The National tribune., 1883-05-24
viving, it is evident that the day of its dis
sol ution is very far off
Jay Gould and his Newspapers.

jay Gould and his Newspapers.
Money will accomplish good many things
in this world, but, money alone will not
make great newspaper. That, at least,
seems to be the experience of Mr. Jay Gould,
who frankly admits, indeed, that the New
York WorM was heavier burden than he
cared to carry, and was therefore, glad to
get rid of it, Mr. Gould's first investment
in newspaper property, it will be remem-
bered, was the New York Tribune. After
the death of Mr.. Greeley, he bought a con-
trolling interest in the stock, thinking,
doubtless, that a journal of such vast influ-
ence as it then welded would be most val
liable adjunct to his stock.jobbing opera
tons and yield besides very pretty income
out of its own receipts. In this expectation,
however, he was very bitterly disappointed.
The result, indeed, was precisely the reverse
of what he had anticipated. His control of
the property proved of no advantage to him
SELF while it was very serious disadvan-
tage to the Tribune. The paper began at
once to lose caste. It's opinions ceased to be
regarded as its own, and, naturally, the pub
lie were not disposed to place any confidence
in those of it's owner. "What Jay Gould
thinks" and "what the Tribune thinks"
came to be looked upon by the public as one
and the same thing, and were valued accord
ingly. BY purchasing the World-a prop
erty which came into his possession along
with other appurtenances of the Texas Pa
cific Railroad-he simply gave new direc
ton to public suspicion. 1t began to be
bruited about that Mr. Gould and ME-. Cyrus
W. Field, who had also embarked in news
paper venture-the New York Nail and Er-
press-had formed combination for the
purpose of obtaining control of the associa-
ted press of the country, with view to
coloring the news sent out by that organiza-
ton to suit their own peculiar ends, and so
much alarm did it excite that the New York
Herald threatened to form new association
of its own.
Whether or not these daring monopolists
ever seriously contemplated such coup
detat, we do notknow; but certainitis, that,
had they attempted it, a failure of the most
ridiculous and ignoble character would have
been the result. The country would simply
have refused to credit the news collected and
circulated under their auspices, and the in
dependent newspapers would have estab-
lished new agency of their own.
impotent conclusion have these efforts of
Mr.. Gould's to dominate public sentiment
through the press at last come! He was
glad to dispose of his Tribune stock to the
first purchaser, and he has now sold the
World for whatever he could get for it. The
Tribune, under its new management, has
already declared a dividend, and, doubtless,
the World will eventually become paying
property.
The moral, of course, is perfectly clear. 1t
is not money alone that is essential to the
establishment of a great newspaper and its
successful conduct; its motives must be
above suspicion. The public are quick to
read between the lines no matter how spe-
cious the reasoning and plausible the argu-
ment, they are sure in the end to distinguish
the false from the true. It is because THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE hasalwayshad at heart
the interests of its subscribers, and has ever
been fearless and outspoken in their behalf
that it has come to WELD such vast and in
creasing influence.