Twentieth hv.v Meeting of the
I'ress A;-seciatiou.
MOST S'JCS3FUL OP ALL
The Quill Driv. r.i I.M.ii lo Alilo Ad-
drHfte fk Ii.l- :fi. r.Li'. Pm'tll, t'.let'l
Officer, TrsimuU Other llunlnt'ss
and iijy MaiiqueU
TliO twentieth annual meeting of tlie
Nebraska Press association held at
Fremont, Jannary ?8th and 29th, was in
all respects the most successful it tit
of the association which has ever been
kold.
The first session convened at 4 o'clock
on Friday, the 28th, when new members
were enrolled. The president made bit
annual address and the secretary ana
treasurer submitted his report, these
being followed by a report of the pro
ceedings of the national convention and
the experiences of the delegates who at
tended it at St. Paul.
The evening program was carried oat
at the auditorium of the beautiful tem
p's of the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union. The exercises were of
a pnblio nature and a large audience
was present. An eloquent address of
welcome was delivered by Rev. W. II.
Buss. This was responded to by E. M.
Correll, of the Hebron Journal, in his
happy, characteristic manner.
Ed. A. Fry, of the Niobrara Pionoer,
read a historical sketch which was full
of Interest. It gave many facts relative
to the history of newspaper work of early
days in north Nebraska, Mr. Fry having
had an experience of twenty years in
that section.
M. A. Brown, of the Kearney Hub,
delivered the annual oration, which was
an effort of great merit. His theme
was the relation of the press to the up
building of the state, and he offered
soany valuable suggestions and painted
a hopeful and cheerful picture of Ne
braska's future.
A. L. Bixby, of the Columbus Senti
nel, read the annual poem, which proved
a treat to tne audience, it was pre
faced by some droll remarks by the
author, which set his hearers in a roar,
Mrs. Fred Nye rendered two beauti
ful solos, with Professor Roy Smith ac
companist, and Miss Nellie McPherson,
Fremont's talented elocutionist, ap
peared In two numbers and fairly capti
vated the audience.
The second day's session opened with
a business meeting at 0 o'clock. Among
the business transacted was the adoption
of the following resolutions, which will
be of general interest:
Ilesolved, That the Nebraska Press a
sedation is hereby in favor of having Ne
braska make snub an exhibit at the
world's fair as will fitly set forth be.'on
tbe world her advantages and natural re
sources, and that we will at all times ren
der all reasonable assistance in promoting
mid exhibit, and that we will favor such
financial assistance by the state as will be
shown to be necessary to enable Nebraska
to make a ereditable showing alongside ot
ner sister states In this great exposition.
itesoiveu, 1 bat we request the readv-
prtnt and plate houses supplying Nebraska
papers to maintain especial department de
voted to promotion of the Interests of the
Nebraska exhibit, in which all Nebraska
citizens should be and no doubt will be in
tereated.
Papers were read by F. O. Edgecombe.
of the Falls City Journal, on "Business
Methods;1 by S. P. Mobley.of the Grand
Island Independent, on "Independent
Journalism;" by George P. Marvin, of
the Beatrice Democrat, on "Local News."
All of these were intelligently discussed,
to the profit of all the delegates.
Officers of the association for the en
suing year were chosen as follows:
tt-esldent-F. Q. Simmons, Seward
Reporter.
secretary and Treasurer Ross L.
Hammond, Fremont Tribune.
Vice PresMents-C, M. Hubner, Ne
braska City News; Edgar Howard, Papil
lion Times; M. H. Barber, Fullerton
Journal; A. C. Jordan, Beatrice Express;
Q a. At. Crane, Bloouuugtou Echo; L. J.
hunuions, Harrison Journal.
Delegates to the national association,
whose next meeting is to be held at (im
Ifranciseo, May 17, were chosen as fob
lows: T. E. Sedgwick. York Times;
J. Q. P. midebrand, St. Taul Press; R.
B. Wahlqnist, Hasting Democrat; S.
R. Razee, Curtis Courier; E. M. Correll,
Hebron Journal; A. L. Bixby, Columbus
Seutinol; C. W. Hyatt, Fremont Flail.
Columbus was selected as the next
place of meeting.
The proverbirJ hospitality of the peo
ple of Fremont was more than sus
tained by the handsome manner in
which they entertained the editors.
Everything was at the disposal of their
guests "absolutely without money and
without price."
The entire delegation of newspaper
men were entertained at the Eno hotel,
and Messrs. Smith and Collins, the pro
prietors, were congratulated by all for the
excellent attention given to their guests.
Friday afternoon the delegates were
given a carriage drive alxrot the city
and were thus afforded an opportunity
to view the many attractions
of what is recognized to be
"the prettiest, city in the state." The
beautiful homes, fine brwiness blocks,
commodious churches, numerous end
substantial school buildings, granite
paved streets, fclegant public buildings
ml prosperous factoriue were all matters
J interest The Fremont Normal col
lege was vislfod and the delegates shown
through the structure by its president,
V. n. Clemraotis. This is one of the
leading educational institutions of the
west and has had a phenomenal growth.
Its present term irullment is about
500 pupils, the toli attendance for the
year being upward of thousand. The
Fremont foundry, i!ie largest iron works
in the interior of the state; the model
printing establishment of the Fremont
Tribune; the Excelsior flouring mills; '
the Nobiaska creamery, which is the
largest single building devoted to the ,
dairy business in the United Stales; the
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 new
brewery costing $125,000, now nearing
completion, some of the labor em
ploying institutions which furnish
solid basis of prosperity for the city, were
among tbe places of interest visited and
noted. The manufacture of tow from j
hemp and the making of the tow into
binding twine was perhaps tbe thing of i
greatest novelty and interest to all the
visitors. This factory is a busy hive 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 fot
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
EDITOB BIXBY'S POEM.
To be a thrifty husbandman,
And tiU the virgin loll.
And mak an honest living
In th field of honest toil.
Is certainly commendable
And not vd'hout its joys -Besides
the form is a grand place
To educate tbe boy.
To own an to-acr farm.
Out on the prairies broad.
With bat a yoe of oxen,
And a palace built of sod,
la not the hardest lot that may
Befall as her below .
While struggling for a foothold '
In this wilderness of woe.
Bow joyful at the peep of dawn,
To rise from calm repose.
And scent the breeies, perfumed
By the barnyard and the rose:
To feed and clean the iron grays,
To milk six cows or more;
Blop" forty hogs, then breakfast.
At ten minutes after four.
To seek the field at sunrise,
'Gainst the bob-tailed tares to war,
And make two cornstalks flourish
Where one oornstalk grew before,
Is a pleasure and a profit,
And It yieldi a fund ot health.
And appetite -nor precious
Than Jay Gould's enormous wealth,
Next to farming the mechanic
Has an Independent lot
In his ehuMi field of labor,
Where the forge is Burning hot, ..
Or with saw, and plane and chisel,
Earning that, from day today,
Which though root of every evil
Keeps the wolf of want away.
TIs a grand snd noble calling
To proclaim the Gospel truth,
And exhort to swift repentance
Old age, middle age and youth;
riuck as brands from out the burning
Men and women steeped la sin;
Seek the lost sheep of the Father,
Buackle them and bring them in;
Working thus for modest profits,
Storing rustproof wealth on high;
slakes a man full good while liring-
First-claM when he comes to die.
Then the man well versed In Blackston
Claims more than a passing thought;
He who stirs up litigation,
Rake our fuol, keeps it hot
Chief among our great law-makers
Shine these brilliant legal lights.
Killing time, but "making records"
In the legislative fights.
They ar necessary evils '' x
In the ecosomic plan,
But the good of their existence 1 .
Has not been revealed to man. i ,.
Then the dooUtf with his physio ,
Has a place in lire to fill,
With his nauseous prescription
And bis purse-depleting bill; -And
the look of bottled wisdom, "
Corked with mystery alway,
And he notes the patient's symptoms ..
And ability to pay,
Be It is who comes at midnight.
At a vary sprightly pace, "
To assist Dame Nature's efforts ;
To In sreaae tbe human race; ,
And through all the ills of childhood
He is ever in demand, A1
With his death-to-pain decoctions
That no one can understand;
Watchog 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 us
To our last our dying bed,
Tis the family physician
Who informs us when we're doad.
And the butcher and the baker,
Aud the peddler with his pack,
And the merchant and the banker
All deserve a passing whack;
tBut you all have come to listen
For a melancholy word
0' the man who wields a power
' 1'liat is stronger than the sword.
In the mighty field of finance
U la atwent and unknown.
And.hetroadaatrackles.idosort,
Hut gry, foot-sore aud aloue.
Born ti toil and grief, he labors,
Whoa the busy day is o'er,
And th very night air quivers " -
With humanity's deep snore;
Wheu the happy barnyard songsters
Are ai n mat in one glad group,
Then thoditor is planning
For a brft llant midnight "seoop."' t
Heavy ar tit burdens carried' , '
By this meei" and lowly man, -
As he tramp (Vie hill of knowledge,' " . .
Twenty furlo&gs In the van ; t
Mot alone his ewv shortcoming "S
Has this cues to answer for,
But the sins of all creation,
Dating years before the war.
Then the griefs of small dimensions
He must bear from day to day,
From the ones who take the paper
And neglect to ever pay;
Thus who ow two years or over.
And, when dunned, feel so abused,
That they asnd it to the office
Marked "not wanted," or "refused;" ,
Men who hare world of coo awl, i
And a tbiabtsful of brains, t
But come round each day to "labor"
AU rcgardleaa of bis "pains."
And ta old back number merchant
On whose nuiliug roost the files;
He who argues that it doesn't
Pay a oaaa to advertise.
Aid to thee the country i
Who, when boom dear friead is dead,
Sends a lengthy contribution.
With a prafac at the head;
Lines disjointed, (lull and doleful,
Misfti, mournful and distressed.
But they plesee tbe frienls and mourners.
So are "published by request."
lh e and m..uy oiber torture
Fill his tpirit with dismay.
A he wa'ks the plank of trouble.
With the ship two milts away.
But we know that when tbe trumpet
On the last great day snal! sound.
And the bonus uf all cruiuiou,
Line from out the trembling ground,
V bun all men are culled to Juilneut,
To rw-eive the final deal, '
At the hands ot Him who niltuta
A tuu court of litot apKiiL
Tuhu the elitor who, dying,
Pay all debta. lucluiiiug board.
Will receive a seat in k'Wy.
On the riht baud of tho Lord.
ADDKESS Of M. A. 15KOWN.
kkbraska: and tub duty and oppor
tunity OF TI1K PRESS.
There is scarce an editor in this state
who has not a lofty conception of the
duties and obligations of the press, lie
does not regard journalism as a culling,
but as a profession. lie does not con
rider printing a mechanical trade, but an
art. The fraternity know, wherein the
press is powerful, and can also point out
the weak spots in its armor. The fra
ternity knows, nearly every man by his
individual experience, that the press
aims high. And does not he who aims at
the stars at least hit the tree tope? If
journalism aims so high, and sometimes
falls too low, is it not because of a
cramped environment or the presence
of a stern necessity which knows no law?
To make the press of Nebraska abler and
better, approaching more nearly to the
ideal, should it not be made more pros
perous? And what will bring prosperity
to the press, and to all the people, more
surely or quickly than the upbuilding of
tbe state in all material tmngsf
Those among us who have spent twenty
years in Nebraska know how wonderful
has been the development of the state,
how rapid its increase in population, and
how marvelous the growth and accumu
lation of material weath. And yet in
Nebraska we have but made a beginning.
The workmen have but simply laid the
foundation. We have "plumed our
wings" and tested our powers, that 1b
all.
The Empire state has an area of 47,000
square miles Nebraska exceeds that
area by ze.Uw square miles.
Tbe acreage oi the empire state is a
trifle over 82,000,000 Nebraska passes it
dv more tnan lo.iwuw.
But tne Empire slate will multiply oar
population about six times.
AebrasKacan maintain a population
of 10,000,000, because there is, compara
tively speaking, scarce an acre of waste
land in the state. But we have barely
passed the million mark.
liamng woou, iron, coai ana cotton,
we have within ourselves all of the need
ful products ana elements to make a
neoule self-sustaininir and independent of
tne balance oi tne woria. All except tne
cotton we have on our borders. Then
why should we not reach out for at least
half of tbe possible ten millions?:
Nebraska is tne great central state or
the Union, and is bisected bv the teem
ing thoroughfare over which passes the
main stream of travel between Castle
Garden and the Golden Gate. Rich in
all that a fertile soil can produce. Ne
braska can exchange her products for the
pine ot UeorL'ia ana tne nortn, for an
thracite from Pennsylvania, and the soft
coal of Colorado, Wyoming and Dakota,
for iron from Lake Superior, and for
cotton from the south.
Nebraska an empire in extent, a
giant In energy, a Croesus in natural
and undeveloped wealth needs two
things:
1. Greater cnpital for the develop
ment ot ner resources.
Increased outlets and inlets by
ran ana oy water that will give tne pro
ducer the shortest and cheapest routes
to the markets of this country and of
the world, and to the consumer the
benefits of a lower transportation tariff
on his domestic imports.
Thereare two ways to secure capital
by borrowing anu by inducing tne
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
pf this state to its holders, so that they
may learn that a legitimate invest
ment will be safe and remunerative.
For the present Nebraska people are
essentially Dorrowers, but that must not
be so always. We must create. We
must upbuild. We must show by our
example, no less than to declare by
word of mouth, that this is the proper
place for the man who lets us 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 tanks as a return from rents and
interest charges.
The press of Nebraska should be the
inspiration of the people to renewed and
more earnest and intelligent efforts in
rearing a commonwealth prosperous in
material things aud conspicuous for the
progressiveiyes and courage of its peo
pie.
As for the "transportation problem,
Nebraska is favorably situated to solve
it far her own advantage. The trunk
lines between the east and west do not
offer the solution. To the northeast, .i
less dii tance 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 U the southeast, the outlet to
the gulf is both natural and easy. Gal
veston as a gulf port is assured. Vehwco
and Aransas are experiments. But
there will U i more than one deep water
harbor on th e Gulf of Mexico, and every
one of these wrta will add to the value
of Nebraska '.farming lands and make
farmiue in ft'is state more remunera
tive
naiirnaiifl Iiksw led the advance in
u and development.
riculture. industry.
rlnrftf ina. art and science, is
heralded by the rumbK ' he coa'
sanction train, Nebt ,kf P1"0?88
).. k in the trrowth in
mileage of lr railroads.
or thein, and we win secure
am.Hn u.n.UtU ess policj
vuvrMvU V J BV!) I uw wwai A
and by making our community
to them by building up our wast P"v
and seizing upon every opportuni, '
the expansion of our industries, .
"ub to uv unu mum uisaBuv
be purely an agricultural state, and i.
will not long be so. Agriculture, mamv
fact arms' and commerce will form the
three golden links f our future pros-
srity. Manufactutv are growing In
ebraska. Omaha, t.he metropolis of
this state, a city larger thnu any in Kan
sas, or the Dakotas, 'r Colorado, or
Iowa, or ia Missouri ba ring St. Look,
is a magnificent example of the results
produced from this union of agricu.tii
and manufacturing industry.
JUnnractures, allied wit'.i ngncmr.irc,
create commerce, and commerce main
tains the steady flow of the financial
current
Here in Fremont voii have built np a
large twine industry and have a num'xr
of smaller industries, and are now reach
ing out for the larger and still lietter
things.
Nebraska City finals prosperity in pork
u king, and that prusiierity is added to
by a variety of leaser iudustrk-s.
Beatrice manufactures paper, siarcri,
oatmeal, canned goods, puinpM, wind
mills, paving brick, is eret.inga b"it
and shoe factory aud is reaching out for
more.
Grand Inland and Norfolk are noted
for their great beet sugar factories,
which are tho foundation of prosperity
for both citv and country.
Hastings has srone down into the bow
els of the earth and found salt, ocbre 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 goals and pressed
brick are manufactured, paper and
woolen goods will be manufactured this
season, and a knitting mill will follow
the opening of the cotton mill.
Lincoln, the state capital, wnue not
yet a manufacturing city, is pushing ou
In that direction, and may demonstrate
before industrial conditions are settled
in this state that "the race is not always
for the swift nor the battle for the
strong." And be it said that tbe
press of our state capital as well as of
the metropolis, is an important iactor
in the improvement of the state's agri
cultural and industrial conditions.
Smaller cities are working on this
same line, and there is abundant reason
to believe that the state is.'entering upon
a period of remarkable industrial aevei
nient. You are nrobablv asking yourselves.
mentally, what all this has to do with
the press of Nebraska, and what bnsi
ness your orator (so-called) has to dis
mount from his I'egasus in aenance or
precedent and proprioty, to tiavel on
foot all over this state. Well, this is
because your speaker is a crank a gen
uine Nebraska crank, a crank on tne
subject of progress and development,
and because ne believes that these are
problems of policies lying within touch
of our hands that outweigh all others in
the universe.
Use well the moment; what the hour
Brings for thy use is in thy power;
And what thou best canst understand,
Is just the thing lies nearest to thy hand.
Now suppose a case: Suppose, for in
stance, that every newspaper in Nebras
ka, daily and weekly, large and small,
was to talk politics less, eschew personal
controversy, let the country at barge as
sume the responsibility of saving itself,
and enter upon a united campaign for
the state and its material interests.
Suppose that the 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 the advant
ages and opiwrtunities surrounding
them, and enlightening the outside
world upon the desirability of their re
spective localities for residence and in
vestment. Not with bombast, not with
froth and fustian, but with 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 urge upon
every newspaper in the state the import
ance of a zealous and united movement
of this character.
It is said that "the Lord helps those
who help themselves." We build up the
state, and every citizen is benefited.
Wo 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
the tide in proportion as we have cast
our bread upon the waters.
When Nebraska becomes the great
state that it may become when
agriculture shall have reached the high
est stage of development, when manu
factures sbnll dot our towns and cities,
when our avenues of commerce shall radi
ate to ward every point of the compass,
when higher education and art shall be
within the reach of all, and our present
population shall be multiplied by three,
and four, and five, the problems that now
confront the Nebraska newspaper man
will be problems no longer.
Thou art no dreamer, O thou stern today I
Tbe past has had its dreams; the real is thine.
An armored knlnht In panoly divine.
It ia not tbina to loiter or delay.
I see before me comrades of the press
who have grown and are growing gray
in the treadmill of shop and sanctum.
Thev stand in the presence of the stern
today, surrounded by difficulties, beset
by discouragements, and with hands that
have not yet graspea tne rewara
so well their due for years of
thankless service for a tyrant public.
Todav we meet. Tomorrow we part
The lessons or yesteruay are seareu upon
our brains. The duties ot today sink
deen into our hearts. And we turn oiir
eyes toward the bright tomorrow with
fresh resolves, witn mgner nopes, wnn
sanctified and silent prayer for the up
lifting of the press of this our noble
state.
0 thou tomorrow I never yet was born
In earth's dull atmosphere a thin so fair
Never yet tripped, with footsteps liht as air,
So glad a vision o er the bills ot morn I
Fresh as tho radiant dawninc, all unworn
By the lightest touch of sorrow or of care.
Thou doat the glory of the morning share;
By snowy wings of hope and faith upborne!
O. fair Tomorrow! what our souls have missed
Art thou not keeping fur us somewhere still?
The buds of promise that have never blown,
The tender lips that we have never kissed,
Tbe song whose high, sweet strain eludoa our
skill
The one white pearl that life hath never
known !
INDEPENDENT JOTJUNAL1SM.
BY SETH P. MOBLKY.
In the lead of leaders standi the inde
pendent paper the paper that kuows no
higher law than conscience; the paper
that seeks the right according to its
best iudirmeut. and that has the courage
to speak for it, though all the world may
seem to be on the opposite side;the paper
that strives to mold instead of being
molded by public opinion. The warrior
that seeks no advantage except that of
aving right on his side, and that goes
r tvelv forward, steadfast in the taitl
.v:. according to the immutable laws of
1 . right, truth, justice, conscience.
nail ,najy triumph sxich are the
v t give streugth to the press.
DO jva v wba U the tte
at i
The independent paper should be a .
iuituiui reuex vi uio iiuuwuuumj ,
editor. It should be bis conscience ther
mometer and morality barometer, it
should aim at originality of ideas.as well
as originality in style of expressing ;
theia. No mutter to what political party :
princij ha it adheres, it should not be- I
I come ;i mere echo of party, and certain-
j ly never so against conscience, as all i
i parties w.iiitiincs go wrong and no party
' bhould ever claim the right to enslave
I conscience. A paper should not be a
I mere oix-nn to .simply piny each piece by
i note. In.-t.'rtl of a mere machine it
should le a living, breathing, thinking .
thing, with individual responsibility; re
couixing no law higher thnu the law of
conscience, aud having no aim above
that of absolute truth; and, falling into
error, iw all papers sometimes will, it
should be brave enough to acknowledge
error and make amends.
It should aim to stand at the front as
an educator, independent of all text
books except the text book of truth, and
at its own sweet will becoming sponsor
for languages never thought of in col
leges or laid down in the text books. It
should claim the exclusive right to coin
and use new words to express new or
old ideas, and safely rely upon the fact
that families, colleges, text books and
worlds, will eventually appropriate the
coinage in the future as they nave done
in the past.
In its news department the independ
entpaper will seek to give only the facts as
they are portrayed upon the panorama
of 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 of increased sales, remember
ing that a fake factory is not a necessary
adjunct to a newspaper office, but that
it invariably proves detrimental to
progress in the legitimate newspaper
field.
Necessarily depending upon others for
sources of information, all papers will
sometimes be imposed upon, and thus un
intentionally impose upon their reaaers,
but immediately upon the discovery of
such imposition, correction should be
made and attention called thereto, as
nothing will destroy confidence so speed-1
jly as recklessness in regard to state-,
ment of facts.
The independent paper true to itself i
and true to its real mission will scorn to
do a political opponent, or any one else,
an injustice, and will not seek unfair
advantage in any direction to gain a
temporary success, because it must re-
alize that success thus achieved is really
the worst kind of defeat. The paper that
prizes respect lor truthfulness, candor
and fair dealing above any success dis
honestly obtained, will prove a lasting I
tower of strength and the real bulwark
of the press. Guarded by such papers 1
the power of the press will ever in
crease. 1
in this age, when a man, if given a
thousand yea-s to live, could not hope
toreadaUthatispnnted,it i8rxjrtinent
to inquire what one should read, but
whatever else one may omit, if he de
sires to keep posted on current events of !
the age in which he lives, he never even
thinks of omitting from his list-elect the
newspaper, which is first and foremost
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, has
made this a reading age, and most peo
ple respect and honor an honest paper
upon which is impressed the individual
ity of an honest man, bent upon doing,
in his exalted position, what seems best
for mankind.
Considering all that has been written
upon the Bubject of the 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 be the sufferers for any lack of
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 since Gitenlerg or Coster racked
their brains to discover a method by
which movable characters might be
transferred to paper to express ideas, or
since Franklin discovered the means
whereby the pressman might "pull the
devil's tail" and thereby transform blank
paper as if by magic into a medium for
the diffusion of knowledge of important
as well as unimportant events, he would
have paper enougn to reach to the North
pole and wrap it to an 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
w require paper sumcieut 10 wrap up
the sun, moon and stars and fill all the
space surrounding our entire planetary
system. But be not alarmed, I shall not
attempt to exhaust the subject at this
time, and as a matter of fact there seems
to be no necessity, aB it has already come
to pass that the press is universally ac
knowledged as a power without a peer
in the civilized world.
The power of the press has been truly
marvelous in its growth and influence,
surpassing almost human credulity as to
possibility, and the art preservative is
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 ot nre and water as with
out the medium of the press, and when
we stop to think we are led to wonder
how tbe 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
men Is, but that period speedily sped
sway when the press was born, and in
the Bhort space of a hundred years, ros
trum, pulpit and people have been
taught tho fact that the only power
higher than the power of the press is
that power which keeps this little ball
of earth which we temporarily inhabit
in its propor position in space.
Time has indeed wrought a wonderful
change, so that one asked to give, in
their order today, the chief agencies fot
the advancement of civilization, pro
gress, education, morality, and general
enlightenment, would be required, out
of respect for truth, to name them at
follows: I he press, tne public schools,
the railways, the pulpit, and the ros
trum. Thus it is, that in this short
space of time the recognized head hat
passed down to the foot and the foot
without dispute passed up to the head ol
the class, and the press become an irre
sistible force which recognizes no im
movable obstacle. It sways armies,
shapes governments, and makes and nn
, makes meu at will, and sometimes make
a great uan out of very scant material
Independent press? I answer that it !
knows no narrow confines, but its field .
is as broad as the world itself; it reaches
vrvw here, it nervades everything.
an(j Jiyeg little thanks from, or for
lta nation, and is itself ashamed of rU
pi.otfeny.
Whatv tb rriftAnre mav be. thw
p0Wer 0f combined press may be safely I
depenaeu upon to conquer, wnu j
: even a possibility of failure. The only
- .... - -, rr-i. - AnM r
i foeman worthy of its steel is itself. It
has only itself to fear. Power abused
i and misused becomes a source of weak
! ness; a means of self destruction, and if
the reigning lunueneeoi tne prelaw ever
! weakened, it will be only bv
1 the act tf the press itself.
Strong-Samson-like, indeed when in
the right, it may yet totter and
fail when iu error, and hence it should
1 ever 1 carefully on guard against it
only dangerous foe itself. Let us see
. ' . . 1 . . 1 ...n ....... ... lul . . ,
to 11 null ino icwrr WO jbibdv iro ui
abused. I'roper use of power but adds
to its strength, while abuse of iower is
but the certain ultimate destruction
The main strength of the press lies ia
the confidence of the people destrc
that confidence, and by that destructit
your influence vanishes, and all pow
is gone, and instead of a respected leadr
you become a pitiable object of cot
tempt, scorn and ridicule.
Today the press is the recognized
leader of advanced thought in every av
enue of human progress the leader ia
every enterprise calculated to beneft
mankind, morally, socially and com
mercially. Let no act of its own hui I
it from the prr id. eminence it occupies
br the common consent of all enligh
ened people, butjjet it strive to remain
power worthy of confidence and respect,
Give none cause to fear except thoee
who are in the wrong.
It is undoubtedly true that the samt
energy, and the same ability, applied to
any other calling, would bring richer
reward, but as the girl said in regard
to kissing, "There may be sweeter
things on earth, but, if so, I have never
happened to taste them, so with the
newspaper business there appears to be
something so fascinating and satisfying
about 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.
. not eyen tbe 4 it mighl
: be proper to mention one of its chief
.A.Lu, ma nr iH w,Hino- ;
vnn .;h ia.MmnymLn.
10,, to fight itself, to crinnle it
' own influence through jealousy. The
man who deciarea that women, some
women, were given to jealousy, prob
ably never closely observed the predi
lections of th press in that direction,
Touch the topic of its circulation with
even insinuation of donbt in regard to
the strict veracity of its circulation liar,
and you touch it to the heart, and inau
gurate a war even in advance of ft
declaration of war.
It must be said to its discredit that
there is no other calling in which so
much attention is given to tearing
itself to pieces; to weakening its ewn
influence. There is no other calling
that could stand so much internal strife
ppig over. We spend by
Lja flghteach
other to prove tthWcrhi
that the press is a fraud. The same ef
fort directed toward the upbuilding ol
the material interest of the localities in
which the papers are published, would
result not only in greater good to the
community, but would prove both
strengthening, and ennobling to the
press, and give the people far greater
confidence in it.
One trouble is, that, with most of us.
hate is a stronger passion than love, ana
we 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 love for our fellow men, and
from absolute neglect 01 the crop of the
spirit of hate, in the hope that it may
eventually be choked out by nobler and
better thoughts.
Let us encourage confidence in our
calling, and, wherever we can. assist
each other, and realize the fact that the
hurling of a stone through our neigh
bor's window, in reality but shatters
our own glass. If we would, every time
we reel an inclination to attack our
neighbor, turn our attention to saying
something good of our locality, we
would soon cure our worst chronic com
plaint, and become altogether lovely
without tne aid ol any other physician.
This internal strife may be edifying
to a certain element in society, but it is
death to the combatants. If we must
go to battle, let us not turn our guns up
on ourselves, but upon our enemies.
Bretbern of the quill, l ask yon to
draw the blue pencil of your mind
through this matter, brush out the
chaff, and ask the devil to consign it to
the 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 mbntbiy
press, the weekly press, the daily press.
the religious press, tne secular press,
the party press, the independent press,
the society press, the morning press
and the evening press, the Sunday
morning press and the Sunday evening
press, and of all these permit me to say
that the Sunday evening press is the
press of my choice, as it requires no
string measure, entails no outlay for
type setting, and there is no galley
slave to satisfy, but only the first sylla
ble of the first part of it. Try it, lock
your form tight, stick to the press,
waist no matter, and rely upon it your
business is all right.
In Spurgeon's Tabernacl.
London, Feb. 2. Two special services
were held at Dr. Spnrgeon's tabernacle,
at each of which the audience numbered
several thousand. The pulpit and plafr
form were draped in black. The deep
est grief was manifested, and the
simplest ceremonios were of the most
solemn and affecting character. At
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 evenimraerr.
ice Dr. Pierson, the American minister
wno 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
on ways and means authorizing the
board of managers to prepare for the
state representation on October 13, 18U2,
at the Christopher Columbus celebration
in New York by the Spanish and Italian
peoples and to invite the original thir
teen states to participate with the state
commemoration of the event.
