Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-29
PAST AND PRESENT.

PAST AND PRESENT.
Appropriately marking the close Of twenty
one years under ito present management, Trr
EVENING srAn to-day appears permanently in
double-sheet or eight-page form, in complete
dress of new and beautiful type, and otherwise
greatly improved, with third new fast web
printing-machine, built expressly for II, added
to the facilities Of its press room As its earlier
readers know, within the period mentioned
TIE STAR has made many steps forward, a.
they were justified by the growth of the city,
the demands Of the times, or the material pros
perity of the paper, until in this journal WASH
ington now Possesses . daily Newspaper which
In size, appearance, equipment, enterprise, in
dependence, and influence, is worthy Of any city
In the land These advances have not been
spasmodic or accidental, but in strict pursuance
Of the policy laid down in the first issue of the
paper after its present conductors assumed con-
troll, and which has been kept steadily in view
ever since. From the announcement in Octo-
Der, 1867, Of the change in ownership, and the
purposes Of the new management then made,
the following extracts are offered in illustra-
ton:
"We mean that TEE STAR shah be Independent,
outspoken, honest, expressing itself freely upon
all questions of public interest, but always, we
trust, with fairness and good temper. The time
has come when Washington City can, by right Of
her population and business, demand paper de-
voted essentially to her interests. Heretofore 1t
has been deemed impossible to sustain Journal
here divorced from politics. and relying for its sup
port upon the people and business Of Washington;
but the Washington Of to-day Is something more
than a mere political center, with all its interests
merged In national politics. There Is q
mission here for paper devoted largely to the
couragement of the hopeful new business career
entered upon by the District Cities THE STAR by
its resources, its commanding circulation, and the
liberal advertising supportit receives is favorably
situated to undertake that mission, and we shall
enter upon the experiment without q shadow Of
misgiving. THE STAR now visits almost
every household in the District, and the universal
iy Of its circulation causes 1t to present great at
fractions for advertisers. Wesha not rest satisfied
until its large circulation is made yet larger in
creasing steadily hereafter with the growth of the
city. As a newspaper, we mean that The STAR
shall occupy the front rank. Our columns will
show the completeness Of our arrangements to
secure the freshest and most authentic news.
Neither labor nor expense will be spared to this
end. AS a local paper, THE STAR has been I'M
rivaled, and we shall take due care that its
universal reputation the best local paper in the
District is fully maintained. While its contents
will be thoroughly newsy, varied, fresh, sprighty
and readable, We mean, at the same time, that
they shall be unexceptionable in character
ave know what The STAR has done in the past,
and our ideal Of its future career is high one.
How nearly we shall succeed In realizing that ideal
remains to be seem"
How well these promises have been kept,
and how nearly the hopes then expressed have
been realized, those who have read its columns
and watched the course of The STAR from that
day to this (and their name is legion) need
not be told. For those who have not enjoyed
the same means for making a comparison it
cost to its readers, the paper is considerably
more than twice as large now as it was then,
and the amount of reading matter furnished
daily is nearly three times as great, while its
average daily circulation is almost five times
as large as at that time. As those familiar
with the progressive journalism of to-day can
readily understand, the expenses Of the estab-
ishment, in every department. and especially
for the procurement of news and choice original
reading matter, have grown in even greater
proportion in the meantime; for one of the
principles kept constantly in view was the rule
that the liberal patronage extended to the
paper should always be largely reflected in its
improvements and betterments, not alone on
the ground that its patrons should receive
more in quantity and choicer in quality in re-
turn for their support, but in order that its in
suence and usefulness might be increased in a
corresponding degree. As will be seen, there
fore, these growths have been partially the
cause and partially the result Of increased BUSH
ness and larger public confidence in the high
aims Of the paper and the persistence and
fidelity with which they have been carried out
by its conductors.
Just what the future may demand Of journal
ism, no man can foretell; but, as an earnest
that The STAR will meet all just requirements to
come, its history for more than two score years
past is pointed to with confidence By that
record it is quite willing to be judged as to the
past and counted upon for service in the times
to come.
1t is quite likely that in its new form some of
the early readers Of THE STAR may find some
thing to regret. There is no doubt, however,
that with little usage all its patrons will like
the paper better than ever. The change pro-
vides, in the first place, for a greater amount
Of reading matter each day than has been pos
sible heretofore. In the second place, it allows
the use Of larger and clearer type for reading
matter than thas hitherto employed,-in itself
a blessing to h of no small magnitude; and,
finally, it dispenses with loose supplemental or
insert sheets, in the regular daily issues, and
presents the paper uniformly in compact, con-
venient and attractive shape. So much for the
reader. But the interests Of the advertiser will
also be promoted in equal if not greater degree.
The new arrangement will permit massing of
particular lines Of Advertisements not hitherto
sttainable, as well a. closer classification of
the several departments Of business life repre-
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