New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-20

Of the People.
This declaration Of policy practically embodied
the principles to which Mr. Greeley rcsOlutely ad-
hcred in extending the influence Of his journal
and rendering it q tremendous power In directing
and developing public opinion. 1t was the chief
purpose Of his life to make 1t in the highest sense
a tribune Of the people. The Tribune became an
efficient and benctcent power in promoting sound
morality in politics, the advancement OF truth
in religion and science. the liberal educator OF
the masses, the material prosperity OF the nation
and the well-being of the American people. In
its conduct immoral agencies and degrading en-
pedients were never employed He soOrned TO
publish a newspaper merely for the sake Of making
money out Of it. lie was a journalist because he
believed TINT tho country would he happier and
his fellow, men better from his daily toll and his
soeadfast loyalty t. lofty principles AS the
Tribune Of the People his journal mus, be out
spoken and fearless. The newspapers Of his day
were either blind and servile in their partisan
shin or timorously neutral and inefficient in deal
ing with public questions lie took his stand
between the extremes of intolcrant party spirit
and the ineptitudc Of weak-minded neutrality
Frank and unreserved in discussing all questions
Il public concern, he boldly undertook to shape
and direct public thought, giving hearty sup
port to the party of the day which had conscience
and morality bch;nH>it and commencing it's action
whenever it seemed calculated TO subserve the
GREAT end of all eOvernment-the welfare of the
people
FOUNDING OF THE TRIBUNE.
The first prospectus of the Tribune. Judged by the
results of subsequent years of persistent and I'M
selfish devotion To its principles Of action, now
seems logical and natural. But to Mr. Greeley
In he ~ M forecast OF opening
vista of prosperous journalism and successful
political leadership was vouchsafed. Success was
then "the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things unseen For ten years he
had been struggling against pecuniary emnar-
rassments and fighting FOR sanding-room where
he could bring the lever Of his genius 10 near
with commanding force upon human progress
The vicisstudes of his early career are painfully
recorded in his autobiography and in his famous
letter to Governor Seward. His various ventures
in the cheap journalism of the day had not yielded
him any practical returns except in meagre IN
crease of reputation. In his own vivid expression
they had only sufficed e" to starve' both HIM ana
his unfortunate business partners. From editlns
" The Jencrsonisn' he returned. as he reminded
Governor Seward, ITO MY garnet and crust. and
my desperate battles with pecuniary obligations
heapcd upon me by bad partners in business
ana tnP OlSdStfOuh cNCutS III ANV'' ~''~
crker' was an Improbable enterprise often on
the verge of bankruptcy. The Log Cabin from
its extremely low price, lack of capital, and hieh
charges for extra work. as Mr.. Greeley used 7"
say. nearly ate him up The Daily Irlnnhe
was founded on 81 900 ot borrowed capital ana
srhscr,p,ion list of 500 after series OF financial
failures with various weekly and campaign ISSUES
which had left Mr. Greeley seriously IN dent. Inc
prospectus was a brave one, hut the founoer OF
The Tribune must have regarded the future oil
the enterprise with gloomy forehodings. IN We"
Of his previous experiences. The nntimcy DEAN I'll
President Harrison. the idolized candidate oil 'he
successful Wing party, was an cVu omen a' 'io
ou,set for the success of the rev enterprise
II that melancholy event, which WAS announced III
no firxt number had occurred a few weeks earlier
The Tribune might not have been founded OF al
lut Mr. Greeley had made contracts for the pup
).c,tion Of the new journal and had gone too lar
to retreat. lie was 4 man OF force ana courage
and had faith in his mission TO tell the world d"S
Tx tay what il would he the better for hearing.
Ills "reminiscences OF the circumstances OF the hrst
issue were recorded long aitcrward in these words;
The slecty atmosphere. the eaden sky. the Irea>oh
ALE ~intrness the general gloom Of that stormy day.
which witnessed the grand though mournful pageant
thereby city CoMmenorated the bHGhthe VI 'Hc
Nations hope, In the most untimely death of PRESIDENT
Harrison. not inapE minlatured In my own pros
meets and fortunes. Having devoted the seven pre-
,esn- year, almost wholly to the establishment OF
weekly commend Of literature and intelligence woere
from though widely circulated and warmly praised
had received other return than the cAperehee anu
wider acquaintance thence accrung, l entered upon
thi, novel and most pIecari0ns ehterprse' ""s'
sIenderly provided with the external means OF com
nandinS subsistence and success IN us prOser".'o
With no partner business associate Win ihcohSioe'
.hle nccuu;arv resources and only promise nom po
,iical friends Of aid the extent OF soOOo OF ~hich
but one half ever realized (and That long sAhee re
paid but the Of obligation to the far from ~ea
friend who made the loan is none the less lresh
undertook the enteIprise-at AL tunes ana uhao[ any
circumstances haIardous-of adding one more 70 Ie
already ampy extensive list of daily newspapers issued
in this emporium where the current expenses OF such
papers already appalling were soon to DO doubled oS
rivalry by stimulated competition, by the progress OF
business the complication Of interests. and especially
Nv the general diffusion Of the electric telegraph ana
where nineteen out Of every twenty attempts to estab
,,L n.w daily have proved disastrous failures
Manife<tly the prospects Of success In TINS case were
far from hatteripg.
CRISIS OF TIE TRIDCNE's FORTUNES
On Sentember 90, 1871. when The New
Yorker and The Log Cabin" were merged in
The Weekly Tribune. the prospects Of the new
enterprise had barely improved. or the e1iluon
Of & 600 copies Of the initial number in April. all
but a few hundred with difficulty had been given
away The expenses Of the first week had been
Ss2s: the receipts So2. The first impulse to
the circulation of The Tribune was impaired
by the miscaculated enmity Of rival. which
undertook to prevent it's sale on the streets, and
thereby to hound it into An early grave TINS
made it subject Of general conversation. and tde
public taking up the quarrel Of the publishers
on it's own account, increased the circulation and
gave the new venture foothold. Subscriptions
came in, and advertisements followed On July
81 Mr. Greeley announced his partnership Will
Thomas McElrath. the shrewd and iar-slghtrd
business manager. 10 whose practical wisdom rhc
success Of the new enterprise was due in large