New-York tribune., 1911-02-03
GR! FL Fl

iiidte 10 lnlUk OF horace tIPcicA dS liI-l
and last a great journalist But especial
ly 10 those who labor where hc laborcd,
envclOped in the associations of his
name and career. il is a matter or solemn
pride TO reflect on the impoSSibility of
adjusting his fame 80 merely protC,-
sional origin. If Greeley belonged 10 The
Tribune he belonged also 10 the country.
and 10 say this is not alone to indicate
the national significance Of his work but
the specific quality Of The man. Much Is
said 10y commentators on journalism
about the old days" when Z newspaper
was dominated by an individual, owing
its power 10 the nature of his views and
10 his way Of expressing them. Greeley
is rightly cited as the outstanding ty0e
of that earlier stage in our journalistic
history. But as a matter of fact the
tribute leaves the tale only half told
II points TO idiosyncracy more than 90
anything else, 10 the obvious traits which
make a man picturesque and the hero of
countless anecdotes The Greeley who is
remembered in this wise. figure of odd
~ blended bcnevolence and iraScihlity,
original and formidable in editorial
debate. the friend of the farmer. the
publicist now ploddinS on in homeSpun
and now. like Jobs war horse, SnutfnS
the battle from afar-thc Greeley of all
these easily recounted characteristics is
a rich enough subject for the ordinary
political biography. But through the
multifariouS aspects of his life there
runs a thread binding them together and
carrying lis back 10 single virtue
greater than them all. This was his
central diSintcrcStedncSS. tho Gift of ser
vice 10 his countrymcn. which chiefly
counts. we think. in the manifestations
OF loyalty to him visible to-day.
The hope Of democracy lies not in tho
dead weight of numbers hut in the living
/ force of ideas. While the noise Of the
dcma-ogucs may sometimes half per
Suade uS 10 doubt if tho voice of the
people is really the voice Of God. man
always returns 10 rest upon the aSsur-
ancc that spiritual energy governs the
world and that this energy quickenS the
heart Of tho people Greeley knew II and
made IL his ruling motive. He did not
know how to hattcr the mob. He did
know how 10 gauge the spirit Of his time.
10 reject and castigate what was base in
il. to bring ont and 10 support what was
right and fine This man Of robust intel
lectual pOwer was also creature Of in
Sfinct. This type of wholesome human
strength. Of even rusti" vicor. had an in
vinciblo fncncSS OF soul, and by il he
held in the bonds OF affection. IS well as
i'm those of reason, q host Of grateful
readers
They forgot his faults of temper and
errors of Judgment in the warmth II
their sympathy with man whose faith
fulnesS Ia all tha' WAS noble In himself
and i'm them pointed to - magnificent
rcctitudc. GrcclcyS honesty was of Tho
grain and Shonc forth even through hlS
mistakes ono thinks Of II not simply ~
il was related 10 moral issues hut ~ the
corollary of an all-pcrvldiuG genuine
ness. He loa,hed cant In any form His
alliance was with the things that wore
simple and true. and for q man who was
alwayS i'm the hottest Of The fray and
had no illusions about political life deal
ING with politicians as ne found them.
no remained c,lriously unspottcd from
the world II is interesting 10 compare
him with the one comparable framcr "f
public opinion in Journalism abroad.
John Dclaue approNimated 10 his in''I-
encc upon affairs, but beside Greeley the
great man of The London Times
seems A skilful player engaged in IN
intricate game, contrasied with what
iIeine called himself, IA brave soldier
I'm the Liberation War of humanity
Memories Of historic moments in Eng
lish journalism bring with them =
sense of high craftsmanship. impcrson-
ally. and with a kind of academic Sophis-
ticati0n assisting a cause. Recollection
Of Greeley's share in journalistic col
lahoration with the statesmen and sol
dicrs Of the United states is charged
with the color aud movement II pro-
foundN human life. one which could not
sion for tho conventions aud forms of
oficialdom. When Grcclcy addressed his
vast constituency he Spok" as man 10
man. inpetuouSly. directly. and with his
individuality energizing every word.
For such speech with his countrymen
he had the fitness Of man born to his
craft. His was the best trait of the
journalist that of being instantly and
Indignantly readable. What hc wrote
pulsatcd with the belief that was i'm
him with his manly sincerity Greeley
WAS one of those men. denied the full
,uparatuS of culture in heir early years.
who as>imiliatc the things of the mind
As they 20 on aud could not for the lie
Of Them tell when they began L. rccoS-
uiye the value of all the liberal arts.
With such men high standard may he
said to come by nature Greeley was too
uasSionately concerned with politics 20
be a bouliSh man. hut he had an innate
love or letters. an innate sense of their
importance to civilization. and one or
the things that marked him as q com
mspdipc journalist was his resolution
ALWAYS io have about him, Ia the man
,ecmcrt of This journal the writers who
cnu.d assist him ip disseminating 40
American homes the hest 'ha, was
Thought and said in The world II" held
t-.. t,.,d. .,. ~.tehlfshri the tr.