Annual Meeting of the !
:r„v Wfociahon.
oSy SUCCESSFUL OF ALL
i>uil) Drivers Liston to Able Ad.
a tliariictoristle Poem, Elect
oiiitrrs, TriuisucU Other Ilusincsa
ami Enjoy » Banquet.
twentieth annual meeting of the
Press association belt! at
, ,;l,,nt, January 2Sth und 29tb, was in
I p^]ircts the most successful meeting
association which has' ever been
U.
first session convened at 4 o’clocli
i'riday, the 23th, when new members
ir ,'iii‘olled. The president made his
mal address and the secretary and
■surer submitted his report, these
;,,u- followed by a report of the pro
■ -iings of the national convention and
! i xjieriences of the delegates who at
mini it at St. Paul.
IlH* tfVOinu^ piA'gtiii-u was tauicu uut
•ile auditorium of tbe beautiful tem
,»!' the Women’s Christian Temper
#■' Union. The exercises were of
i iiUii- nature and a large audience
as present. An eloquent address of
,'iaime was delivered by Eev. W. H.
I;..-;, This was responded to by E. M.
irri'll, of the Hebron Journal, in his
ijijiv, characteristic manner.
61. A. Fry, of the Niobrara Pioneer,
ail a historical sketch which was full
interest. It gave many facts relative
i the history of newspaper work of early
tvs iu north Nebraska, Mr. Fry having
t i m; experience of twenty years in
tat section.
51. A. Brown, of the Kearney Hub,
■livered (he annual oration, which was
i effort of great merit. His theme
ns the relation of the press to the up
:i!'ting of the state, and he offered
tally valuable suggestions and painted
h'i'tful and cheerful picture of No
raska's future.
A. L. Bixby, of the Columbus Senti
11, read (lie annual poem, which proved
treat to the audience. It was pre
i“tl by some droll remarks by the
tiler, which set his hearers in a roar.
Mrs. Fred Nye rendered two beauti
.'. s-!c», with Professor Boy Smith ac
[iiiipiinist, and Miss Nellie McPherson,
rollout's talented elocutionist, ap
eared in two numbers and fairly capti
atod the audience. «
The second day’s session opened with
business meeting at 9 o’clock. Among
lit business transacted was the adopflon
t the following resolutions, which will
»■ of general interest:
"(■solved, That the Nebraska Press as
wiatiou is hereby in favor of having Xe
rvbi niake such an exhibit .at the
■'rtil's fair as will fitly set forth before
i n world her advantages and natural re
'(net's, and that we will at all times reu
icr u;i reasonable assistance in promoting
exhibit, and that we will favor such
mcial assistance by the state as will be
l uwii to be necessary to enable Nebraska
| make a creditable showing alongside of
ttr sister states in this great exposition.
Resolved. That we request the ready
r ni and plate houses supplying Nebraska
n.ersto maintain a special department de
"i d to promotion of the interests of the
■ tnrnskaexhibit, iu which all X’ebraska
!"./ens should be and no doubt will be in
ercsied.
Papers were read by F. O. Edgecombe,
lI' rhu Falls City Journal, on “Business
!uulih;'’ l>y S. P. Mobley, of the Grand
Independent, on “Independent
iuwimlism;" by George P. Marvin, of
t-K Iieiitrice Democrat, on “Local News.”
ii! m these were intelligently discussed,
tutilf Profit of ail the delegates.
Officers of the association for the en
“JJ* }oar "'ere cliosen as follows:
- resident— F. G. Simmons, Seward
wjKirter.
Secretary and Treasurer—Boss L.
fiammeud, Fremom Tribune,
yiw Presidents—C. M. Hubner, Ne
a-ska City News; Edgar Howard, Papil
j"1' M. H. Barber, Fullerton
a',mal;A. C. Jordan, Beatrice Express;
• Crane, Bloomington Echo; L. J.
' “amous, Harrison Journal.
e«gatesto the national association,
® °se next meeting is to be held at San
I '1Wc’sro> May 17, were chosen as fol
’p. E. Sedgwick, York Times;
B w HiWelll'and, St. Paid Press; E.
v, a*fi'iuist, Hastings Democrat; S.
p , lzt‘e- Curtis Courier; E. M. Correll,
-coron Journal; A. L. Bixby, Columbus
Mmel; C. W. Hyatt, Fremont Flail,
rommhus was selected as the next
^ of meeting.
*le ProverInal hospitality of the peo
Promout was more than bus
V1 o' *be handsome manner in.
_/■ on tuey entertained the editors.
*** was »t the disposal of their
s ‘absolutely without money and
"T-i°ut price.”
delegation of newspaper
J .'vc'le entertained at the Eno hotel,
prirt eS,fl'8' ^matk and Collins, the pro
t.„tl',,rs’Wei'a congratulated by all for the
jy ?nt Mention given to their guests.
3Vi ‘la-’ niternoou 'the delegates were
Jn,[ carriage drive about the city
to .°re afforded an ojiportunity
(,f the many attractions
‘ the" * recognized to be
city in the state.” The
! t,Jlni 11'; homes, fine business blocks,
j m;,s, ‘ l:m churches, numerous and
^ 8chool buildings, granite
I i,,j ' 8 reets, elegant public bmldings
• int Per°U8 factories were all matters
iere<>t, He Fremont Normal ool
E
iege was visited and the delegates shown
through the structure by its president,
W. II. Clemmons. This is onoW the
leading educational institutions of the
west and has had a phenomenal growth.
Its present term enrollment is about
500 pupils, the total attendance for the
year being upwards of a thousand. The
Fiemout foundry, the largest iron worko
in Inc interior of the state; tho model
printing establishment of the’ Fremont
Tribune; the Excelsior flouring mills;
tho Nebraska creamery, which is the
largest si agio building devoted to tho
dairy business in the United States; tho I
extensive planing mills and wood work- !
ing establishments of the Fremont Man
ufacturing Co. and Denney & Lumbard,
the Creamery Package Manufacturing
company; the Nebraska Binder Twine
company’s plant and the handsome now
brewery costing $125,000, now nearing
completion, some of tho labor em
ploying institutions which furnish a
solid basis of prosperity for tho city, were
among the places of interest visited and
noted. The manufacture of tow from
hemp and the making of the tow into
binding twine was perhaps the thing of
greatest novelty and interest to all the
visitors. Tlii3 factory is a busy liivo of
industry and will turn out this year a
million pounds of twine for binding the
grain of the Nebraska fanners. The
raising of hemp is a profitable thing for
the farmers, and its conversion into
binding twine promises to be profitable
for the factory. This is the only institu
tion of its kind in Nebraska. '
The hospitality of Fremont culmina
ted in an elaborate banquet for the
editors at Masonic Temple Friday night.
EDITOR IIIXBY’S POE21.
To bo a thrifty husbandman,
And till the virgin soil,
And make an honest living
In the field of honest toil,
la certainly commendable
And not without its joys -
Besides the farm is a grand place
To educate the boys.
To own an 80-acre farm,
Out on the prairies broad.
With but a yoke of oxen.
And a palace, built of sod,
Is not the hardest lot that may
Befall us here below
While struggling for a foothold
In this wilderncfcs of woe. % .
How joyful at the peep of dawn,
To rise from calm repose.
And scent th$ breezes, perfumed
By the barnyard and t he rose;
To feed and clean the iron grays,
To milk six cows or more;
‘•Slop” forty hogs, then breakfast,
At ten minutes aftor four.
To seek the field at sunrise,
'Gainst tho bob-tailed tares to war.
And make two cornstalks flourish
Where one cornstalk grew before,
Is a pleasure and a profit,
And it yields a fund of health.
And appetite more precious
Than Jay; Gould’s enormous wealth.
Kext to farming tho mechanic
Has an independent lot
In ilia chosen field of labor,
Where the forge is flaming hot.
Or with sa\v, and plane and chisel,
Earning that, from day today,
Which—though root of every evil—
Keeps the wolf of want away.
'Tis a grand and noble calling
To proclaim the Gospel truth.
And exhort to swift repentance
Old age, middle age and youth;
Pluck as brands from out the fiurninj
Men and women steeped in sin;
Seek tho lost sheep of tho Fathor,
Shackle them and bring them in;
Working thus for modest profits.
Storing rust-proof wealth on high;
Makes a man full good while living—
First-class when he comes to die.
Then the man well versed in Blackstona
Claims more than a passing thought;
Ho who stirs up litigation,
Rakes our fuel, keeps it hot.
Chief among our groat lav-makers
Shine those brilliant legal lights, .
Killing time, but “making records’*
In the legislative fights.
They are necessary cvila
In the ecouomic plan,
But the good of their existence
Has not been revealed to man.
Then the doctor with his physic
Has a place in life to fill,
With his nauseous pres* ription
And his purso-depleting bill;
And the look of bottled wisdom,
Corked with mystery alway,
And he notes the patient's symptoms
And ability to' pay,
He it is who comes at midnight,
At a very sprightly pace.
To assist Dame Nature's efforts
To in ircase the human race;
Anil through all the ills o£ childhood
Ho is ever in demand.
■With his death-to-pain decoctions
That no ono cam understand;
Watches us through youth and manhood
With professional concern,
And Is called for all conditions.
From the tremens to a burn;
And when tired nature calls ns
To our last—our dying hod,
•Tis the family physician
Who informs us when we're dead.
And the butcher and the baker,
And the peddler with his pack,
And the morchant and the banker
All deserve a passing whack:
But you all have come to listen
For .1 melancholy word
Of the man who wields a power
That stronger than the sword.
In the mighty field of financo
He is a’osent and unknown.
And he treads a trackless desert,
Hungry, foot-sore and alouo.
Corn to toil and grief, ho labors,
When tlii busy day is o'er,
And lie; very night air quivers
With humanity's deep snore;
When the happy barnyard songsters
Are at roost in one glad group,
Then the editor is planning
For a brilliant midnight "scoop.”
Heavy are the burdens carried
By this meek and lowly man.
As he tramps tho hill of knowledge,
Twenty furlongs in tho van;
Not alone hi3 own shortcomings
Has tiiis cuss to answer for,
But tho sins of all rrtation,
Dating years beforo the war.
Ttien the griefs of small dimension*
He must bear from day to day.
From the ones who take the paper . (
And neglect to ever pay;
Those who owe two years or over,
And. when duuuod, fee! so abused.
That they send it to the office
Marked "not wanted," or "refused;"
Men who have a world of counsel,
And a thimbleful of brains. ,
But come round each day to "labor”
All regardless ot his "pains.”
And the old back nunvicr merchant,
On whose coiling roost the Hies;
He who argues that it doesn't
Pay, a to advortiso. _ _
Add to tiffin tho country poet—
Wlio, when smco door friend U dud.
Sends u lengthy eontrilmtlnu,
With a preface at tho hoed;
Linos illjjointoil. dull and doleful.
Mi.iRc, m mriiful mid distressed.
But they please tlte friends and mourners,
So are "jitUdishwl hy.revjuost." ( ,
'these and m.iiiv other tortures
Fill his spirit v ith dismay,
As he walks the plank of tioubls,
With the t^jip two miles away.
But we know that when tiio trumpet
On tho last great day shall sound,
And the banesol all creation,
liiso lrom out tho trembling ground.
When ull men are called to judgment,
To roceiro tho llual deal,
At the hands of Him who slttoth
As tho court of hist appeal.
Then the editor who, dying,
Pays all debts, iucludiuj; board,
Vvhll receive a seat in glory.
On the right hand of the Lord.
AliUIlKtiS or M. A. If If OWN.
Nebraska: and the duty and oitor
TUN1TY OF THE PRESS.
There is scarce an editor in this stato
who has not a lolty conception oi the
flulies anil obligations of the press. Ho
does not regard journalism as a calling,
but as a profession. He does not con
sider printing it mechanical trade,lint an
art. The fraternity know wherein tho
press is powerful, and cun also point out
tho weak spots in its armor. Tho fra
ternity knows, nearly every man by his
individual experience, that the pross
aims high. Ami does not he who aims at
the stars at least hit the tree tops? it
journalism aims t-o high, und sometimes
tails too low, is it not because of a
crumped environment or the presence
of a stern necessity which knows no law?
To make tho press of Nebraska abler uinl
better, approaching more nearly to tho
ideal, shouldvt not bo made more pros
perous? And what will bring prosjierity
to the press, and to all the people, more
surely or quickly than the upbuilding of
the stato in all material things?
Those among us who have spent twenty
years in Nebraska know how wonderful
has been tho development of tho state,
how rapid its increase in population, anil
how marvelous the growth and accumu
lation of material weuth. And yet in
Nebraska we have but made a beginning.
The workmen have but simply laid the
foundation. We have "piumeil our
v.ings” and tested our powers, that i3
all.
The Empire state has an area of 47,000
square miles—.Nebraska exceeds that
area by £8,000 square miles.
T’he acreage ot the Empire state is a
trifle over 30,000,000—Nebraska passos it
by more than 10,000,('00.
But the Empire state will multiply our
population about six times.
Nebraska can maintain a population
of 10,000,000, because there is, compara
tively speaking, scarco an acre of waste
land in the state. But we have barely
passed the million mark.
Barring wood, iron, coal and cotton,
we have within ourselves all of the need
ful products and elements to make a
people self-sustaining and independent of
the balance of the world. All except tho
cotton we have on our borders. Then
why should we not reach out for at least
half of the possible ten millions? ,
Nebraska is the great central state of
the Union, and is bisected by the teem
ing thoroughfare over which passes the
main stream of travel between 'Castle
G arden and the Golden Gate. Rich in
all that a fertile soil can produce, Ne
braska can exchange her products for tho
pine of Georgia and the north, for an
thracite from Pennsylvania, and tho soft
coal of Colorado, Wyoming and Dakota,
for iron from Lake Superior, and for
cotton from the south.
Nebraska—au empire ia extent, a
giant in energy, a Croesus in natural
and undeveloped wealth—needs two
things:
1. Greater capital for the develop
ment of her resources.
Increased outlets and inlets by
rail and by water that will give the pro
ducer the shortest and cheapest routes
to tho markets of this country and of
ttic world, and to the consumer the
benefits ot a lower transportation tariff
ui his domestic imports.
There are two ways to secure capital—
by borrowing and by inducing the
holder to invest it. We can borrow it
only by treating it as a friend and by hon
orably meeting our obligations to it.
We can secure it for investment only by
continually presenting the advantages
of this state to its holders, so that they
may learn that a legitimate invest
ment will he safe and remunerative.
For the present Nebraska people aro
essentially borrowers, but that must not
be so always. We must create. Wo
must upbuild. We must show by our
example, no less than to declare by
word of mouth, that this is the proper
j'lace for the mau who lets ns have his
money on interest, to couple residence
with his investment. Thus we will
save to the state the increment that con
stantly finds its way into eastern sav
ings banks as a return from rents and
interest charges.
The press or JNehrasJra should be the
inspiration of the people to renewed and
more earnest and intelligent efforts in
rearing a commonwealth prosperous in
material things and conspicuous for the
progressiveness and courage of its peo
pie.
As for the “transportation problem,’
Nebraska is favorably situated to solve
it lor her own advantage. The trunk
lines between the east and west do not
offer the solution. To the northeast, a
loss distance than to Chicago, is the head
of lake Superior. Nebraska should have
a system of feeders for a great line
reaching the head of the lakes. Then,
looking to the southeast, the outlet to
tho gulf is both natural and easy. Gal
veston as a gulf port is assured. Velasco
and Aransas are experiments. But
there will be more than one deep water
harbor on the Gulf of Mexico, and every
one of these ports will add to the valuo
of Nebraska farming lands and make
farming in this state more remunera
tive.
ltailroads have led the advance in
western civilization and development.
The approach of agriculture, industry,
commerce, education, art and science, in
heralded by the rumble of the first con
struction train. Nebraska's progresn
has been in proportion to the growth in
mileage of her railroads. We need moro
of them, and wo will secure them by the
adoption of a sensible business policy
and by making our community inviting
to them by building up our waste places
ami seizing upon every opportunity for
the expansion of our industries.
There is no need that Nebraska should
be purely au agricultural state, and >t
will not long be so. Agriculture, manu
facturing and commerce will form tho
three golden links of our future pros
perity. Manufactures are growing in
Nebraska. Omaha, the metropolis of
! this state, a city larger than any in Kan
: sas, or the Dakotas, or Colorado, or
; Iowa, or in Missouri barring St. Louis,
is n magnificent exumplo of tho results
produced from this union of Agriculture
uni manufacturing industry.
Manufactures, allied with agriculture,
create commerce, and commerce main
tains the steady flow of tho financial
current. , , ....., , , ...,, ,. . ,
Hero in Fremont yort have built nft a
largo twine industry and have a number
pf smaller industries, mnl are now reach
ing out for the larger and still better
tilings.
Nebraska City finds prosperity in pork
packing, and that prosperity is added to
by a vuvitty of lesser industries.
Beatrice manufactures paper, starch,
Mitmoal, canned goods, pumps, wind
mills, paring brick, is erecting a boot
and shoe factory and is reaching out for
move.
Grand Island and Norfolk are noted
for their great beet sugar factories,
which are tlio foundatien of prosperity
for both city and country.
Hastings has gone down into the bow
els of the earth and found salt, ochre and
other elements of wealth, which will be
utilized to the city's advantage.
Kearney’s great cotton mill is nearing
completion, an oat mill has just been
opened, a large plow factory is in course
of erection, canned goods and pressed
brick are manufactured, paper and
woolen goods will be manufactured this
season, and a knitting mill will follow
tho opening of tho cotton mill.
Lincoln, the state capital, while not
yet a manufacturing city, is pushing out
in that direction, and may demonstrate
bofore industrial conditions are settled
in this state that “the rueo is not always
for the swift nor the battle for tlio
strong.” And he it said that tho
press of our state capital as well as of
the metropolis, is an important factor
in the improvement of tne state's agri
cultural and industrial conditions.
Smaller cities aro working on this
same line, and there is abundant reason
to believe that tlio state is'entering upon
a period of remarkable industrial dovel
mont.
You aro probably asking yourselves,
mentally, what all this lias to do with
the press of Nebraska, and what busi
ness your orator (so-called) has to dis
mount from his Pegasus in defiance of
precedent and propriety, to travel on
foot all over this state. Well, this in
because your speaker is a crank—a gen
uine Nebraska crank, a crank on the
subject of progress and development,
and because lie believes that tlioso aro
problems of policies lying within touch
of our hands that outweigli all others in
tlio uni verso.
Use well the moment; what the hour
firings for thy use is in tliy power;
Ami what thou In'Ht canst understand,
Is just the thing? lios nearest to thy hand.
Now suppose a case: Suppose, for in
stance. that every newspaper in Nebras
ka. daily null weekly, largo and small,
was to talk politics less, eschew personal
controversy, let llio country at large as
sume the responsibility of saving itself,
and enter upon a united campaign for
tho state and its material interests.
Suppose that tho newspapers of Ne
braska were talking constantly and in
unison for the state in general and each
one for its own locality in particular.
Imagine a state where every newspaper
is engaged in an educational work of
this character—educating their own peo
ple to a full appreciation of tho advant
ages and opportunities . surrounding
them, and enlightening the outside
world upon tho desirability of their re
spective localities for residence mid in
vestment. Not with bombast, not with
froth and fustian, but witi earnestness
united with truth, and zealousness-com
bined with dignity. Imagine such a
force and its possibilities for good.
The Nebraska Press association can
not do a better thing than to make this
subject a special topic and urgo upon
every newspaper in the state the import
ance of a zealous and united movement
of this character.
It is said that “tho Lord helps those
who help themselves.” We build up the
state, and every citizen is benefited.
We help the growth of our own com
munity, build up its industries, and do
our part to improve the surrounding
conditions, and our reward floats in on
tho tide in proportion as we have cast
our bread upon tho waters.
When Nebraska becomes tho great
state that it may become — when
agriculture shall have reached the high
est stage of development, when manu
factures shall dot our towns and cities,
when our avenues of commerce shall radi
ate toward every point of the compass,
when higher education and art shall be
within the reach of all, and our presont
population shall be multiplied by three,
and four, and live, the problems that pow
confront the Nebraska newspaper man
will be problems no longer.
Thou art no dreamer, O thou stern today!
The past has had its dreams; the real is thine.
An armored knight in panoly divino,
It is not thine to loiter or delay.
1 see betore me cotnraue3 oi tno press
who have grown and .are growing gray
in the troadmill of shop and sanctum.
They stand in the presence of the stern
today, surrounded by difficulties, beset
by discouragements, and with hands that
have not yet grasped the reward
so well their due for years of
thankless service for a tyrant public.
Today we meet. Tomorrow we part.
The lessons of yesterday are seared upon
our brains. The duties of today sink
deep into onr hearts. And we turn our
eyes toward the bright tomorrow with
fresh resolves, with higher hopes, with
sanctified and silent prayer for the up
lifting of the press of this our noble
state.
O thou tomorrow! never yet was born
In oartli'e dull atmosphere a thing so fair,
Never yet tripped, with footsteps light as air,
So glad a vision o’er tho hills of morn!
Fresh as She radiant dawning, all unworn
By the lightest touch of sorrow or of eare.
Thou dost tho glory of tho morning share;
By snowy wing's ot hope and taith upborne!
O, fair Tomorrow! what our souls have missed
Art thou not keeping for us somewhere still?
The leads of promise that have never blown.
The tender lips that we have never kissed,
The song w hose high, sweet strain eludes our
skill.
The one white pearl that life hath never
known!_•
INDEPENDENT .JOURNALISBI.
BY SETH P. JJOULEY.
In the lead cf leaders stands the inde
pendent paper—the paper that knows no
higher law than conscience; the paper
that seeks the right according to its
best judgment, and that has the courage
to speak for it, though all the world may
seem to be on the oppositeside;tlie paper
that strives to mold instead of being
molded by public opinion. The warrior
that seeks no advantage except that of
having right on his side, and that goes
bravely forward, steadfast in the faith
that according to the immutable laws of
nature, right, truth, justice, conscience,
must finally triumph. Such are the
papers that give strength to the press.
Do you ask what is tho sphere of the
M: .
ludo[» indent press? I answer that It '
known no narrow confines, hnt it* field
is «a hmad us the world itself; it reaches
; tverywliore, it iwvados everything.
I The independent paper should bo a
, faithful relic x of the individuality of its
• editor. It should ho his conscience ther
* motnoter and morality bn remoter, It
■huuld aim at originality of ideas,its well
*s originality in style of expressing
them. No matter to wlmt isriiticul party
principles it adheres, it should not be
come a more echo of party, and certain
iy never bo against conscience, as all
parties somtimes go wrong and no party
should ever claim the right to enslave
conscience. A paper should not bo a
mere organ to simply play ouch piece by
note. Instead of a more machine ft
should bo a living, breathing, thinking
thing, with individual responsibility; re
cognizing no law higlior than the law of
conscience, and having no nitn above
that of absolute truth; und, falling into
error, as all papers sometimes will, it
should l>e brave enough to acknowledge
error and make amends.
It should aim to stand at the front as
an educator, independent of nil text
books except the text hook of truth, and
»t its own sweet will becoming sponsor
Cor languages never thought of in col
leges or laid down in the text 1h>o1ch. It
should claim the exclusive right to coin
und use now words to express now or
old idetia, and safely rely upon the fact
that families, colleges, text 1 Kinks and
worlds, will eventually appropriate the
coinage in the future us they nave dono
in the past.
In its news department the indepond
Bntpaperwillseelttogiveonly the tacts nil
they are portrayed niton the panorama
cf the world's actual events, without
coloring of party prejudice, personal
pique, or vanity, and will studiously
seek to avoid sensationalism having the
selfish aim ol' increased sales, remember
ing that n fake factory is not a necessary
adjunct to a newspaper office, but that
it invariably proves detrimental to
progress in the legitimate newspaper
Held.
Necessarily depending upon others for
sources of informatioii, nil papers will
sometimes bo imposed Upon,mid thus nu
lutentiounlly imposo upon tlioir readers,
but immediately upon tho discovery of
such imposition, correction should ho
made and attention called thereto, tui
nothing will destroy conlldeuce so speed
ily as recklessness in regard to state
ment of facts.
Tlie independent paper true to itself
and trno to its- real mission will scorn to
do a political opponent, or any one elso,
on injustice, aud will not seek unfair
advantage in any direction to gain n
temporary success, because it must re
alize that success thus achieved is really
the worst kind of defeat. The paper that
prizes respect for truthfulness, candor
and fair dealing above any success dis
honestly obtained, will prove a lasting
tower of strength and tho real bulwark
of the press. Guarded by such papers
tho power of the press will ever in
crease.
In this age, whon a man, if given a
thousand years to live, could not hope
to read all that is printed, it is pertinent
to iuquiro what one sliould read, but
whatever else one may omit, if he de
sires to keep posted on current events of
the ago in which he lives, ho never even
thinks of omitting from his list-elect the
newspaper, which is first and foromost
in everybody's list, to such an extent
that one would almost as soon think of
doing without his daily physical food.
Everybody reads the newspaper, which,
more than any other dozen agencies, lias
made this a reading age, and most iieo
ple respect and honor an honest paper
upon which is impressed the individual
ity of an honest man, bent upon doing,
in his oxalted position, what seems host
for mankind.
Considering nil that has been written
upon tho subject of tho press, it may
seem presumptuous in me to attempt to
add anything new. and yet so wedded am
I to the subject, and so accustomed to
military, that duty assigned means an
attempt at least to perform it, leaving
you to lie the sufferers for any lack or
wisdom in the detail made by your offi
cers.
It is true that if one had all that has
been written upon the subject of the
press sinco Gutenberg or Coster racked
tlieir brains to discover a method by
which movable characters might bo
transferred to paper to express ideas, or
since Franklin discovered tho means
whereby the pressman might “pull the
devil's tail” aud thereby transform blank
paper ns if by magic iiito a medium for
the diffusion of knowledge of imjiortant
as well as unimportant events, he would
have paper enough to reach to the North
pole oml wnqj it to nn anti-freezing
depth. And yet I am still bold enough
to claim that the subject has not been
completely exhausted, but that on the
contrary enough might still be written
to require paper sufficient to wrap up
the sun, moon and stars aud till all tho
space surrounding our entire planetary
system. But be not alarmed, 1 shall not
attempt to exhaust the subject at tins
time, and as a matter of fact there seems
to be no necessity, as it has already come
to pass that the press is universally ac
knowledged as a power without a peer
' in the civilized world.
me power or the press has iicen truly
marvelous in its growth and influence,
surpassing almost human credulity as to
possibility, and the art preservative ia
the acknowledged chief of chiefs—the
absolute essential of all arts and all sci
ences, so that the world would as soon
think of attempting to get along without
the elements of fire and water as with
out the medium of the press, and when
we stop to think wo are led to wonder
how the world managed to get along at
all in the slow-going old way ante-dating
the birth of the press.
Only little more than a century ago
the pulpit and the rostrum were the
recognized powers in control of govern
ments, but that period speedily sped
away when the press wns born, and in
the short space of a hundred years, ros
trum, pulpit and people have been
taught the fact that the only jwwer
higher than the power of the press is
that power v hich keeps this little ball
of earth which we temporarily inhabit
in its proper position in space.
Time has indeed wrought a wonderful
change, so that one asked to giv#, in
their order today, the chief agencies for
the advancement of civilization, pro
gress, education, morality, and general
enlightenment, would lie required, out
of respect for truth, to name them as
follows: The press, the public schools,
the railways, the pulpit, and the ros
trum. Thus it is, that in this short
space of time the recognized head haa
passed down to the foot and the foot
without dispute passed np to the head of
the class, and the press Ixx-oino an irre
sistible force which recognizes no im
movable obstacle. It sways armies,
shapes governments, and makes and un
makes men at will, and sometimes makes
a great man out of very scant material
»nd receives little thank* from, or for
its creation, aud is itself ashamed of Its
progeny.
Whatever the resistance may be, the
power of a combined press may be safely
depended upon to couqnor, with not
even u possibility of failure. The only
foemnn worthy of its steel is itself, It
has only itself to tear. Power abated
and misused becomes a source of weak
ness; a means of seif destruction, audit
the reigning influence of the press is ever
weakened, it will be only by
the act of the press itself.
Strong—Samson-like, indeed—when in
the right, it may yet totter and
fail when in error, and lienee it should
ever bo carefully on' guard against its
only dangerous foe—Itself. Let ns see
to it that the power wo possess be not
alniRed. Proper use of power but adds
to its strength, while abuse of power is
but the certain ultimate destruction
of it.
The main strength of the press lies in
the confidence of the people—destroy
that confidence, and by that destruction
your influence vanishes, and all power
is gone, and instead of a respected leader
you becomo a pitiable object of con
tempt, scorn and ritlicnle.
Today the press is the recognised
leaeler of advanced thought in every av
enue of human progress—the leader in
every enterprise calculated to benefit
mankind, morally, socially and com
mercially. Let no net of its own hurl
it from the proud eminence it occupies
by the common consent of all enlight
ened people, butllut it strive to remain a
power worthy of confidence and respect.
Give none causo to fear except those
who are in tho wrong.
It is undoubtedly true that the same
energy, and the same ability, applied to
any other calling, would bring richer
reward, but os the girl said in regard
to kissing, "There may he sweeter
things on earth, but, if so, I havo novor
happened to taste them,” so with tho
newspivi>er business there appears to bo
aomothing bo fascinating anil satisfying
nlKillt it that- we almost unconsciously
stick to it, and as a matter of fact there
is no other field so fertile for usefulness
to humanity.
'
'ii
•*:V
v ■
xia in’tiling untuiu its i|uno M.'iit,
not even the independent press, it might
be proiier to mention one of its chief
weaknesses, one of its besetting sins, if
yon please, which is its seeming inherent
disposition to fight itself, to cripple its V
own influence through jealousy. The
man who declared that women, some 4jjf>
women, wore given to jealousy, prob
ably never closely observed the predi
lections of the press in that directiou. %
Touch the topic of its circulation with
even insinuation of doubt in regard to
the strict veracity of its circulation liar,
mid you touch it to the heart, and inau
gurate a war eveh in advance of a
declaration of war.
It must be suid to its discredit that
there is no other calling in which so "S
much attention is given to tearing
itself to pieces; to weakening its own
influence. There is no other calling
that could stand so much internal strife
without toppling over. We spend by
odds too much time in fighting eacn
other anil trying to prove to the world
that the press is a fraud. The same ef- <>*
fort directed toward the upbuilding of
the material interest of the localities in
which the papers ore published, would
result not only in groator good to the
community, but would prove both
strengthening, and ennobling to the
press, and give the people far greater
confidence in it.
()ne trouble is, that, with most of us.
hate is a stronger passion than love, ana
wo permit it to move us to greater ex
tremes. * * * * This is not as it
should be, and good results would fol
low a more careful cultivation of the .
crop of lovo for our fellow men, and
from absolute neglect of the crop of tlio
spirit of hate, in the hope that it may
eventually be choked out by nobler and
better thot^fhts.
Let us encourage confidence in onr
calling, and, wherever wo can. assist
each other, and realize tho fact that the
hurling of a stono through our neigh
bor's window, in reality bnt shatters
our own glass. If we would, every time '4?
wo feel an inclination to attack our
neighbor, turn our attention to saying
something good of our locality, we .jij
would soon cure onr worst chronic com
pbiint, and become altogether lovely
without the aid cit any other physician.
This internal strife may be edifying I
to a certain element in society, but it is
death to tho combatants. If we must
go to battle, let us not turn our guns up
on ourselves, but upon our enemies.
llretliem of the qnill, I ask yon to
draw the blue pencil of your mind ■*£!
through this matter, brash out tho
chaff, and ask the devil to consign it to t;
tho hell-box and preserve the grain, if
any you find,in the galley of live matter,
and permit me with a brief classi
fication of the press to press this
paper to a period. We have the monthly
press, the weekly press, the daily press,
the religioui press, the secular press,
t he party press, the independent press,
the society press, tho morning press
and tho evening press, the Sunday
morning press and tne Sunday evening
press, and of all these permit me to say
that the Sunday evening press is tho
press of my choice, an it requires no “
string measure, entails no outlay for
type setting, and there is no galley
slavo to satisfy, but onlv the first sylla
bic of the first part of it. Try it, lock W.
your form tight, stick to tho press, i#
waist no matter, and rely upon it your
business is all right.
In Spurgeon’* Tabernnclo.
London, Feb. 2.—Two special services
were held at Dr. Spurgeon's tabernacle,
at each of which the audience numbered
several thousand. The pulpit and plat
form were draped in black. The deep
est grief was manifested, and the
simplest ceremonies were of the most
solemn and affecting character. At a
meeting of the deacons of the tabernacle
it was decided to leave the funeral ar
rangements entirely to the widow, the
only thing insisted upon being that the •
interment should take place on English
soil. In his remarks at the evening serv
ice Dr. Pierson, the American minister
who has occupied the pulpit during Dr.
Spurgeon's illness, mentioned the fact
that the great preacher had sent word
recently that he would like to have a
day set apart for prayers for the abate
ment of the influenza.
Christopher Columbus Celebration.
Albany, N. Y., Feb. 2.—In the As
sembly Mr. Hitt offered a resolution
which was referred to the committee -fi
on ways and means authorizing the -
board of managers to prepare for the
etato representation on October 12,1892,
at the Christopher Colnmbus celebration 'j.
in Kew York by the Spanish and Italian ■
i peoples and to invite the original thir
, teen states to participate with the state ' '•' *
! commemoration of the event.