New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-11
FIFTY YEARS OF SERTICE.

The pen has its choice Of rewards, as well as
the sword or plough. TO some wealth to some
the power which men dread to some such wlld
shouts as greet the rOpe-walkers daring OF the
tricks of the clown, and pass from mind as soon
and TO some the proud consciousness that they
have helped to make whatever has been grand
est in the life of Nation that stands foremost
in the files of time. The TRIBUNE would not
be worthy of the warm regard shown In the
great meeting of last night, and honor such as
Il falls to the lot of few to win or to earn If it
could forget that the honor belongs chiefly to
the great ideas for which it has striven, and
that generous memories are chiefly enlnndled
by its long and earnest efforts for those IDEAS
The TRIBUNEs honored founder breathed
into it his intense devotion to genuine American
ism. to freedom of manhood and of speech, to
honest money, and to protection OF home In
dustries. During an era of trial and OF great
achievement, not surpassed in the lie OF any
other nation, the paper has been able 10 aiu
not little in four great revolutions OF Nauonai
thought and purpose, the fruits OF which, 10 the
Nation and to mankind, cannot be measured
Mr.. Greeley made it foremost in the long
struggle for free men and free speech, and the
election of Abraham Lincoln crowned the trl-
umph of that cause. lie made it foremost IN
the struggle for National unity and sovereignty,
and lived to place his name on the bail BOND OF
Jefferson Davis. Fourteen years OF strong ei-
fort for honest money and restoration OF inc
National credit, with The TRIBUNE again al
WAYS at the front, were crowned by resumption
of specie payments. Twelve years more OF
ceaseess struggle to uphold and MAINTAIN the
nrotection of home industry, not as an incident
Of war tax but as vital and permanent feat
IRE of a true National policy, brought triumph
with President Harrison in 1888, and the pass
AGE of the Mckinley Tariff in 1890. TO each
of these great forward steps revolution OF
public opinion was necessary, and in bringing
about those revolutions The TRIBUNE has done
its full share.
One with God is a majority. Loneliness ana
defeat do not cast down him who knows thaS
his cause is right. 1t was weary work, battling
in this intensely pro-slavery city for the cause
of human freedom, and If sneers and defeats
could kill, The TRIBUNE would not have lived.
When the city was swept by draft riots and
mobs sought to destroy this office the cause OF
the Union looked dark. When Greenback VIC
tories at the West seemed to have almost oo-
liberated the Republican party there, NOT many
hoped for the triumph OF 1876 and the resump-
ton in 1879. The struggle for industrial lndc-
pepdence of the Nation had its dark days, when
Democratic President was elected in 1884, ana
when Republicans allowed themselves to be
beaten in 1890. But it has not been the haolt
of The TRIBUNE to give up just cause because
of reverses, nor to compromise with wrong when
the right seemed far on 1t has faith III
Justice, faith in sound reason, and faith In the
American people, and does not forget the broad
er meaning of the old lines:
For freedoms battle, once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire TO son,
Though bafiied Off, is always won
The four great revolutions OF public thought
in which The TRIBUNE has taken some part
during the last fifty years are the grandeSt
paQes in the history of this country, and have
made it the most powerful and most prosperous
country i'm the world. Were there no other
evidence to justify self-govemment these up
risings of q people for right ideas would vindi-
cate their claim to govern themselves. de
would he unworthy of share in such record
who could fail to regard it with pride, or to
value it more than any other earthly reward
MIR. Whiteaw Reid, who took up IN trying
hours after the death of Mr.. Greeley the TASK
of pushing forward to splendid triumph inc
ideas to which The TRIBUNE was devoted
needed and employed in that labor more OF MS
rare powers and tact, and more OF his cam
sturdy and unwaverDg faith, than high public
station usually requires, and 1T is the one regret
of The TRIBUNE in this hour OF congratulaton
that he is not here to share it, and to see how
warmly his years of service are appreciated by
the country. Ii has happened that at tunes the
| part OF this paper has been conspicuous, ano
| probably decisive but it's ceaseless daily laborS
to inform and convince the people on the great
| issues they have had to meet have Weighed 1ai
more than any special endeavor' ana III tne
triumph of ideas for which it has thus labored
The TRIBUNE finds both reward and an In
| spiration.
| For as Gettysburg was only the seed OF Ap'
pomattox, but not yet the harvest, past victories
have to be held fast and maintained If the Nation
| would secure the fruits of emancipation, Ma
tional sovereignty, honest money and protec-
ton. That 1t may not be robbed of these fruits
the Nation must have honest elections, and fol-
that forward step the public thought must be
educated, if need be, for another decade, or even
| for a generation. But THE TRIBUNE has faith
that the people themselves already know theil
| need. and will not turn aside until they have
garnered the harvest by free ballot and ar
honest count. In holding fast what has beer
achieved, and in helping forward the Nation Il
vet Crander results there will be work for TIL
| TRIBUNE and for all who can influence public
thought 1t can ask no higher reward from thu
public than that generous appreciation of which
last night bore testimony so eloquently.
|
CONCESSIONS FROM SPAIN