National Tribune

The National Tribune (official title) was a post-Civil War newspaper based in Washington, D.C., published by the National Tribune Publishing Co. "A Monthly Journal devoted to the interests of the Soldiers and Sailors of the late war, and all Pensioners of the United States" was the caption under the paper's title. The National Tribune served generally as the organ of the Grand Army of the Republic, (G.A.R.) and as a forum for old soldiers to share their reminiscences.

The National Tribune Publishing Co. also printed historical publications, from pamphlets to hard-bound books, and ephemera empathizing on articles, stories and histories of heroes and political figures, as well as Union and Confederate soldiers and armies. In more modern times, the journal evolved to its modern version, what is now Stars and Stripes.

The newspaper was daily until 1917, when it went to weekly. It merged with Stars and Stripes (newspaper) in the 1920s.[1] Publication ceased in 1943.[2]

Building in Washington

The National Tribune was first published in 1877.[3] Its owner and editor was George E. Lemon. The paper was headquartered at 615 Fifteenth St. NW, Washington, D.C., in an area considered "D.C.'s Newspaper Row", located just five blocks from the White House. The 8-page, 18" by 23"-sheet newspaper was distributed every Thursday, year-round. An annual subscription for the monthly journal was $1.00; one copy was 10 cents. By 1890, the yearly circulation was 135,342. On August 20, 1881, through July 12, 1917, the paper evolved into a weekly publication. Its main subscribers were war veterans. The title, "The National Tribune" was used from 1877 to 1917 before it was restructured. An alternative title was United States National Tribune.

In 1884, John McElroy, after being editor for ten years of the Ohio-based newspaper,Toledo Blade, joined the company as managing editor and built up its reputation and nationwide distribution.

Byron Andrews, a native of Evansville, Wisconsin, and an 1876 graduate of Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., came aboard in 1884 as business manager in New York City office (66, World Building) of the National Tribune and a subsidiary news journal, The American Farmer. Prior to this, Andrews was with the Chicago journal Chicago Inter Ocean for many years as its correspondent in Washington, D.C.. He had also served as private secretary to U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant on industrial excursions to Mexico, Cuba and abroad.

In April 1893, Marilla Andrews, Byron's sister of, was appointed editor of the American Farmer. "She is a lady of brilliant attainments, and will make her mark in the literary world. Women, evidently, are coming to the front." (The Items of Interest. A Monthly Magazine of Dental Art, Science and Literature, 1893.)

In its heyday, the Tribune was one of the top-paying newspaper properties in the country, at one time having a circulation of 250,000. A silver medal was issued by The New York World to commemorate its reaching this circulation. This was presented by G.W. Turner through Byron Andrews, associate editor of the company based in New York.

In December 1896, George E. Lemon died and buried in historic Rock Creek Cemetery in D.C. not far from the grave of Henry Adams. Immediately following his death, the company was sold and reorganized.

After Lemon's death, the firm of McElroy, Shoppell and Andrews (John McElroy, Robert W. Shoppell and Byron Andrews), acquired the National Tribune Publishing Co. in April 1897. Robert W. Shoppell was a former publisher, while Byron Andrews had been an associate editor and business manager for The National Tribune and The American Farmer (also owned by George E. Lemon & Co.) in New York for 15 years. The most prominent of the trio was John L. McElroy, who after ten years as managing editor of the Toledo Blade had assumed the same position with the National Tribune in 1884 and had served as president of the National Association of Ex-Prisoners of War. The changes under the new management, which by the close of the century was emphasizing that "it has not the slightest connection of any kind with a pension attorney or firm of attorneys" were that the paper now serialized several of McElroy's own novels and made hesitant bids to the members of the D.A.R. and S.A.R.

The National Tribune's circulation by 1899 was 112,000.

In 1885, the company began publishing and printing non-fictional "Standard books" of the general history, soldier life and adventures and important places pertaining to the Civil War, as well as other unrelated informative books. Most of the books were softback, sold for 25 to 50 cents, and were only available through the National Tribune. Their concept was that retail prices were so low to allow wholesale prices, therefore they did not sell to bookstores and newsstands. They usually advertised all of their other publications in the inside of the books' front and back covers. By 1899, they ceased selling and advertised at the end of the back inside cover "Terms: The foregoing books are not for sale. They are published for the sole purpose of rewarding those who raise clubs for The National Tribune. It is very easy to raise a club. Send for sample copies of the paper". Most copies were bound in leatherette covers.

1. Patriotism on Parade: The Story of Veterans' and Hereditary Organizations in Organizations in America, 1783–1900. c. 1955 by Wallace Evan Davies.
2. The National Tribune. Newspaper copy, Vol.1 No.1 (October 1877).
3. The National Tribune. Newspaper copy, March 4, 1877.
4. The Will of Capt. Lemon, in The New York Times, October 29, 1896.
5. N. W. Ayer & Son's American Newspaper Annual: containing a Catalogue of American Newspapers, a List of All Newspapers of the United States and Canada, 1898, Volume 2.
6. Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volumes 34-37.
7. The Items of Interest. A Monthly Magazine of Dental Art, Science and Literature. Edited by T. B. Welch, M.D. Volume XV, No.4, p. 220. Philadelphia: The Wilmington Dental M'F'G Co. Publishers, 1413 Filbert Street. April, 1893.