the people seeking
to find expression in various ways that leads
to this excitement. 1t is o mistake to sup
pose, as is gravely asserted by the editor of
our brilliant and daring contemporary, the
Sun, that this excitement is the consequence
of any special newspaper pressure. We do
not undervalue the power of the press, but
that power is the expression Of the public
opinion of the hour as it shapes itself, and
not a mysterious dominating influence,
which commands the will of men in an
Oriental, ecclesiastical fashion, like Sultan
or Pope. Public opinion has overridden
the voice of the press in many instances
where that voice was in opposition to the
sentiment of the country. On no occasion
was this SO manifest as in the last campaign
for the Presidency, when our contemporary,
with oil the genius of Napoleon and
oil the fire of Murat, was leading the
columns against Grant. If ever the press
time to show it. In saying this now we are
not unmindful of the high rank which the
editor of the Sun has attained in q
profession Of which he is veteran,
recalling, as he does, the days when
Raymond inspired the Times, when Greeley
made the Tribune an overmastering influence
in politics and legislation, when the HERALD
gave voice to the genius and courage of its
founder, the Nestor of the American press.
The editor of the Sun is the last of this race
of giants. Upon his shoulders we sometimes
think their united mantles have fallen. If
any journalist could control public opinion
it would be man Of SO much ability, ex-
perience and courage.
We speak of the editor of the Sun as q
veteran, as one who fourished in the days
when the press was controlled by giants. It
is this feeling of dutiful respect to one whose
years and service can never be overlooked
that makes us listen with attention to those
frequent and brilliant utterances in which
the veteran chief deigns to admonish and
instruct and encourage his younger brethren.
His position is something like that Of the Gen.
sor in the philosophical government of China
a position which comes in appropriately
at time when, thanks to Colonel Olcott and
other deeply-peering and enterprising in
tellects, we are to have a new philosophy in
our religion and our life The duty Of the
Chinese Censor is to speak out his mind to
everybody, even to the Emperor. 1t is . posi-
ton calculated to arouse finely formed relig-
ious ascetic nature. We never heard that it
was on Office either ofpopularity or ample pay.
censor in Washington would be as badly
off as the chairman of committee of in
vestigation. For this reason We honor the
holder Of the censor's thankless post. At
the same time we do not think he does JUS
tice to that body of modest, retiring, un-
ostentatious gentlemen connected with the
press, whose names are not known out
side Of their own circles, who give
their lives to their work. A generous
censor who went below public rumor
would be too glad to do these men the JUS
tice which their own modesty has denied
them. There is Whitelaw Reid the young,
able and dignifed editor of the Tribune of
whom, if he were to die tomorrow, it might