New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-13
DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER RECRUITS

thinks Of Grover Cleveland and Mr.. Bayard'
DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER RECRUITS
II has often been said that the Democratic
party was at a disadvantage because OF inc
greater number and superior ability as Whole'
of the Republican newspapers throughout inc
land. This was but natural The Republican
parry comprises very large proportion OF the
intelligence of the country, and it follows, as
q matter Of course, that the Republican press
shows a higher average of prosperity as well as
of ability than the press Of the opposite party.
There are exceptions to this rule, but the OBJ
servation of every public man and Journalist
will confirm the truth of this statement. Ihs
being so, it is a fact of some little interest to
note that the Democratic party has lately re-
ceived a number Of newspaper recruits. In
this city "The New-Yorl1 Tines and "The
Evening Post,D Harpers Weekly" and "The
Commercial Advertiser" and in New-England
"The Springfield Republican" and 1.-The
Providence Journal' must all now be recog-
nized as Democratic papers in good party
standing. There is no visible difference be-
tween any one of them and their Democratic
neighbors except, perhaps, that they are more
partisan and unfair than the Democratic pa
pers of long standing. "The Evening Post"
for example shows much more bitterness and
a much greater capacity for injustice in dealing
with Republicans than "The World' or " The
Sum- But this is the rule with converts II
we may pay them the compliment of calling
them by that name.
1t is true that the course Of these newspapers
is about the same as it has been during the
last four years. But the events of the last
few weeks have for the first time made their
real attitude clear. During the campaign OF
1884, and so long as there seemed to be pos
sibility of the nomination of Mr. Blaine in
1888, their constant protest has been that they
opposed the Republican party because it was
untrue to its high traditions 1t followed
tainted candidate, and they were doing the
party a great service in inilicting upon it the
discipline of defeat But now Mr.. Blaine has
with rare magnanimty taken himself out
of the way, and candidate has been nominal
ed who embodes in himself the best tradi-
tions Of the party and whose character they
admit to be impregnable against attack. Yet
these newspapers forgetting all they have
said, assail the party with undiminshed viz
ulence, even resorting to the mean subterfuge
of representing that 1t Is in favor of free
whiskey, whereas, in fact, it has done more
for temperance than any other political party
organized in the history Of mankind. This
means simply that the mask is off. These have
been Democratic, free-trade newspapers for
years past, and their hostility to Mr. Blaine
has been merely pretext, which need deceive
no one any longer.
We doubt if these papers will be Of any great
service to the party with which they are now
openly identified. So long they were able
to keep I'D show Of independence they may
have exerted some influence simply by reason
of that fact. The mere name Of Independent
makes a certain impression upon the minds of
the unthinkng. But now that it has become
apparent that they are simply Democratic
newspapers, nothing more and nothing less,
they will soon be merged in the Democratic
press Of the country and cease to be regarded
as in any sense separate element. Their
stockholders are likely to discover that it is
easier for a newspaper TO change its politics
than it is to keep It's readers after having done
so. Most Of them, it is to be remembered, are
papers Of limited circulation. The readers Of
"The Post' would probably be surprised to
know how small its circulation is. As for " The
Commercial Advertiser" it is almost an eX
aggeration to speak Of it as circulating at all.
TO be exact, we should say that it has a small
daily stagnation. "The Springfield Repub-
ican" used to be an interesting paper, but its
vagaries long since deprived il of any influ-
ence, while the indignation of Rhode Island
Republicans at the treacherous course Of " The
Providence Journal' is so great that it must
"a. 10
papers among these having the larger circula-
ton are " Harpers Weekly" and The New
York Times" but both are likely to lind that
many of their readers. now that the situation
has been made clear, are not willing to go over
bodily to the Democratic party, as they have
done, and take their stand on the side Of
balot-box frauds, corruption and population,
Free Trade and Free Whiskey.