The National tribune., 1882-04-22
our Subscribers Talk Back.

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has long been
! in the habit OF surrendering considerable
portion of its space each week to the puhii
cation of letters from It's subscribers and
answers TO the inquiries which they pro
pound and the correspondents column is
now one of its most popular features. A
/ delinquent church goer once excused his
/ protractcd absence from service or the
ground that the preacher never gave him a
( chance to talk back" and it is because
we have on idea that readers OF newspapers
often entertain z similar feeling towards the
editor that VIC always stand ready to publish
the opinions of our subscribers, even when
they are decidedly antagonistic to our own.
IN that way we often derive valuable infor-
nation ourselves us well as impart it to others.
Indeed we cannot imagine a better use to
which newspaper can be put than that of
an exchange Of ideas. Hundreds of ques-
tions arise in the daily experience of every
person, to which even the best encyclopp
dias furnish no answer, and which, but for
the aid Of the newspaper, would remain
unanswered. Frequently, to be sure, the
editor is himself unable to furnish the in
formation desired, but in such cases the
publication of the query seldom fails to
elicit a response from some one who is better
posted. Thus the readers of q newspaper
are of service to each other and become
interested in each others welfare.
The editor of TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
is always glad, for several reasons, to receive
letters from his subscribers. In the first
place, he is thereby the better able to ascer-
tain their opinions and views touching mat
ters Of mutual interest, and shape the course
of his journal accordingly. TO exercise his
influence to the best advantage the editor of
q newspaper should be thoroughly informed
not only as TO the probable effect of public
measures but the state of public sentiment
concerning them, and there is no better
readers. The editor is liable TO err but
the people are nearly always right. We do
not mean to intimate, by any means, that
the conductor Of a great newspaper ought to
blindly yield to a passing popular fancy, for
delusions, but it is impossible for him to do
even that unless he is accurately informed
as to the drift of current opinion. We well
come the communications and all
of our subscribers, as the meteOroogist does
the barometic reports upon which he bases
his forecast of the weather But this is not
all. Inasmuch as THE NATIONAL. TRIBUNE
has 4 definite object in view-the fullest
recognition by the Governmen: of the claims
Of the soldier-and this object is identical
with that on which its readers have also
fixed their hopes. We rely upon the active
&c well as the passive help of the latter in
bringing about the result desired, and to
that end ii is essential that there sheuld be
such a mutual understanding rs can only be
established ny the free exchange of ideas
aDd opinions, The complimentary letters
which we are daily receiving convince us
that our subscribers cordially appreciate the
improvements which have been made in the
appearance and makeup Of THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE, and are in full sympathy with
the spirit in which it is conducted, but there
are still good many counties to be heard
from! We venture the hope, however, that
all our subscribers Will Jet take advantage
of the opportunity 10 communicate their
opinions. and we cannot refrain from quoting
a IN example Of letter writing that well de-
serves emulation, the following from yete-
ran subscriber in Illinois,:
Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
II send you ten dollars. Please mail ten
copies Of your paper, for one year, as per
enclosed names and addresses
Brief but how eloquent