Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1870-11-11

upon the moon.
Ben johnson, rs early "a 1925, in
his writings, refers, i'm his usual
style, to the newspaper press of his
day, by saying Men were hunger.
ing and thirSting after published
pamphlets of news, set out every
Saturday, but made all al home, and
no syllable of truth in them" So II
seems that Johnson was opposed tu
that best feature of our country news.
paper--the local items "made all at
home.n And John Randolph, cold
and selfish, disdained TO have the
support of any newspaper, and beg.
ged that 20 editor would ever speak
favorably of him. Henry Clsy once
said h. "thanked God that Ran,
dolph was OF that kind of monsters
that never pcrpetuste their species" "
At the present day, c0rrupt pollti.
clans, who fear the light and trHth
which fash from the press, still re.
echo the sentiment Of Johnson and
Randolph, that the press is dPgener.
ating-and that IL has fallen into the
hand of boys and irresponsible men.
Mol The press Is not degenerating.
It is ROW in might and power, far in
advance of all other agenc'es In en-
tightening, elevatiug, aud redeeming
from vassa!ags and tyranny earth 5
hahhling millions. Through its in
lluence the world was redeemed from
the dark ages of prisstcraft and Sill
perstitiOn. And 1T is destined in the
future To achieve greater victories In
prOc'aiming mans right to govern
aud in cmsncipati"g from bondage
the subjects of kings and emperors
in Euiope, Asia, and the isles of the
Sea.
Managed by prudence--c0nducted
by talent aud enlightened liberality,
il has nnbly frught its way against
cOwardly attacks, selfish Interests.
and the unrestrained prejudiccs and
passions of bad men, and now Stands
a ilaming fire against the surround.
ing gloom,
"Tikr noble principles and lofty aims
Amid the rphemcril folii2s Of tho world"
CONsECRATE THEIR TALENTS.
But if the editorial profession ex-
pect to sustain the reputation Of the
past age, taey must seize the stand
ard Rnd boldly bear it forward as the
leaders of the living ISSUES of the
hOnr. Editors must take their posi-
tious at the head OF all great moral
and political movements, and conse-
crate all their knowledge aud expe-
rience to the elevation of socety.
Then the profession Will not degeNe~
rate, but Will he appreciated and
magniiied, and will become rich
and laSting blessing 10 the comnlu-
nifty and the state.
GLOOMY PROSPECT.
The history Of the American press
Is not very encouraging Ia any one
aspiring after uudying editorial hon.
0rs. Nor IL the Retrospect Of the
field In the least tiattcrIug To the.
young men who feel that they are
endowed 10y nature above rhcir fel.
lows in editorial ability.
4 mind filled with all the literary
experiences of the past ages-wtth IA
rich aud vigorous style nj expression
endowed with ready wit, anh IA
still reader aptitude 40 catch every
thought, fact aud fancy Of the husy
word as 1t flies, all these are uo guar
Rntees Of successful editorial Gu
rCCr.
Let me array before you few
samples of the past age. TO speak
plainly of the Generals and Major
Generals OF the editorial corps Of the
present il stepping on dangerous
ground. But propose To speak al
those only whom [ have seen. aud
Of whom / have some personal
knowledge.
A Weed could with little hriIlian
cy AZ writer, but rich in suavity
and tact, won his way, hy bargain
yet Prentice, the soul of wit, anu
the embodiment of all social aud
political knowledge, with sn edito.
rial talent equal to any emergen
cy, goes to his grave IN poverty and
disgrace.
A Simpson, a political writer that
for power of expression and grasp OF
intellect, was exceiled probably by
no American or Europeau editor
his pungent and sarcastic editorials
burned as does the liquid lava flow
ing from some live volcano-yet he
could not command bread for his
family.
Bat a j. Gorden Bennett, whose
ouly editorial capital was gas and
brass, rolls, with the haser sort, on
flood tide to iRlmense wealth.
Charles Hammond, q sound politi-
cal economist, bold bat safe politi
cal writer, whose honor or integrity
no one dared TO impeach; whose
facts and figures no one called in
question; and who could condense
more thought into one paragraph
than most men could into q column
and whose fame as an uurivalied cd
itor was as wide as the world, could
not accumulate any of that mammon
which alone makes ~ Vanderbilt
great, or an Artor known beyond his
door yard.
But Granny Pouison, without tai.
enJs enough even to be clerk for n
threshing machine, with bis Aducr.
HSer, made fame and wealth, and
constituted all his descendants first
families.
s'hadrick Penn, with tact and abil.
ity, and an extensive knowledge oi
men and things -uurivaled ns~to 10.
cation, and backed by all the vast
pa'ibhHEE w 1Eit' JaGhSJ y N1iiIU-
istraiion, after long years of toll aud
vicissitude, fed in poverty to a
strange city. Yet Kendall. with 8
tbimhle full Of wit, and fancy man
generally, with his picGyaae, in a
few short years, amassed thousands.
THE sUREsT CAPITAL.
Those among you, therefore. who
are endowed with great talents as
writer's who can wither, as with the
breath of the sirocco, all who come
across your paths, hug not the flat
teTing unetiOus 10 your souls, that
you alone, of all others, shall be
great.
Far sooner would / choose the po
sitiOn of that young man, who has
political talent enough 10 write the
truth i'm plain English, with an
adaptability to the business of a pub
Usher in all its varied relations
backed by a love of industry, deeply
imbued with correct moral habits,
and Hr05bing within his body an
honest heart.
DAL1Es OR WEEKuEs.
In the large Daily establishments
of the cities, there Is a com bination
of talent in the CORE of editors
Each one is selected for his peculiar
taient for particular position on the
paper. And thus each department
flashes forth the talent of the man
who is an expert in his particular
department. But the editor of a
weekly should be versatile genius.
1t is necessary he should write learn
edly on politics, religion, agriculture.
political economy, commerce.. tariff,
fashions, literature, &c. And he
must have a respectable smatterino
of philosophy, history, astronomy
botany. horticulture, dc. He must