The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-04

We owe our able contemporary the En-
press deal of gratitude for its explanatory
article of yesterday under the above title.
Every one knows that the papers alluded
to are the Star and the Express, and no one
who reads their editorial columns doubts
the assertions of other papers that the two
journals are mouthpieces of Mr.. Comp
troller Kelly. There is nothing improper
about this. Mr.. Kelly, as prominent city
official, needs some public means OF express
ing his views, and as the leader of the
party dominant in city politics he is
equally deserving of q mouthpiece.
1t is, perhaps, owing to this double
function that he has possessed himself
of two organs. Mr.. Kelly favored the
HERALD with an epistle few days ago, and
we were deeply sensible of the honor; but
gentleman who has to manage the whole
democratic party in the city OF New York,
and spend few moments day upon the
city finances besides, cannot be expected to
write to the HERALD about every interest of
his that demands publicity. We are glad
to learn from such competent authority that
''the Star travels on it's merits" for these
are many and deserve recognition; but if this
statement is correct there should be
prompt beheading of the numerous city
employees and political hangers-on who have
been canvassing the reading public in
the interest of the Star, for the osten-
sible purpose Of saving themselves from
destruction, and money should at once be
refunded to the many reluctant subscribers
OF course the circular lately distributed
over Mr.. Kelly's name, calling meeting OF
general committees from Assembly districts
and stating that returns Of the subscrip-
tions obtained for the New York Star
by each member will be received on
that night" will be denounced as
a forgery, and the whole police force
will be put on the track of the perpetra-
tors. Before this explanation appeared we
feared that the Star had been established as
an opponent to our other luminous two-cent
contemporary, in which case its work would
have been up hill until it reached good
rolling place leading to the bottom, for
against the Suns ability, system, entire po-
litical independence and enormous circula-
ton no cheap newcomer can hope to pre-
vail.
The information that is given about Mr..
Kelly's other Dromio, the Express, is also
quite interesting, though not as explicit as
the public would like it to be. With the
Star in the morning and the Express in the
evening every citizen can be sure Of learn
ing whatever opinions Mr.. Kelly may choose
to make public; but when we read that
the Express also "means democratic
principles every time and all the
time" we regret that the evening journal
alluded to failed to explain what demo-
cratic principles are at the present
time. In Tweed's day they consisted in
stealing oil the public money and placing it
in private pockets barring the few dollars
that were used to impress upon the people
the purity and craftsmanship Of the party.
Now they consist to some extent in badger
ing officials who will not allow their
offices and employees to be used for
selfish party purposes, but what else they
mean is left by Mr.. Kelly's organs to the
unaided inference of the public. 1t is also
DAeuSluS W IcdQ tubt IAS cuAtOA Va tAc l-~C-
press has seldom to see Mr.. Kelly, and that
the latter is not compelled to dictate to the
former, for it is far pleasanter Tor both
manager and editor that the latter
should be mentally SO en- rapport with
his superior that no tedious ques-
tions and minute instructions are
necessary. We heartily agree with the En-
press that "the democratic party in this city
is fortunate in having two papers, both
daily )" but when we read that ''if they were
mere hand-organs grinding out the tunes
set on the roller by party dictation they
would damage the party more than they
would help it, and deserve to fail, we be-
gin to wonder what disaster is about to
befall the party and to regret that Mr.. Kelly
is to lose the organs which have been trained
to perform SO tremendously in duet.