New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-08

Eaton took advantage of the opportunity 10 widen
the scope of his subject sufficiently TO comment
upon the shortcomings of certain section Oh tne
New-York press and 10 suggest improvements IN
various directions by which the standard Oh the
average modern newspaper might be raised.
In outlining the early life of Horace Greeley DE-
Eaton instanced his love of literature ana MS
pronounced leanings 10 Journalism oonihs a.
length TO Mr. Greeley's advent in New-iork' Dr'
Eaton remarked
on August 49, 1881 on Friday mor ani2Eo capital
being SO bundle and his trade. naYlng a what
poor lodging at s@orcb for Work. In the first
Office in which ne employed as tyPVsry' ,s3S
receives % and issued the first number OF cheap
New.York daily. called The Morning fN Tstcr The
ioeted hut two weeks and nine months Iat AZ, 90
sun was started on similar pan re, nmmber of
1924 Greeley and Storey issued tne lrs beqan with
The WT sbscShcrs but in year the circulation
became 400 and later reached sSV1 ne ieft Mr.
WILL in debt Al no time in his career ou al ai
Greeley exhibit financial ability and associate
Himself with good business manage Mr. Greeley
During the period of which we Spea .b Nc Jeerso-
man published at Albany. and Ihe Log In
Which issued during the rha log Cabin on
one n Is45 he announced his intention OF iouo y,
Ing The nv peT WAS published on day of
the funeral solemnites WITH whlGn ragan with
ored ihe Tst issue consisting OF
oon,es Ar the end of the first week the receipts
amounted TO 500 and the expenditures 70 HlvV" ~
n era in the life of Greeley began with the ap-
pontment his business partner OF norin HE
EIrath and may add that much Of the rem R
Success of The New-York Tribune has been duG 70
the business sagacty OF this man ana ms Igs * h
Of worthy successors in the business controi OF the
~ 80 VIben The Tribune was started The sun
attempted bride aud 10 bully the ntWsHen, anu
then TO fog the newsboys. in IT'S eorts 10 pre!eIt
them from selling the new paper Mr. Greeley i n
this story frequently in the early 1sSoe5
pie that ra pid growth depends upon hot persecution
SO The Tribune from this time made rapid advance,
There were no political. social or moral questions
arising which The Tribune did not discuss, always
with remarkable human sympathy. II not always
with intellectual restraint.
AT some length Dr. Eaton then described the atti-
tude taken by Horace Greeley upon many important
political issues of the time and pictured the great
influence which Lincoln was obliged 10 Withstand
as the results of the peace policy urged by Greeley
and Raymond. Proceeding to speak upon the Sec
ond part Of his discourse that of the power and re-
sponsibties of the press Dr. Eaton referred at the
outset to the phenomenal growth OF the newspaper
in recent years, and then continued:
The newspaper is the only reading matter Of the
large classes. Of the community. The school ad-
dresses itself period OF mans life. The
pulpit speaks to limited congregation n. mostly on on
IF lie "f It has BECOME Therefore rear among tho
people the Magma Charta Of their liberty and the
bible of their religion AS perhaps more than any
other one agency it is assisting in the creation OF a
universal brotherhood Great as Its power has been
But il Is universal Jaw that power brings responsi-
bility. We have right to ask Of the press "a of
every other great institution of civilization that il
realize great obligation and seek 10 fulfil IT,
am not of those who demand either Of the pulpit
platform. or press that it reach the ideal at bound
If the pulpit criticses the press 1t must not forget
that il Is itself by means ideal. Newspapers differ
as much as individuals The faults of the press and
the pulpit the faults Of individuals OF whom they
the products.
But recognizing the impossibiy OF perfection we
yet have the right demand that the public press
shall be marked. first by accuracy, second by de-
cency. and third by definite ideals. There are per.
haps half a dozen daily papers In New-York thai
are substantially accurate that characterized by
moral self-restraint. and more less lofty ideals
There are. however. several New-Gork papers tina
are neither accurate or as decent as We have
right 10 expect.
DR.. Eaton then severely deprecated many OF the
features TO be found in the sensational newspaper
and said
The press. like the pulpit. has become badly sensa
tional. AS people we love too much persona
gossip Let US raise the level OF public feeling ans
opinion lY the of art. by the develop
ment Of literature and the rational Interpretation Of
religion The pulpit, theatre. and press rise and fal
upon the shoulders OF the people.