Year: 1865

cent election we frequently took occasion to
direct public attention to the extravagances
and the vulgarity Of the partisan press, and 10
warn the editors Of those papers against the
natural consequences Of their folly. Our warn
ings were unheeded, and the result Is precisely
az we predicted. So long as the canvass con-
tinued the partisan editors could make little
money by printing campaign documents and by
farming out their columns for drafts upon the
election was decided these sources Of revenue
ceased. During the canvass few people sub
scribed to the partisan press because they alb
surdly imagined 1t to be duty to their party;
but when the election was over this patronage
was also withdrawn. AS for the general public,
who take newspaper for it's value as jour
nal and not for its politics, they have long
since been disgusted with the style in which
the partisan press Is mismanaged, aud will
have nothing whatever to do with 1t. Conse-
quently the decline in the influence, circulation
and profits of the party papers everywhere, and
especially in this State, has been most marked
since the Presidential election.


Naturally enough the papers Of both parties
suffer alike. We learn, upon very excellent
authority, that the circulation of the Albany
argus, the News and the World has been con-
siderably reduced recently, and the proprietors
Of the Tribune themselves inform us that they
have derived no profit from their journal dur
ing the past two years, thus showing that even
the excitement of most important election
was not sufficient to make that paper pay.
These facts conclusivcly demonstrate that there
has been decided intellectual revolution
among the people of all parties. The demo-
Gratis understand that such organs as the Argus,
Ne,os and World defeated them at the late elec-
ton, and the republicans begin to comprehend
that the fanatical theories Of the Tribune are
utterly outrageous and impracticable. The re-
action which we have SO long anticipated has
come. We are entering upon the era Of COM
mon sense. The stale political rubbish Of Bel
mont, Barlow and Company, and the fighty,
fanatical isms Of Greeley Gay and Company,
are equally unpopular. Ruined by lis own
leaders, and more particularly by its own
editors, the democratic party is high
and dry upon the shoals. The conscr-
vative republicans are alarmed at the perls
into which radical editors are endeavoring to
guide them. Since the war began the people
have become less partisan and more patriotic.
Those journals which have brought about this
revolution, and have shaped their policy by 1t,
are prospering Those which have disregarded
the signs of the times are failing They would
fail ha1 kha :ol
election temporarily sustained them; but they
will fail all the more completely now that the
election is over and has afforded them no sub
stantial relief. Opium eaters die in tormcnts
when the drug which has stimulated them is re-
moved, and partisan papers die when the drug
Of political prejudice disappears. The last
election was decided by ideas; but the partisan
papers had no ideas and could get hold of very
little money. Thus the Intellectual revolution
which commenced before the election involved
their destruction, and the withdrawal OF SUBJ
scriptions and patronage since election seals
their inevitable fate.


Instead Of regarding this matter philosophi-
cally, as we do, the partisan press Of this city
and the West attributes it's misfortune to the
paper duty and is beseeching Congress to re-
duce this necessary tax. To die gracefully is
an accomplishment which partisan editors have
not learned. They ought 10 have sense enough
to see that il the paper duty were killing them
the conductors Of the Independent press would
be dying likewise. But, on the contrary, the
HERALD is more prosperous than ever, and its
circulation has recently increased remarkably.
Imported paper ought to be taxed, and 1t ought
to be taxed heavily in order to encourage
domestic manufacturers. The price Of
paper is high; but it has not increased
any more than the prices of other articles.
Indeed, AS we explained the other day the rise
in paper corresponds exactly with the rise in
gold. Since the partisan editors did so much
to dcprecia.e the currency they ought not to
gr,lmblc at this result. When gold was al par
paper was sold at ten cents pound, and when
gold was at two hundred and forty, paper was
sold at twcnty-four cents a pound. Nothing
could bc more mathcmaticalIy correct than
this proportion. Should Congress reduce the
be disturbed; but that will not cave the parti-
san press. These bewiideTed editors cannot
be induced to perceive that II is not the price
of white paper which troubles them, but Il is
the quality Of The articles which they print
upon that paper. The HERALD pays The same
money for its paper as they do for theirs but
we prosper and they fail. Evidently, then. the
paper duty docs not account for their failure.
II Is only one of a series of circumstances
which they cannot now resist Had they fol-
lowed our advice, adopted our policy and
inflated our example, they would have found
journalism to be the noblest Of professions, and
would have been able 10 maintain themselves re-
specially, in war times or peace times, with paper
ut doller pound or at a cent pound. The
people are willing to pay any money for news
paper which pleases them and embodics the spirit


h..kk g. Ali