The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-22
THE EDUCATORS.

The two great educational agencies in
this country are the press and the school,
and the two great professions, the editor
and the teacher. We speak Of what is,
rather than what has been, the influence of
these two professions on the public mind
for the time has been when the editor play
ed very subordinate role as compared
with the statesman or lawyer, and when
the teacher was as arrant pedant, il not
knave, as could well be found anywhere.
But the press has come to be the power
that makes and unmakes statesmen, and
that weighs the lawyer in the scale of pub
lie opinion, as well as every other profess
sional character demanding recognition at
the bar of public opinion. When Sir
Philip Francis, or whoever else was the
real author of the "Junius Letters" wrote
for the London press, the fact was clearly
established that "the pen was mightier
than the sword, and that even the Throne
might tremble, if not totter to its over
throw, under the power of the press, if it
were allowed to WELD its potent influence
without other restraint laid upon it than
that of the "law of libel" Hence, the
man in the "Iron Mask" has been the
everlasting puzzle of the last, as well as
the present, century.
In the monarchical governments of Eu-
rope, and even in Republican France now
so-called, free, independent, fearless, and
outspoken public press. is thing only per-
missible so far as power dares to tolerate an
Independent public opinion. The lips of
the editor are Theoretically sealed, and
fines, Imprisonment and financial ruin
await the bold and fearless writer who
dares to proclaim opinions inimical to the
interest of the ruling power. But when
such opinions are proclaimed, and the OPP
preston of power is arraigned at the bar of
public opinion, the ruling oppression of
government, by whatever name it may be
called, is at once subjected to confusion and
dismay, if not to complete route and over
throw.
In this country, to our shame be it said,
the newspaper press is scarcely more free
than in the monarchical countries of
Europe. But few of the leading news
papers dare tell ''the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth" for
they are tied up by the interests of party,
by the dictation of clique or faction, or by
popular clamor, which is generally worse
than either. Almost every newspaper is
the "organ" of something or of somebody.
1t has lock upon its forms altogether
more potential and restrictive than that of
the foreman who sends the chases to the
press-room, and who cannot add single
line beyond what is designated for the par
ticular days issue. In this country, then,
the power Of the press is almost as much
restricted as under the imperial DEGREES ofthe
House of Hapsburg, or the repressive mea-
sures of the French Republic, with its cit
izen President to dictate what is and what
is not permissible by authority"
What we desire to see, and what we
shall see, If the press is true to itself and
to the interests of the country which it
represents, is thoroughly independent
and out-spoken American journalism.
Such journalism will be power in the
land, and no party, faction, clique or adj
ministration can stand up against it, when
welded in vindication of the right against
fragrant abuse and wrong.
And as with the press, so with the edu-
cational influences of the country. The
public mind, always plastic to the power
that shapes and moulds it, will yield far
more to the influence of the teacher--to |
him who has the bending of the twig-than
to the power that seeks to control by mere
physical force afterwards. Let me cdu-
cate the youth of country and
| will sway its destinies in spite
Of law and the arbitrary DEGREES
of power. Old Busby was King at
EJon," and declined to remove his hat in
the presence of Royalty and the bending
sycophancy that waited upon the crown.
He knew his own power, and did not |
choose to abate its influence upon the titled
sprgs of nobility whom he judicously
dashed into respect for his authority. The
consequence was that he turned out the
most brilliant coterie of Statements, orators,
poets, actors, authors, and men of intellec-
tual thought and power in all the depart !