The Republican journal., 1888-07-26
Democratic Newspaper Recruits.

II has often been >ai,itha the Democratic party
was at "A disadvantage because of the greater
number an'! superior ability, As a whole. of the
Republican, newspapers throughout the land.
This was hut natural. The Republican party
comprises a very large proportion of the ill.,
telllgcnre of the country. and ii follows. rs IA
matter of course, the Republican press shows
Il higher average Of prosperity as well aS of
ability than the press Of the opposite party.
There are exceptions to tli- rule. but the OBJ
servation of every public man and journalist
will coniiria the truth of this statement This
being SO. it j. a fact Of some little interest to
note that the Democratic party has lately re-
celNed "A humber OF newspaper recruits. In
this city The New-lork Times" and "The
Evening Post, "Iiarpcr'S Weekly" and "'The
Commercial Advertisers" and in New England
The Springfield Republican and 1.-The Prov-
dencc journal must all now he recognize d as of
Democratic party standing. There is no visible
difference between any one of them and their
Democratic neighbors, except perhaps, that
they are more partisan and unfair than the
Democratic papers of long standing. ''Ihe
Evening Post" for example, shows much more
bitterness and a much greater capacity for i'll
justice in dealing with Republicans than ''rhe
Word' or ''rhe SUM- But this is the rule with
converts. if 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 is 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 1SS4, and so
long rs there seemed apo>sibility of the NOM
inaton of Mr.. Blaine in lSSS, their constant
protest has been that they opposed the Repub-
lican party because it was untrue to its high
traditions. 1t followed Il tainted candidate,
and they were doing the party a great service
in nilicling upon it the discipline of defeat
But now Mr.. Blaine has with rare magma
nimty taken himself out of the way, and a cam
di'late has been nominated who embodes in
himself the best traditions of the party and
whose character they admit to be mpregnable
against attack. Yet these newspapers, forget
ting all they have said. assail the party with
undimiEl>hed virulence. even resOrting to the
mean subtcrfuge of representing that it is in
favor OF free whskey, whereas. in fact, it has
done more for temperance than any other polite
al party organized in the history of mankind.
This means simply that the mask is off. These
for wears past. and ilialr fGGeltfaIe
has been lnercly preteNt, which need deceive
no one any longer.
| We doubt if these papers will he of any
| great service to the party with which they are
| now openly identified. So long a. they were
able to keep up show of independence they
| NAV have eNerted some influence simply by
reason of that fact. The mere name of In
| dependent makes a certain impression upon
the minds of the unthinking. But now that it
| has hecome apparent that they are simply Dem
ocratic newspapers. nothing more and nothing
| less, they will soon be merged in the Demo-
| cratic press OF the country and cease to be re-
| garded as in any sense separate element
| Their stockholders are likely to discover that il
is easier for a newspaper to change its politics
than it is TO keep its readers after having done
so. Most of them, it is to be remembered. are
papers of limited circulation. The readers Of
1.-The POST would probably be surprised to
know now small its circulation is. As fol
1.-The Commercial Advertiser it is almost al
exaggeration to speak of it as circulating al
all. TO be exact. we should say that II has :
small daily stagnation. 1.-The Springfield Re
publican" used to be an interesting paper. bu
its vagares long since deprived it of any influ
ence, while the Indignation of Rhode Islam,
Republicans at the treacherous course of 9Th,
Providence Journal is so great that it mus
result in serious injury to its prospects. Th'
papers among these having the largest circula
ton are 'TIarper's Weekly and "The New
York Timcs.' but both are likely to find tha
many of their readers. now that the situation
has been made clear. are not willing to go ovel
bodily to the Democratic party, as they have
done, aud take their stand on the side of ballot
box frauds, corruption and reputation, Free
Trade and Free Whiskey. N. Y. Tribune.