Cheer Up

Cheer Up

Cheer Up (from Chicago Tribune
of October 11, 1871) Body and Soul

This famous pep talk was the lead editorial in the first issue the Tribune published after the fire, and it was widely cited as the fullest expression of the city's fireproof spirit. "With woe on every hand, with death in many strange places, with two or three hundred millions of our hard-earned property swept away in a few hours," the editorial continued, "the hearts of our men and women are still brave, and they look into the future with undaunted hearts. As there has never been such a calamity, so has there never been such a cheerful fortitude in the face of desolation and ruin." After declaring that "the forces of nature, no less than the forces of reason require that the exchanges of a great nation should be conducted here," the editorial concluded: "Let us all cheer up, save what is yet left, and we shall come out all right. The Christian world is coming to our relief. The worst is already over. In a few days more all the dangers will be past, and we can resume the battle of life with Christian faith and Western grit. Let us all cheer up!" Both co-owner Joseph Medill and editor Horace White have been credited with writing the editorial.


	Cheer Up (from Chicago Tribune of October 11, 1871)	Body and Soul
	This famous pep talk was the lead editorial in the first issue the Tribune published after the fire, and it was widely cited as the fullest expression of the city's fireproof spirit. "With woe on every hand, with death in many strange places, with two or three hundred millions of our hard-earned property swept away in a few hours," the editorial continued, "the hearts of our men and women are still brave, and they look into the future with undaunted hearts. As there has never been such a calamity, so has there never been such a cheerful fortitude in the face of desolation and ruin." After declaring that "the forces of nature, no less than the forces of reason require that the exchanges of a great nation should be conducted here," the editorial concluded: "Let us all cheer up, save what is yet left, and we shall come out all right. The Christian world is coming to our relief. The worst is already over. In a few days more all the dangers will be past, and we can resume the battle of life with Christian faith and Western grit. Let us all cheer up!" Both co-owner Joseph Medill and editor Horace White have been credited with writing the editorial.