The Evening critic., 1882-08-31


posted on what transpires at tho Capital. Or.
ders can be sont by mail, or loft at tho busi'
ness oflice. Address changed MS often as
desired.
TO-DAY is THE Fifteenth anniversary of
the foundation of The CRITIC. Its history
has been that of all successful newspapers-
one of steady growth from humble begin
ming. There are two ways of starting
newspapers. ono is by raising large
amount of capital, organizing huge staff,
and then bursting upon the public like
full.nedged rooster, comb, tailfeathers and
all, out of an egg. shell. The other way is
to begin as modest theatre programme
with column of piquancy to be read be.
tween the acts, and from that growing and
expanding as business may warrant or en-
tcrprise dictate.
The latter is tho history of THE CRITIC.
From August, 1868, to June, 1881, the
growth of the paper was slow, but sure and
steady. 1t soon put aside the exclusively
theatrical sphere and branched out as
regular penny newspaper, about one-third
its present size, but full of items and
always crisp, fresh and saucy. So far as
Washington afforded field for a penny paper
during that period, The CRITIC fllel 1t,
and in modest way gained permanent
foothold.
To- 10 l,a1 &c u
crease Of patronage, so that when the pres
ent management bought it year ago last
June it was, as all Washington newspaper
readers remember, a very respectable little
sheet for its rrice, both as to size and con.
tents.
But the new deal marked an epoch in its
history. The penny CRITIC that had been
growing for nearly thirteen years was then
made the foundation on which to build the
complete and comprehensive modern news
paper which has taken its name and in
heritcd its history. The obsolete machinery
that had served SO good q purpose in its
time was discarded and new and powerful
enginery of publication took it, place,
adapted to meet the rapid expansion of
business that followed the Improvement of
the concern.
Under these auspices, the progress Of
TIE CRITIC has been unexamplel in
Washington journalism. A l unparalleled
increase OF circulation, with advertising
patronage fairly in proportion, is q brief
summing up of its growth under it,
present management. 1t is not necessary
to speak of the ''permanency" of news
paper that has already been running four.
teen years and is now hundred times
greater in every respect than when
it started. We take that for granted. Our
concern is not whether we shall stay,
but whether we can improve any upon the
present model; and, if SO, how. 1t would
be folly to expect in the year to come a
growth of circulation and business proper
toned to that of the year past, because,
SO far as circulation is concerned, we have
already very nearly reached the limits Of
possibility in a community of no greater
population than the District of Columbia
That we shall quite reach that limit within
the next six months there is not the slight
est reason 10 doubt.
The cause is not far to seek. THE CRITIC
is a newspaper, pure and simple 1t is moi
an organ in any sense of the word, except
as to the general public welfare. 1t has nj
friends to reward, except it's patrons; NJ
enemies to punish, except the enemies o
the community no schemes to advocate
except the scheme of advancing its owr
popularity and no interests to defend, ex
cept such as are comprised in its own regu
lar business. Those arc the characteristic
that the public recognizes as constitutini
the true newspaper
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