New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-23
THE FISU-PEDLFR'S HORN.


Speakng of the late transaction in railroad
stocks known in tho Street. a the keadIng
deal" and described in the newspapers which
represent the oppressed poor as a gigantic con-
spiracy. we took occasion in a recent issue to
say that while it was entirely possible that the
combination of the coal-carriers was intended by
the men who engineered it to he simply IN
engine of oppression and means of grinding
the faces of the poor, there was still an mfail-
ing source of consolation for the oppressed in
the fact that they had newspaper organs which
in great emergency Ike the present never iall
to rise up Enthusiastically in large type and
pictures and denOunce the Oppressor at the low
price of two cents copy. And we said that the
small margin Of profit at that rate, together with
the fact that the publishers of these newspapers
kept in constant touch with the suffering poor,
furnished abundant proofs OF their sincerity
We observed also as another source OF consola-
ton to the oppressed that the members oi various
Legislatures were taking an interest in Their
condition and applying their minds to the phllan-
thropic work OF preventing the unhoIy comoina-
ton from being carried out.
At the same time, lest the oppressed poor
might build I'D too much on the fact that they
attention to the circumstance that persons OF
mathematical turn had computed the profits on
the newspapers which stand up for the oppressed
and had reached the conclusion that the cher
end Of the newspapers was to snake money !;
also that there were persons Of cynical DIS
position who went about halborlng suspicious
that the legislators who were applying their
minds 30 the problem how to defeat the con-
spracv and rescue the downtrodden wero
"waitinc TO be seem" We did this because 1t
seemed only fair to the oppressed to state the
whole situation in order that their hopes might
not be unduly excited. At n time when there
is a more or less confident expectation OF the
millennium in certain ncighbOrhcOds and anxious
citizens are leaning forward with hands CURED
over their ears waiting for the trumpet 70
sound, there is no harm in utterng word OF
warning against false alarms. Nothing could bo
mole embarrassing to the oppressed householder
sitting in gloomy contemplation over the coal
fire that has been PIT up ten cents ton on
him. listening YEARLY for the sound Of the
trump that will usher in the millennial day whom
he viii get his coal for nothing and everybody
will be happy except the miners; nothing cou"
bo moro embarrassing 70 him than - rush ma
the street at the supposed sound Of the trumpet
and encounter only the horn Of the ish-pcdicr.
Even if he were selling fish AZ two cents copy
the disappointment would be great Our pur-
pose was not to discourage the oppressed who
are looking for the millennium. but only TO in
form them of tho extreme likelihood that what
s.onls 10 them the sound OF a trumpet IS only
tho bare of the fsh-pcdler plying his vocation.
n seems that our ablc-bodicd and largely
circulated contemporary, Tho Word' did not
quite understand or motive. II comments upon
orr view of the subject with great severity :;
saws we sec in "the protest made against con-
spiracy Of corporations to levy an oppressive
tribute upon the coal consumed by the people in
their homes and Shops'' only Gan occasion for
chuckling tests and cynical sneeS." and after
inimatng that TIE TRIBUNE and its conStit-
uency do not " care for the common people,
adds that ait does not matter that tho booty
these men are after is the read-money OF men
who toll the money they have earned in the
sweat of their faces the money they need 10
mt food into the mouths and clothes upon tho
backs Of their wives and little ones" "Ihe cry
Of the poor and the oppressed Il concludes III
one of those touching walls that never fail 70
excite the emotions of the deserving poor a the
low price Of two cents "malIes no appeal 10 the
newspaper organ of tho oppreSsorS." BY which
# means that "Tho World7 is gent9e-hcartcd
and benevolent, and represents the oppressed
while THE TRIBUNE is hard hearted and cruel
and is the "orean Of the Opplcs>ors."
We regret that "Thc Worf' should take this
view. Because it is unllnd. And it seems on
the whole, the language OF exaggeraii0n. HE
Worsd" does not really believe THE TRIBUNE
70 be the organ of the opprcSs0Is." 1t SAID 20
in lis haste 1t will presently come into much
moro charitable frame of mind. We recognize
the fact, of course that "Tho World" is tho
only absolutely unselfsh friend Of the poor and
that it is it's unscifshncSs and philanthropy that
make il truly great. No fact in our municipal
history is better established than that the Aquc-
duct Commissioners during the late water famine
determined at one time when matters seemed
Desperate to ask "The Worlds editorial stat
10 stand over the Croton watershed when they
went over the woes OF the oppressed poor. Ii was
| q great scheme, and would have utilized great
deal Of water that would otherwise run 10 waste.
Tho only difficulty was that "Thc Worlds bust
ness department was using the whole force OF
its own watershed. When the editorial staff
becomes laohrymoeo at the top of the building
It will be readily soon by any one familiar with
hydraulics that it furnishes unusual power TO the
ground floor And on tho ground floor they
don't weep over the oppressed but sell the
paper to them at two cents copy.
TIE TRIBUNE has a great admiration for
"The World" and it is panied beyond measure
that its contemporary should think there was
anything offensive or personal in the suggestion
to the oppressed poor that they would do well
not to mistake the horn of the fsh-pedlcr for
| tho trumn of the millennial dawn.