The San Francisco call., 1910-09-10
Not For Sale
From the Ch.cago Tribune


Newspaper rivals and individuals
with ina aginations more fertile than
their information is reliable have print
ed and circulated by word of mouth re-
Gently stories that the Chicago Tribune
has been or is to be sold.
To these nonsensical yarns no atten-
tlon has been paid by the owners of
the Tribune
The Tribune now learns that re-
pupncan congressman, who BETRAYED
his constituency for the benefictaries
OF certain schedules in the Aldrich tar
III DILL Is now seeking political support
In MS campaign for denomination by
circulating preposterous fction relat-
ing TO the sale not only of the Tribune
put OF other leading papers in the west.
rms individual warned some of the i'm
portant' politicians in his district that
In refusing him their Endorsement they
were taking step in the dark and one
they would rue.
All this insurgency in the west" he
sald is represented by three or four
newspapers. The fellows down east are
tired of 1t. They have made all ar
rangements to buy the Chicago Tribune,
the Kansas City Star the Emporia Ga
zette, and several other papers of this
character and wipe out the entire in
| Surgency movement"
statement of this kind coming
from one who is an open, voluble and
subservient ally of the great financial
benefciaries of special legislation. calls
Tor an answer, particularly since the
Tribune knows of it's own personal
knowledge that less than a year ago
movement was on foot in New York,
packed by these influences" to buy a
string or papers across the continent
ana thus create a chorus which would
yelp in unison whenever the money
lords cracked the whip.
The Chicago Tribune for A years was
edited by Joseph Medill. From humble
beginnings 1t grew and became a power
in the land. Under Mr.. Medill 1t led in
the organization of the republican n
party and in the party's heroic youth
he, through the Tribune. helped to for
mulate its principles and its policies,
inspired by the ideals of human free
dom and national unity.
The Chicago Tribune was the first
newspaper to name Abraham Lincoln
for the presidency, and it was the most
effective and influential journalistic
champion he had. Then and thereafter
when Lincoln was doubted. belittled
and assailed on every hand, Joseph Me-
dill and the Chicago Tribune never
wavered, never failed in their enlight-
ened and farseeing support both of Lin
coin and of the great principles which
he upheld.
And during the 35 years of Joseph
Medilrs life that followed the Chicago
Tribune led and helped to shape and
faithfully expressed public opinion in
the direction of national greatness, po-
litical purity, personal honor and the
largest public good. For these were
the things for which Joseph Medill
stood.
Dying, Mr. Medill left these two ex-
plicit fnjunctions to his heirs:
Il desire that the control of the
Tribune shall never leave Ae Medill
family.
Il want the Tribune to continue to be
after I am gone, as it has been under
my direction, an advocate of political
and moral progress and in all things
to follow the line of common sense. I
desire the Tribune as a party organ
never to be the supporter of that party
which sought to destroy the American
union or that exalts the state above the
nation"
These dying requests always have
been and always will be respected to
the full extent of the power and ability
of those to whom they were addressed.
The Tribune has preached progress as
it has seen it and has salted its ideals
with common sense. 1t steadfastly has
refused to fly after foolish Missionaries.
support reactionaries. whose methods
and morals belong to the polical decade
past and repudiated.
OF recent years the political degen-
eracy of the state of Illinois has been
such successfully to defy effectual
attack by any individual or any publi-
cation. But last March there came to
the Tribune an opportunity to unmask
the enormous conspiracy which had
corrupted the Illinois legislature in
order further to corrupt the United
States senate. The evidence presented
at that time was not libel proof With
the information then at hand it was
not a safe thing to attack the mighty
cabal that controls the overworld and
the underworld of national politics 1t
might be impolitic. 1t might
prove expensive. But the Tribune
knew the truth and in the spirit of
Joseph Medill took the risk in the in
terest of political progress and national
honor.
The result is that Illinois politics are
being made clean for the first time in
this generation.
The gentlemen who heartily wish
that the Tribune could be purchased
probably will continue to disseminate
stories of its sale. But the Tribune
will remain in the Medill family and
will continue to advocate political and
moral progress in the spirit of the
service and the dying commands of
Joseph MedilI.
The Tribune is not for sale.