Year: 1874




CHICAGO, November 1.-THE Tribune
will appear to morrow under the manage
ment Of Joseph MedilI, and as q RepIb.
lican paper. Mr.. Medill In his salutatory
after giving briefly the causes which led
to his withdrawal from the editorial con
nection with the paper says: My pre-
decessor has pursued the course which he
believed to be the path OF duty, with q
courage which challenged the re-
speCt ol those who condemned, and
supported his views with an ability
which extorted their admiration and he
leaves his editorial chair after having
achieved q national reputation. The
readers Of tho Tribune will naturally de-
sire to be informed at the outset, Of the
probable line OF the conduct Of the Iri-
Dune under the change Of management.
a full explanation cannot be given on the
instant. Mems opinions and actions are
more or less influenced and controlled by
the circumstances which surround them
and always by unforeseen causes. But this
much may now be safely promised, the
Tribune hereafter will be as 1t formerly
was when under my direction-an indie
pendent Republican journal. 1t will be
the organ OF no man, however high; no
clique or ring however influential, or fac
ton however fanatical or demonstrative.
While giving to tho Republican party and
its principlesa hearty and generous sup
port, It will criticise the actions and re-
cords Of the Republican leaders as freely
and fCarlessly as in the days of yore. But
1t has seemed to me unwise for q great
representative journal, for the purpose
OF correcting some alleged abuses of the
Administration; to desert its party and
turn its guns on Its old friends, or help
into power and place the leaders of the
organization, whose political records and
official conduct show that they arc in sin
cere in their profession OF desire for ad.
ministration publication. The govern
ment Of nation must be conducted
through the fundamentally of parties. l
know OF no other agency which has sue
ceeded in free countries. The party in the
mSjority must assume the responsibility OF
governing. A partyis simply voluntary
organization Of citizens, united to carry
into effect certain principles and purposes.
1t must employ and entrust certain indi-
viduals to collect and disburse taxes, and
to perform executive and public duties
Tor the protection and security of person
and property. Mon must be engaged 10
construct public works, carry the mails,
administer justice, make and execute
laws, and do thousand other things
which the public well being requires, and
these individuals will often prove care.
less, inefficient or corrupt, but q party
whose aim and purpose are good and ps.
triotic, and whose record is good and
glorious, should not be condemned and
thrown out oil power on account Of the
detective work or misconduct OF few oil
Its employees in order to make place for an
sntagonistic organization whose record
can't be defended but is regarded with
sorrow and shame by its best members,
and whose conduct when in power never
fails TO show that its reformity and pro.
feEsions when out Of power are delusion
and snare, Such being the case in regard
to the necessity and machinery Of parties
In Tree countries the press to- be useful
cannot avoid being.psrtisan in greater or
less degree. lfan editor undertakes the
role ot supporting both sides his position
is equivalent 10 double the affirmative,
which amounts TO negative. If he
habltually censures and condemns
both he Is soon regarded as
a common nuisance and o scold. To be
entirely unpartizsn leaves him in the con.
dition Of cypher, and when a news
paper undertakes to be wholly independ.
ent OF its party, and yet discuss politics, It
is on the high road to the camp oI its po.
litical opponents, whether its conductor so
intended at the outset or not; unless, in
deed, he takes refuge in the towards hsr-
Dor Of neutrality and abdicates his duties
altogether, which is most contemplate
andreprehensable position. But 1t is not
essential to the propriety or influence OF
party paper that it should wilfully
mlsrepresent It's opponents, and behold
nothing but evil and depraVity in all
their actions or discover only reasonable
designs in all they propose to do. Can.
dor and fairness in the treatment of po.
litical opponents will detract nothing
from the influence ol paper, nor will It
ipjure the prospects Of Its own party.


Such, in brief, are the views l have
long entertained Of parties and the rela-
tions which the press should bear toward
them. A political newspaper, to be OF
service to the public, must give one
party or the other the preference; and
while the Democrat party embraces many
excellent and worthy members who
would be an honor 10 any organization.
Yet l sincerely believe that the Republi.
can party comprises q much larger pro.
portion Of the intelligent and educated
classes ol moral worth and business en-
terprise, as well as Of patriotic elements
Of the nation.