The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-12-15

am cited before you to talk
briefly of the growth and develop.
ment Of the newspaper business in
our country during the century just
closed. To do the subject justice
should have more time than can be
allotted to me at this hour. shall
confine myself to facts, aud can but
glance at few of the features of my
subject
In all the various industries OF
the country claim that mono have
made more rapid progress, under
eur free institutions, than the
newspaper business. None are more
directly benefited by the benign
influences of freedom, and like the
tropical plant under the genial rays
OF . southern sun, the untrammeled
American Press has fourished and
grown almost beyond comprehen-
sion.
The circumstances under
which America took her
place among the nations of the
earth were well calculated to awak-
en- editorial ability and zeal. And
our history, 80 full of mOmentous
events, has furnished rich field for
the development of journalism. Our
editors have written their names as
high on the roll of fame as our ora
tors, statesmen and soldiers. We
haYe climbed the ladder of the CEN
fury with its 100 rounds, and stand
ing upon the topmost one, we can
glance down the 100 years and point
with pride to the achievements of
our army ofjournalists
Cambridge, Massachusetts,, is en-
titled to the honor of having the
frat printing Office in North Amer
lea. 1t was presented to the col
lege there in 1858, by some English
gentlemen. In two years after
wards q volume of the Bay Psaln
book was brought out by Stephen
Daye. This was the frat
book printed on North American
soil. Cambridge has ever kept the
front rank in book making.
In 1856 William Bradford, who
came over with William Penn, is
anad an oIT-anac t. a. not afaAaA
whether it was devoted to extolling
the virtues of some patent medicine
or not, but it is presumed in was
intended to give the people the
latest news. The Bradfords cut a
prominent ngure in the early histo-
ry of printing in this country. They
toiled faithfully at it for seventeen
years before the birth of FrSnklin,
and he worked for one of them af-
ter he became a journeyman.
The first American newspaper
was issued In Boston, Sept. 18th,
1890. It was published By Benja-
min Harris, and was called .Public
Occurrences" Itwas the intention
OF the publisher to Issue it once q
month. But newspapers were neith-
or SO popular nor powerful then as
now The attempt of Mr.. Harris in
this direction was considered dan
gsroas innovation on the customs
ofthe country, and especially hazard
Gus to the interests of the Office bold
ers, and the people who had fed the
old world to enjoy freedom in the
new, promptly strangled their fret
newspaper. But Benjamin Harris
planted better than he thought, per-
haps. The only copy OF this publ
cation known to be in existence IL
In the State paper office in London.
The "B0ston News Letter" was
the next paper. 1t was issued April
Oath, 1704. Bartholomew Green was
the printer, aud John Campbell,
post master, was the editor; and it is
Q little astonishing what q "hanker-
ing" editors have ever since evinced
for pest offices. John set an exam
pie which has many admirers aud
imitators even in this day of reform.
The Lord bless John Campbell. The
"News Letter" lived until 1776, and
died aged Y.
The next papers were started 10
17l9-the Boston Gazstte and the
American Weekly Mercury, the
latter being issued at Philadelphia
by VIM. Bradford.
In 1921 James Franklin, an elder
brother of Benjamin Franklin, is
sued the first number of the New
England Courant at Boston. He
seems to have been o contentious
Individual, aud was soon engaged
In trouble with the colonial authori-
ties, when his paper was suppressed
by order of the Legislature. The
officers went SO far as to forbid him
from printing any kind of & docu-
ment unless II was first supervised
by the secretary of the Province,
1t wonld be amusing to see some
Secretary of some sort of corpora
undertake to supervise newspaper
stthe present day. He would sson
be permitted to read some rcfiec.
lions on his pedigree which would
not be pleasant for his consideration,
l have thus gone back Of the
commencement Of the century aud
touched on few historical facts to
bring before you the name of the
man who stands in the fore ground
of early American journalism, be.
cause no sketch of the newspaper
history of the time is at all satisfac,
tory without showing the part ht
bore. We ailude, OF conrse, to that
noble specimen of the true editor
and printer-that Wise statesman
patriot and phiIosopher-BeDjamir