The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-05-08

make every Durieu of their pr1fsssi5,, 80 hot :.
! hold MN We shan come ia time 20 similal
| Of Journalism is thoroughly recognized, char
latanry may still abound, but there will be sum.
mary discipline for the quacks"
The late DR.. Rush, of Philadelphia was a
man OF great wealth and of many peculiarities
among which was an adherence OF journalistic
literature. BY his will he devised his estate in
trust for the endowment Of a public library,
which is TO be model Of its kind. One OF tic
PROVISIONS OF his singular viii is that no news
papers, which he termed teachers of sdisioiuted
thinking" should ever be permitted admission
IN any way into the library to be by his sin
founded and endowed. Although man of rare
eccentrcities, DIR. Rush was not alone in his
unfdvorable opinion of newspapers. MANY man
" eollseI NAuYS views Tolerant and liberal, men
who are regarded as sound thinkers, are pro-
nounced in their opposition to the continually in
ereaslng influence of the Press, and what they
1esignate It's usurpatioll5. They entertain the
rear that II is destined TO destroy all taste fer
books among the people, and thus lead to super
nclallty of thought; thus prevent that serious re-
Election, that calm deliberation, which is sbso-
iutely essential where so much Of general good
depends upon the sound Judgment, the mental
s0brlety, and intellectual strength OF the public
This soundness Of judgment, this mental strength
ana intellectual kObriety. IL is urged with great
,,--i- - - - ~ srAlssSh
WORKS; ana the profound study OF the facts they
furnish and the lessons they teach DIR. Rush
and those who concur with him are greatly in er-
Tor IN the universal condemnation they bestOw
ON the Press. The endesvOrs of those who would
oNerturn the newspaper press Of the country, or
check its progress, viii prove futile as an at
tempt TO dam up the waters of the Nile Nith bul-
rushes.
a writer il Seribner's Afoatkly, in Letter to
dJTleId (tgly etttudtedl tChO congratulated him
self o1s having entirely abandoned the reading Of
HetcSpdpeTs.' says: f.NeWspaDers are 10 the whole
civilized world what the daily hOuse-talk is to
the members OF the household. They keep up
our daily interest 10 each other. They save us
from the evils of isolation, To live as members
OF the great white race of men-the race that has
filled Europe and America. and cOlOnized OF
conquered whatever other territories it has been
pleased 10 occupy-to share from day to day its
is
that every man should read his daily newspaper.
Why are the French peasants SO bewildered and
at sea, SO out Of place in the modern world? 1t
IS because they never read a newspaper. And
Why are the inhabitants of the United States
though scattered over territory fourteen times
the area OF FRANCE so much more capable OF
concerted political action, so much more alive
and modern, so much more interested in new
discoveries Of all kinds, capable of selecting and
utilizing the best of them? It is because the
newspaper penetrates everywhere, and even the
lonely dwelling on the prairie OF ia
from the great currents of public life which flow
through the telegraph and the Press. =
your reading day by day from the newspaper TO
the standard Ruthors?' To this suggestion of
EJnerson's, II may be answered that the loss
would be greater than the gain. The writer's Of
Queen Anne's time could educate an English
man of Queen Anne,s time, but can only partial
ly educate an Englishman of Queen VictOria's
time. The mind is like merchants ledger; it
requires to be continually posted mp 10 the latest
date. Even the last telegram may have upset
infalliole for ages"
The newspaper hiss become as necessary to the
intellectual life OF the reading population or the
Union, daily food is to the Itfc of the body.
Inst al OF cruSading against the entire newspa-
per Press, the opponents of "disjoinUed think
ing' should cOnAne their well-meant efforts 10 a
discriminating assault on the vicious portion
thereof. By so doing, disreputable, sensational
sheets will be tabOOed, Just as are corrupt vol
umes, whose object is the dissemination of I'M
wholesome as we'll 'fdisjOinted thoughts"
May not the Press Association of Tennessee
furnuN In lie
SADIE against Objectionable newspapers? If not
by war, open war, then by a close study and
rigid practice of the principles which it is the
purpose of this Association to teach; by practi-
cling courtesy and dignity which will abash
these predatory pretencers to journalismi by
cultivating sn elevated tone Of thought and OF
expression, which these editorial ''shysters' can
never reach or emulate. The power to enforce
as well as to dc cree is ours, If we will but prae-
tice what We preach. A well conducted Press
is the great educator of the people, mentally and
morally. It is the certain CONSERVATION Of popular
and governmental order, And 1t needs no le-
gal censorship TO make sure that the press is
well conducted. The remedy is in own
hands as individual members of the Press, en-
coui aged and aided by such associations as this
which now address. Wherever there is personal
hostility among members of the same fraternity,
there viii be dissenslons and Inscriptions, and a
consequent lack OF progress and prosperity.
Whenever, from envy, hatred or malice, from
differences OF opinion, or from disagreement be-
tween the business managers of different papers,
the personal character OF a member OF the Press
is assailed, there will and ought to be personal
who submits TO personal denunciatiOn, and then,
without retractiOn, explanation or apology, clasps
the hand of his dsnunciatOr with friendly grasp,
is devoid OF selt-respect, ana being So, cannot
lOrg retain the respect of his fellOw-men.
We have heard much SAILOR late about schools
of journalism. There has been yet no suf-
ficient test of any experiment for US to obtain
any light from the lamp of experience. After
having received thorough education in the
branches generally taught in schools, that
there are certain further studies better calcu-
lated than others, aye, necessary to fit for sue
ressfu1 q him who Intends make iOur-
nalism the business OF his life, cannot doubt
But it is not my purpose now to enter upon a
discussion of the necessity or prOpriety OF estab-
fishing schools OF journalism. II attempted,
the Journalistic world, at least, viii be benefited
by knowledge gained from experience, whether
the attempt tail or be successful. My duty 70.
night is not to speak for the future, but to and
for the Tennessee Press of to day that the living
present may be improved, that we
HDeparting," may " leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time"
Therefore, without eXpatiating upon schools Of
journalism, it is our duty to our profession and
TO ourselves, that we do not encourage the iguo-
rant nor the wlllful to enter upon duties on the
which depends the happiness Of mankind.
Encourage no Que 10 enter the ne.d OF
journalism unless he feels that he has an
aptitude for the profession and an ardent de-
sire to become eminent therein II he enters
upon It's laOors merely ss a means OI gaming,
temporarily, livelihood, he will never do honor
to tie profession If he desire q position on the
editorial staff only that be may become a dead
head, he will soon become dead-be II he *,
so ely, his own political preferment, he cannot
serve the public, nor, very long, himself. 1 do
not mean that editor should never hold an
office, nor ever be candidate. Upon the con-
trary, think an editor would gain very pfOtita-
BILE experience by being a candidate every few
years, especially a political editor he would
learn a little more of human nature than II he
constantly, exclusively, devoted himself TO his
profession. He would test the sincerity Of those
political aspiFants who would die for him while
theV are candidates. He might perhaps learn
that some Of those who were his Warmest friends
and admirers, while endeavOring to advance
their own aspirations would be has coolest sup
pOrters when he was soliciting Official position.
lie might find that some Of those who were loud
est in their acknowledgements Of his personal
worth and party services, wOnld De the last 70
recognize his claims TO political honOrs or party
reyTsrds Bat TO return: Nor Is il every edu-
Gated young man who is capable Of making a
successful editor. This requires something more
than the pen Of ready writer something more
than knowledge Of books 1t requires the
COURAGE to bear and fOrbeaF, as wei as The cour-
age to do. Il requires ? JuagnAent a. nearly
infallfbIe As IS permitted 70 human nature. Il
reauires a prescience almost divine. The ply
siciau NAV make a mistake in his diagnosis or
his prescription; but none, not even hls Hn4or-
inmate pafient, knows it. The lawyer may mis-
take the remedy for his clients grievances, but
he escapes detection, under the proven oiai tfl-
certainty Of tke law and the trial byJ1ry But
fbe Tsosfifon which Journalist takes, the policy
he a5vocates IS publicly iproclaimeds day af-
ter dav, Is read and known OF All nj a.
II his position prove untenEbie' ms
policy be unsuccessful then a people leal-
ouS Of their rights and watchful OF their
interests viii be swift to condemn others VINO
coacurred IN opinion and IN acton may escape
IL fi,e ofoona OF silence, or in the general ignor-
ance Of their concurrence in action put Tor the
editor there Is no house Of refuge.
At the Press Banquet given IN Heg 1ork IN
Decenber, 1851, TO kOssuth, who had been an
editor in Hungary. Mr.. Bancroft, the eminent
historian and diplomat proposed ne sentlillslt-
,,a1 ~ or naptind.n If this BE- true, how in
t,ortaut the duties OF orr posltlons ana hoW
weighty the responsi9l5lly ehlch 49, tliS