Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-01
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, JULY 81, 1879.
rhe Influence of the Daily Press.

One of the most powerful causes oper-
ating to enlighten and enlarge the views
of the people is the newspaper, enabling
those who are at the plough, the anvil,
or the shop and office, to see and know
the daily events of our civil and social
institutions. The cheap daily newspaper
has grown and spread till in every house,
and almost everywhere else where you
find it, with others of like character
catching the manners living as they
rise" and giving them in print to amuse
or edify the labOrer or man of leisure,
spreading like the sun the rays of each
mornings light into the most retired
places of city or country Evils are in
seperably connected with a free press,
and often much which personal malice
or political bitterness shall suggest, may
find too ready vehicle in its columns,
and yet its benefits outweigh its vices,
for as has been justly said, terror be-
comes harmless when reason is left free
to conduct it." and the same channels
which convey the poison also provides
the antidote. The daily newspapers of
the country are doing much good; public
men and public measures are now before
the people for dissatisfaction censure
or praise. Daily newspapers are power
ful agencies, which, in our land and age,
are at work for great good or great evil
for good, if we in our day perform
faithfully our duties to each other and
our country; for evil if we neglect
them.
But the daily newspaper, conducted as
it must be admitted, with interchangeable
industry, and often with great ability,
As a means of propagating principles
and knowledge either useful or profound,
/; is liable, equally with the candidates
for public favor, to the objections that
the subjects discussed are chiefly with
the passing politics of the day The in
terests and violence of party are fire.
Quently too strong for the sober inyesti-
cation of truth. To flatter and mislead
ignorance is unhappily but too common
ly found, both more easy and more
available for the purposes in view than
TO enlighten and instruct it.. Yet news
papers are the only text books and
schools of a large portion of the politi-
clans Of the country. The newspaper
is, therefore, in this busy age of the
world, measurably the educator Of the
people, hence there is resting grave re-
sponsibilities upon the conductors of the
pubic press, and the institutions of the
country will be moulded in the future
by the power and influence of the daily
newspaper, for it reaches all classes Of
minds, and comes in contact with all the
varied opinions of society. The vastly
increasing influence of the press not only
in the political, but also in the moral and
social world around, is an element of
power such as the world has never seen
eXerted in any field before, and the
demand is daily more exacting for free
and Independent journalism that shall
rise above faction or party criticising
errors in government and society with
an eXacting hand. The progress of the
daily press from a small beginning to its
present power, has been rapid, and is due
mainly to the education of the people,
and show the deep forces that are urging
on the civilization and enlightenment
not only in our country but among all
the intelligent nations of the earth.