Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-23
NO. 90.

1t may be expected of your lecturer
that he should give some of his observa-
tions upon men and things in Maine
some "reminiscences ofthe two generations
Of editors, printers, and publishers that
have passed before him. But no better
account can be given. even if had time
to. give it, than that which may be OBJ
tanned by perusal of the Newspaper and
Bibliographical departments, given in our
History of the Press. There may be seen
a sketch of the editorial fraternity, past
and present, political and religious,-of
the men that have figured as politicians,
and of those that have been engaged in
preparing and publishing moral, religious,
and scientific intelligence; there, too.
may be seen the vast numbers that have
made attempts at journalism, and from
various causes have failed of success
More than 200 periodicals have been start
ed in this State, had their brief day, and
then disappeared. Many of these per-
| formed q useful part in the field of their
mission; and their conductors. though not
pecuniarily rewarded, probably had the
consciousness of having done something
for the public good
No literary Or scientific magazine has
'
State, unless the one now published
(Journal of Education) proves an excep-
ton. TOO far down east" is the cry.
The difficulty is--not the lack of able
writers, but the want of readers. Our
State is young; the bone and muscle, as
we'll as the mental forces, are required in
subduing the land, establishing manuiac-
tories, and in supplying a good portion of
the world with lumber. Our literary and
scientific men. with few exceptions,
have been drawn to more central and lu-
cratye sections in other States of the I'm
ion. Our invigorating climate, however,
will continue to produce strong, intellec-
tual men; and when the west shall have
been supplied, and our people find, as
they should; more time for mental culture,
our ablest literary men will be retained
in Maine. Light ever begins in the east
and passes westward. 1t will be seen, on
reference to our photographed de-
partment, how many of the best preach
ers and writers Of our country are natives
of Maine. Here and there one, we are
glad to see, comes back to spend his last
days amidst the pleasant scenery of his
boyhood.
In my readings since commencing the
History of the Press, two points of inter-
est have been specially impressed upon
me. The first, the fact that it was an am
bition to print and circulate the Bible that
pushed Gutenberg forward through every
obstacle until he had initiated the art OF
printing and began to print his Bible.
Also the prominence at the commenc-
ment that was given to the circulation of
the Bible above all other books. Second.
Ixv 81, r., IL,
advanced until the age of printing. and
the rapidity with which it afterward
spread, in proportion to the increase OF
printing power. The cylinder press in
Europe and America came into operation
but little over hall century ago; since
which period-the press in the mean time
increasing its speed twenty fold-there
has been u greater advance in the me-
chanic arts and sciences useful to man.
than during the previous two thousand
years.
The press lends its aid to science, aud
science in its rapid developments quick
ems the movements of the press.
Did time permit, | should be glad to call
up, by way of contrast, the facilities for
travel aud the ease and rapidity with
which books and papers are not only prin-
ted, but distributed at this day in COM
parsou with 50 years ago At that
time the communication between Bruins
wick and the interior westerly towns was
SO infrequent and indirect, that in order
to circulate my paper, found it neces-
| sary to establish post route as far as the
town of jay; my post rider going up
one side Of the Androscoggin and down
the other and occupying two days each
week
From 1920 TO % | was accustomed
to come with one horse team to Gar
diner for paper, made in the slow process
of that day, and to Hallowell for books
-Messrs. Goodale, Glazier & Masters
being then the largest publishers in the
State My friend Calvin Spaulding will
remember my purchasing books of him in
1920, from the same store he now occu-
pies. Should person now wake up, who
had been asleep during the period since
elapsed he would hardly believe himself
to be upon the same planet.
Man, at this day, is unwilling to move
except by lightning speed. We OF the
past generation are well satisfied with
present facilities especially railroad and
mail arrangements but young America,
is restless. Inventive genius in me-
chanics runs riot. One printing press is
hardly inHnotion, before Il better. u swift
er one casts it into the shade. The mann
moth lightning press cries more. more.
Such is the progress in every department
of book making that it would be the real
ization OF no strange dream, if in few
years we should find in some central To-
calty a large building in which there will
be the paper-making machine, the type
setting machine, the printing machine,
with the folding, sewing and binding ap-
paratus, all brought TO such perfection
that an author may engage his paper for
good sized volume in the morning. and
Sitting down near the printing press, by
aid of sufficient number of proof-readers,
his book bound and ready for delivery on
the eve of the same day.
In view of this giant march of improve
ment, it becomes our brethren of the
news, as well rs the book press, to con-
slider what is to be the next phase in their
horizon. Is the business Of newspaper
printing, book-making, etc, aided by
powerful and expensive machinery, des-
tined eventually 10 pass into the exclusive