The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-22
The Ruin of the Tribune.

Though we know the Tribune to be fraud
ulent and hypocritical, shallow and pur-
chasable, yet we son etmcs feel sorry for
the young editor, connecting fimsy leaders
In the pigeon roost at the top of the tall
tower. If an editor has strong convictions
and an honest purpose, he finds little DIM
GUILTY in expressing himself clearly and for
chilly, provided he is 1T for his place. In
stead OF his labor being an irksome task. it
Is delightful. He has this advantage
over men of other and less favor
ed professions-he Is removed from his
clients undisturbed by the necessity of
having personal business relations with
them, rs is the case with the lawyer aud the
physician, who must collect their fees OF
those who employ their services. If he Is
prosperous and equal to his duty, no man
is more independent than the newspaper
editor, living at the centre of things, ex-
hilarated by the consciousness that his
work is useful and Effective.
But In order to secure this happiness he
must not be n time-server or fraud. His
pen must be free and his language the ut
feranoc of the conviction that Is in him,
and its true, honest, and natural express
sion. subservient editor, without the
guidance of principle, deserves the pity rs
well rs the contempt of all men. As JAY
GoULp's stool pigeon, posted in the hi h
est pinnacle of the tall tower on these days
when the mercury leaps to the nineties,
cudg,ls his brain to satisfy his tyrannical
MASTER he presents picture of intel
leotual slavery from which we turn in sad
ness. Why is the free aspiration OF youth
thus unclaimed? Why has the adolcsccnt
mind put itself under the yoke of hypoc-
risy aud stock jobbing?
The case of the young editor is hui
initiating and unhappy. He is not en-
tir,iy without talent. We remember
during the war reading some OF his letters.
Though often affected, they were rather
creditable specimens OF reporting; and
we doubt not that he was n hap
pier man then, when JAY GOULD was
to him only "a name, and the Tribune u
far OF object OF reverence, than he is this
hot day, painfully constructing articles
that shall satisfy the Wall street shark en-
FILTERED at the failure of his Tribune spec
ulation. suppose our uulucky neighbor
should write, however diluted they might
be, the real thoughts that sway his power
full mind. suppose that instead of seeking
to please JAY GOULD. he should try TO
teach the public sound political doctrine.
Suppose, instead of laboriug to be all things
10 all men, he had sought only To eXpound
the truth as nearly rs he knew II, careless
of JAY GOULD. AMI thoughtless who slould
pay him. Might he not now be more
complacent young editor, and his paper
sailing in smoother seas. rather than falling
TO pieces on the breakers of fraud. hypoo-
rsy, pretence, aud stock jobbingi We iu-
vite all young men ambitious OF editorial
honois and responsibilities, as, to their
credit be il said, so many OF them are, TO
contemplate the consequences of a sinister
course IN journalism, aud To heed the
lessons II conveys. Though ne may be iich.
and promise you large reward fory your SER
vice, yet resolutely decline to bargain with
the devil, or JAY GOULD. Those person.
ages are pitiless in exacting their price, and
they laugh AT the sweat which pours down
the temples of their purchased slaves.
When Mr.. GREELEY died. the Tribune
was IN "A dangerous situation. He was
more intimately associated with that jour
nal in the public idea than any other New
York editor with his paper. But real IN
telectual power, with honest, wise, and
discreet management, might soon have
gained the confidence OF the public for his
successor, and retained the vast following
the Tribune certainly once had. But
when the young editor sold himself to JAY
GOULD at that fatal meeting ut the Lotos
Club. he BETRAYED the Tribune, aud II was
only matter of time when he should fall
crushed beneath its ruins. No doubt
some Of the unfortunate and perhaps i'm
poverished stockholders of the wrecked
concern, rail at TIE sun rs IL II had
brought the calamity on them; but 1t is
not The Sun which has hurt them. 1t is
JAY GOULD and his merconary young edi-
tor. The disaster impending was AS in-
evitable "A twelyemonth ago rs its present
occurrence is dlsheartening TO them The
Tribune was not paper which could long
survive incompetency and hypocrisy at its
head and stock jobbing at its heart; and
if they had had their eyes and wits about
them, they could have foresecn us clearly
as we the sure and logical consequence
which they now bewall.
We cannot contemplate the ruin of the
Tribune without regret. Ii saddens us to
think that 80 great an opportunity has
been lost and 80 valuable a property
thrown to the dogs. But when the Ir,bune
became the pilot fish of JAY GOULD, 1t de-
served to perish unlamented.