The National tribune., 1883-01-04
A Call for NOEunte ers. :.

TRIBUNE were taken up with the publIca-
ton of extracts from soldiers letters, and 1t
viii be seen that good deal Of space is
devoted to them III the present number also.
We cannot, of course find room for all the
letters which we receive in the course of
week, but we endeavor to select from the
number such as seem most likely to interest
our readers generally. The glimpses which
they afford of the everyday life OF our COM
Tades, twenty years after the war, and che
expressions of opinion which they contain
are both entertaining and instructive. The
letters are veritable mirror of the mind,
revealing to the editor what his readers and
subscribers are thinking about. 1t will be
observed that through them all runs strong
feeling of personal attachment and affection
for THE TRIBUNE. They testify not only
to its merits as newspaper, but to its
worth as a leader of public opinion. 1t is
not simply its brilliant military sketches
its thrilling descriptions of prison life, its
wealth of literary reading, its thoughtful
household and agricultural articles, its com
prehensive view of business and trade, and
its general news features, which excite the
admiration of its readers, but the great and
impershable principles which it advocates
in its editorial columns
As the editor of The TRIBUNE peruses
these letters he cannot but realize that the
bond between The TRIBUNE and its readers
resembles in all essential features the tie
between the general of an army and the
soldiers under his command. They look to
him not merely to provide them with suit
able equipments and ammunition, but to
lead them on to victory, and ne would be
unworthy of their confidence did he not feel
touched by this display of devotion. If it
were possible, he would be glad to make q
personal reply to each one of these letters,
but that is out Of the question, and he must
content himself with general acknowledg
ment OF the good wishes, lofty senti-
ments and the substantial encouragement
which they contain.
Itwas with no idle purpose that he issued
his original call for 100000 subscribers, and
if he has seemed to urge this appeal with
unnecessary fervor aud persistence it is be-
cause he wished THE TRIBUNE to attain its
| full effective strength at the earliest moment
possible. The prudent general never in
vites general engagement until he is
reasonably sure of coming Off victorious in
the contest, and knowing the strength Of
! .he c2cny, the editor Of THE TRIBUNE
| has been anxious TO hasten the day when
he could meet it on even terms. The time
is not far distant, he trusts, when he will be
! able to do So but much, if not everything,
depends upon the earnestness and vigor
with which those whose names are already
on THE TRIBUNE's roll enter into the work
of raising recruits.
In The TRIBUNE army, as in all COM
mands, there are laggards as well as work
ers, and it must be confessed that the great
increase in THE TRIBUNEs circulation duri
ing the past year has been due to the efforts
Of comparatively small percentage Of it's
subscribers. We have received as many as
100 subscribers from a single soldier, while
others, with just as much ability to canvass,
and with quite as much to gain by augment
ing the power of THE TRIBUNE, have sent
us none whatever. 1t is true that they are
under no obligation, except that of self
interest, to do so, but it seems to US that
that should be a sufficient incentive. In the
great battle which is now going on between
our ex-soldiers and their avowed enemies
it is not sufficient that the former should
simply have justice on their side. To win
it is necessary that there should be organi-
zation also. They must be able to present
that they are not simply in earnest, but
united in their demands There has
never been any question as to the right
eousness of their cause. What remains
to be demonstrated to our Senators and
Representatives is that our ex-soldiers
knowing theirrights dare maintain them, anG
if denied recognition in Congress viii enforce
it at the polls. To make their power fell
they must have recourse to something still
more effective than petitions, or memorials
or protests They must have q recognized
and capable leader, and there is no leader o
sentiment in a free country so powerful anC
invincible as an Independent and unpurchas
able newspaper. Congressman can afford
perhaps to turn deaf ear to individua
soldiers when they seek an audience, ant
throw their letters into the waste-basle
without reading them, but they canno
thus silence the voice of great newspaper
nor escape the consequences of the public
indignation which is sure TO follow tn
exposure of their unworthiness. The read
ers of THE TRIBUNE, we know, do not nee(
to be told this, for they have seen themselve