Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-02-21
The Supremacy of the
gEs - Press.

- Press.
In this century new empire has
arisen, greater already than the Rome
its infancy. It is the empire of the
press. The army is at the best mere
brute force; the law Is now nothing
but an umpire In disputes; but the
newspaper Is everything. it takes the
place'6f the parliament, Of the courts,
Of the church. There IL no method Of
acting upop mind. of revolutionizing
the convictions of nation, of inspir-
ing new ideas and directing popular
movements, which compares with IL In
rapidity, directness and extent. All
other methods are clumsy or imperfect;
but this lie almost like the light OF the
sun. so swift, electric and universal is
its Influence. Yet how young aud un-
developed Is the new empire. Journal-
ism as d profession Is creation OF the
last thirty years; as q great profession
IL is no Older than the telegraph. But
to-day II is the supreme power OF the
world. Thirty years ago the orators
ruled America to-day Il is ruled by
the editors. This sway will become far
more absolute than any OF us can real
ize. See what has already been done.
We have put a newspaper into the
hands of every man who reads In the
United States. For o mere trihe the
news OF the whole world Is spread out
tsulpit or the forum do as much They
at the mots, can but proclaim absolute
truths, which We're the same three hum
dred years ago, but the Newspapers give
the facts. We have brought the tele7
graph, the steamboat and the railroad
into our service, and with other inven-
tions will come more varied means OF
obtaining information and distributing
IL rapidly and cheaply. This secures
us the entrance to every::h household, and
then follows the use of the opportuni-
ty. The orator aud the preacher have
not this invaluable advantage. They
must ask for hearing, we obtain IL by
force. The people can avoid the lec-
ture room or the church, but they can
not avoid the newspapers. Thus we
compel our audience, and may say to
IL what we please. And though the
speaker has none of our advantages,
we have all Of his. The newspaper can
be as eloquent as the orator, aud can
preacl, as earnestly as the clergyman.
We duplicate all their functions as tea
chers of mankind, and hava others Of
our own which they are forever denied.
Henry Clay or Daniel Webster, i'm the
days when their names were on every
tongue, did not exert one third of the
influence over men that tiie newspapers
of New York do to-day. Why? What
is the ambition of the orator now? Not
to make his speeches, but. to get them
published. Mr.. Colfax and Mr.. Sey-
mour cared very little for the audiences
H. af tt a.t t.an a.
ings I'm this city. for behind the few
thousand people there they beheld tile
million readers OF the Tribune and the
Herdtd. The office of the speaker as
the leader of men has perished forever.
Demosthenes is dumb; In his stead Is
the "pale and silent man who, writing
alone ut midnight, holds the fate of en-
pires upon the point Of his pen."
There is class of men among bank
ers and merchants and lawyers who af-
feet q condensation towards the journ-
alist, which Is intensely amusing. The
writer for the newspaper appears To
their blinking eyes kind OF literary
adventurer, who Is to be tolerated for
his genius, but not to be trusted in bu-
siness. They are ignorant that 1t In the
newspaper that sells their goods, fur
nlshes all their facts and presents them
gratuitously with their opinions. They
do not know, as Jay Cook does. that
the newspapers of America sold two
thousand millions of national bonds.
They do not know, rs Edwin Nj. stan
ton knows, that the newspapers OF AM
erica sent five hundred thousand men
to the war. They do not know that
the newspapers of America will nom
mate the candidates for the presidency,
determine the election, dictate the leg
islation OF Congress and decide Vheth-
er Andrew Johnson Is to be impeached.
Newspapers lead them by the nose
wherever they go; but they do not feel
the pressure, which Is the particular
reason why we give this especial tweak.
We write this for the good of our pro
fession. That 10 will be read by the
public Is something we cannet heip, or
do we care, though the argument may
appear too much of a boast. But we
are In earnest i'm the declaration that
journalism is tile greatest of all profess
ions, most powerful in the future. Its
destiny in America Is especially noble.
for this Is nation of readers. Journ-
alism would be a tyranny were IL not
for the impossibiiity OF a monopoly.
The Independence of thought and the
rivalry of journalists make IL the per-
nanent ally Of progress and freedom.
IL moves with the people, and as IL In
fiuences them Is Influenced I'm return.
Thus, IL will go with the nation Every
man who edits n paper. even though 1t
be an obscure sheet on the borders OF
civilization, should know his RESPONSE
bility. He should remember the digni-
ty Of his profession aud sustain IL. We
make public opinion, aud the men who
make the laws and execute them are
appointed by our will. The newspaper
is the engine which moves and directs
the masses of mankind. We f0resee
the day when all other professions will
be, In confession as they are in fact
dependencies of this absolute empire
over thought Witke's Spirit Of The
Times.