New-York tribune., 1889-12-30
~HF SrNDAY TRIBUNE TEN YEARS OLD.


THE TRIBUNE ought not to allow TINS month
to expire without calling to its readers atten-
ton the fact that it was in December 1873
lust ten years agO-that this paper first began
nnblishinc a regular Sunday edition. sun
day paper was printed by Mr. Greeley for a
time early in the war, but that was done Tor
special and exceptional reasons and did not
indicate any change in the established polcy
of the journal which he founded The first
number of THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE proper was
issued on December g. 1879. The new de-
parture was made only in response to gen
oral demand ON the part Of our subscribers and
advertisers 1t did not involve the question
whether Sunday papers should be read or not
or whether they should be printed or not. That
people would read them had already been well
established The question was whether they
sbould rcad THE TRIBUNE on Sunday or some
other paper.
The policy entered upon ten years ago has
been amply vindicatcd by the results. There
have been protests on the part OF few read
ers. but THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE has in the vast
majority OF cases come to be considered indiS
pensable 1t is not necessary here and now
of Sunday papers They are facts. They
have come to stay. Now and then, to be sure,
we hear of ministers meetings which denOunce
them and urge religious people not to buy and
read them; but the protests are half-hearted
and have-no appIeclbc effect upon the com
munity. Everybody but the most hOpeleSSly
ignorant knows by this time that the work OF
preparing the Sunday editions is practically all
completed before midnight on Saturday, and
that if any one of the daily issues is to be abb
iured because the work on it is done on Sunday
it is the Monday paper that should suffer. No;
the question with the newspaper editor of to-
day is not whether he shall publish on seven
days of the week but how he can make his
Sunday edition as good as possible.
These ten years have seen a marked evOlu
ton in the Sunday paper. THE SUNDAY TRIB
UNE of Today is not TIE SUNDAY TRIBUNE
of ten years ago. THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE for
December 6, 1879, and for considerable time
subsequently, consisted of twelve pages-but
a little more than half of the regular Sunday
issue nowadays. Not only was it smaller in
size, but those of our readers who are blessed
with good memories will recall that it con-
Ndihtb 81 HutH SHIdllcI pIODOIllOU Vi OiIElndl
matter. We would by 10 means be understood
to imply that it was not a good paper then.
We think it was as good paper as could be
made. But the newspaper evolution which is
marked all along the line is nowhere marked
as in the Sunday issues. We should be glad to
have our readers make comparison for them
selves between yesterdays TRIBUNE, for in |
stance, and any copy of THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE |
printed ten years ago this month"; and observe |
what a notable advance has been made. We are
frank to say that the Sunday edition OF The |
TRIBUNE. as well as the issue for each week |
day speaks for itself, and we mean to let it |
keep on doing so.
The ideal which the newspaper editor holds |
before himself is a lofty one and it is not to |
be wondered at if he often falls below it, One
thing which the critics of newspapers are prone
10 overlook is that the editor is not responsible
for the news which the eXigcncicS of each day |
compel him 10 print In some matters there |
IS, of course, room for choice and discretion, /
and while the wiScst judgment may not be !
exercised in every case, there is continual Striv-
ne to that end In the vast variety of matter
which makes up THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE it has
,een the Editors constant endeavor to make it /
IS interesting, as varied, as attractive and as
morally helpful as possible In the issue for
December 6, 1879 the hope was expressed that
he paper might "help its readers to go back
rom Sunday to the work of the week with !
more confidence in the Power which overrules !
or good all chance and change and work"
Viewing the ten years in retrospect we feel |
justified in saying that we have not wholly |
aed