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UTAH'S SIX SURVIVING DAILIES Kearns as an editorial writer. The evidence strongly supported Roberts' conclusion. The effect of the speech was to revive the old fight, intensify its bitterness and accelerate a project already in motion back in Salt Lake City of reviving the anti-Mormon "Liberal Party" under the name of the "American Party." There ensued a five-year replay of journalistic brawling which matched anything seen during the 1870s and 1880s. During the period the American Party won three Salt Lake City elections. The 1910 elections brought defeat for the American Party (which was spearheaded by The Tribune) and dashed hopes of it becoming a state-wide political power. At this juncture, Kearns and Keith, no longer willing to subsidize The Tribune, reached a decision to muffle the fight and employ A. N. McKay as general manager. The next really significant event in the life of The Tribune was the employment in 1913 of a secretary - John F. Fitzpa-trick. At the time Fitzpatrick, The Tribune's future publisher, appeared on the scene, five money-losing dailies - The Tribune, The Telegram (which had been sold by Kearns and Keith), The Herald, The Intermountain Republican and the Deseret News - had been reduced to four by the merger of The Herald and Intermountain Republican to form The Herald-Republican. By the time Kearns died on October 18, 1918, Fitzpatrick was ready to take over with a knowledge of newspaper economics probably exceeding that of any other man in the city. McKay continued to direct the daily operations of The Tribune while Fitzpatrick handled the financial affairs of the Kearns family. He purchased the interest of David Keith, who had preceded Kearns in death. He confirmed and permanently established the policy changes which had been partially and cautiously inaugurated at the beginning of 1911. He made large investments in the physical facilities used in the production of the newspaper, weeded out sloppy and costly practices in editorial and business departments, all the while pursu- 153 |
