Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22
Independent Journalism
Gains instant Recognition
by FRANK n. WOLFE

the more papers of this class there are
the more quickly will the people become
educated in the belief that national party
politics should have no place In the ad-
ministration of the business affairs OF
municipality. 1t believes that the more
really independent newspapers there are
In city the more thoroughly established
in the hearts of the people VIII nigh
ideals of government become.
Not only In local. matters should
paper be Independent, but In all matters
affecting the welfare of the state should
1t feel at liberty to direct attention 10
reprehensible practices, whether engaged
in by adherents of one party organiza-
ton or another. There should be little
IL any difference in the methods under
lying the conduct of city and state. Cali
fornia is now mourning over her stupid
ity In having tolerated an iniquitous rail-
road political bureau, masquerading In
the garments of the Republican party
CT the state, to govern her. Ii there
Fad been more independent newspapers
in the state FIVE or six years ago news
papers like the Los Angeles Herald, the
Los Angeles Express, the Los Angeles
Evening News, the Sacramento Bee, the
Sacramento Union, the San Francisco
Bulletin the San Francisco Call, the
Fresno Republican, there would have
been no Santa Cruz convention iniquity,
no Venice convention shame, no Ruef,
no Schmitz, no Calhoun, and consequent
ly no need for Spreckels or Heney.
There is plenty of work. for indepen-
dent, fearless newspapers in every corner
of California. including our own pat tic
ular nook. There wa5 a time when the
old line partisans swore by their par
ticular paper, right or wrong. but their
na ner. lust as the old line Republicans
20 ~
cover to cover, first and their New York
Tribune next, or vice versa; but the rank
and file of this old guard has thinned
out during the past few years apd
new generation has .ucceeded-a genera
tion of virile. honest, conscienujus
thoughtful men-no more honest, per-
haps, than those who have gone before,
but they are men who have learned,
through bitter experience that the ol-
vorce Of craftsmanship and municipal gov
ernment are absolutely essential to the
salvation of the American nation. They
have learned that unless partisan poi'HcS
be eliminated from municipal affairs II
will be impossible to nurture to matur't ty
that spirit of independence of Thought
which will result in time In the creation
of a new party. or the reorganizaii IN
of an old, whose slogan shall be: Gov
ernment by the people for the people.
For the future The Herald has no feaf.
Its announcement of free, fearless, in
dependent policy has met with ins :nnt
popularity. Its success was assured ON
the hour the public read that declaration
of principles. That there is room and
need for morning paper that is clea-
crisp and clean; a paper that can be
taken into homes without fear thai 1t
contains word or line that will offend,
Is demonstrated by the recognition gained
in a few short weeks by the new, inde-
pendent Herald.
The increase in the circulation of The
Herald has gone steadily forward since
the paper was taken over by the present
owners The marvellous strides since Oc-
tober u the day the price of the paper
was reduced to 40 cents month. have
astonished the most sanguine members of
the staff The voluntary subscriptions
have Increased day by day. Many OF
these come to the counting room with
hearty words of encouragement. The
larger number, however, come in by mail,
almost invariably accompanied by note
penned by some reader who has been i'm
pressed by the spirit of The Herald edi-
torials, by the superior news service or
by the clear and clean typographical style
of the paper.
Over one thousand weeki That is
the increase in The Heralds circulation
since the price was made popular one.
Nearly nine thousand in eight weeks and
a steady increase in the daily report.
This with no increase in the number of
solicitors, no extraordinary efforts and no
cheap premiums with advanced cost of
the paper to the subscriber. Our pre-
MUM, given to all our readers. Is $4.25,
the amount Of the yearly reduction. The
wonderful gains made in the circulation
of The Herald may be attributed to the
causes outlined In the foregoing.
People in favor of clean, honest govern
ment in city, county and state are in
favor of clean. independent journalism.
These are the supporters of the new
Herald.