New-York tribune., 1900-12-25
A CHRISTMAS APPRECIATION.
HOW THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE ANIELIoRATEs
THE LOT OF JEWELLERS IN
PHILADELPHIA.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: cannot resist telling you the pleasure I
feel in reading in to-days issue of your paper the
letter of George S. Wood, which appears on your
editorial page If any editor in this broad country
Of deserves good. round sound scolding
you that 1t my intention to write
you just such another screed and you don't know
what narrow escape you have had. Compared
with the letter which have been getting ready to
write you. Mr.. Woods communication is as vase
line to vitriol.
For many years-I don't intend 10 tell you how
many-The Sunday Tribune has been shedding its
light in this little Philadelphia family OF
thusiastic Democrats. both OF them-and has been
passed on with unfailing regularity to another
little family of five a faraway California fruit
ranch.
Until the Supplement appeared the first things
read the San Francisco letter and the Lon
don letter of G. W. SmaIley. ably succeeded by
those OF Mr.. Ford. Then looked all through
the paper for those delightful initials ''W. W.
Then the Ex-Attache came in for his share. and
then editorials, especially the long one in the
third and fourth columns. and after these spice
ALL the diverting Talk OF the Day"
But since the Supplement added. and
formidable rival has usurped the place of all these
and imagine if you can what Philadelphia Sunday
would be without its last page! For some time we
have noticed with real and growing alarm that you
have seemed TO lack an adequate sense of its worth
and indispensable interest to your readers Its
merry quips. amusing pictures and we'll selected
which l. for one, despair of making you fully
understand. and for long it has been the first thing
turn
It's fun has been so thoroughly enjoyed and appre-
cIated 1t spread out and covered the week and
has given the writer an enviable reputation in
local circles for anecdotal powers and mex
haustibe wit. But lately my friends have noticed
a serious falling off in my fun provoking faculties.
especially toward the end Of the week I shine on
Monday. sparkle Tuesday and scntiate on
Wednesday, but on Thursday only twinkle Fri
day barely sputter and on Saturday I go out
entirely.
The cause of this frightfuI personal calamity
Law at YOUR door. Some time ago we noticed with
great sorrow that the aforesaid last page
given over to the advertiser, who like the Canaan
ite aborrnds in the land. But the anecdotes
still TO be found on the inside page. Later Oh
served with absolute despair that portion of this
page was eaten up by advertisements. and-what
is lust as bad-unhnished articles from the adjoin-
ing page were permitted 10 encroach upon our own
precious domain.
To-day. to our great delight we notice that your
big Christmas heart is wide open to u.s. and we
have a full page-and the last page too-which
we cannot bear to profaned for any other pur-
pose. And we do not grudge you at all the half inch
strip at the bottom. You are welcome to this. Mr..
Editor. with all our hearts
But II you have ever spent a Sunday in Phila-
delphia and II you "a worldly person." like
ourself. and If you can ever again deny US this
full page-the last page mind you. and a full one
at that barring the strip. which we will not be-
grudge to you, realizing that you. too. have your
own troubles-if you can do this. say. after read
ing this protest then you do deserve all that Mr..
Wood says. and more added to it, And hope you
will get many such letters and be scolded till you
smart so you can't write and have to come to
Philadelphia every Sunday to take the rest cure
and any number OF other equally dreadful things.
And whenever I shall see such letter in The
Tribune the little family of two. of which am
the. spokesman, will organize itself into an i'm
promptu Stalky- -and-Company trust, and dancing
up and down the room Will sing rorth hliar1ouSly
1--WE gloat. We gloat!" - -
In dead earnest, EDWARD BARBER.
Philadelphia, Dec. 23, 1900