The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-10
Saturday. February 10. E77.
NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPER
MEN IN ROCK ISLAND
COUNTY.
BYy B, DAgFORTn, yR.
BYL B, DAEFoKTH, yR.

lecting facts and securing stray copies OF
old newspapers, / compiled and published
a few columns Of matter in relation to the
early newspapers in this vicinity. The
subject is one which seems to have at
tracted no very general public inter
est or attention, and it is difficult
indeed, TO learn much in regard to the
struggles Of the pioneers Of the press in
this locality. Since publishing the first
article prepared by me, on this subject.
IL years ago, have, little by little, col
lected good deal Of additional matter
which is worth recording in some form
more permanent than the memorandums
now containing it, and as files Of newspa-
pers are now preserved, not only in news
paper offices, but in our public libraries,
it will thus be preserved for those who
may see fit to use it in the future, and for
those who wish to find in it information or
entertainment, And | do not know how
l can better introduce the matter than by
Offering some extracts from an address on
American Journalism" delivered by
Hon. Henry Watterson, Of the Louisville
Courier-Journal, before the Indiana Press
Association, at Indianapolis, May !, 1878,
as follows:
We are living in an epoch not Of
miracles but Of mechanics; Of mulutudi-
nous social, scientific, and professional
complexities; and instead Of its being
true that man Of parts gets on faster and
fares better without assistance and encour-
agement. the reverse is true. One mind
aids another: one hand holds up another,
and, as a man is really an able man, the
greater need and use he has for his sup
ports, for that reserved force, without
which battles could never be won, mol
great edifces constructed, nor political or.
ganisms set in motion, nor newspapers
made up and issued. The free
dom Of the press. obtained at length ever
more securely by the victories il Is achiev.
ing over dependence and subsidy than by
liberality Of the laws which guarantee it,
is a sort Of popular religion; and so truly
is our journalism realizing the pretty com.
mOn-places with which it once, in the day:
Of its bondage and groom, consoled itself
50 thoroughly is it coming TO reflect the
thoughts, the customs, and the manners OF
the age, and to be actually, and not fgur-
atively.
"a map OF busy life,
Its fluctuations and its vast concerns "
that thoughtful people, raraphrasing the
race-course epigram Of Randolph Of Roam
oke, are beginning to ask, if the pres,
controls the country, who controls tht
press?
LITERATURE AND JOURNALISM,
am fully persuaded that, take it for al
and all, the journalism Of America is tht
very best in the world, 1t is complete
answer to the ancient sneer Of the Cock
neys touching our books, for it sin truth
our literature. do not mean to dispar
age Longfellow, and Whittier, and Lowell
Motley, and Bancroft; and hope | shall
not be suspected Of seeking TO steal
titular distinction for our craft at tie ex
pense Of our greatest humorist, If de
clare that the morning paper is the Onl,
autocrat Of the breakfast table When
consider the labor and the learning tina
arc devoted TO the books which will be for
tunate if they get eight or ten THOUSAND
readers and observe the increasing audi
ences which are gathering about the press
! mourn in silence but IN sorrow at tn
sight Of such men as Bret Harte, joaquin
Miller, and Mark Twain, throwing them
selves away. and | rejoice, and am ex
ceedingly glad in the salvation to Journal
ism and the world of q soul so precious a
than of John Hay. Badinage aside, m
serious meaning is that every age ha
its interpreter; there was the age Of tn
drama; there was the age Of the pamph
let; there was the age Of the move
This is the age Of the newspaper
As Congreve and Sheridan were, a
Dickens and Thackery we're, the journals
may be, and partly is already; a man i
whom public interest, great or less az
cording 10 his genius, is taken; man who
loving his fellow men, has it in his powe
to be loved by them. The process is yer
simple To be kindly, honest, fearless
capable, that is all; and | name kindlines
first, because if newspaper would b
popular it must, like an individual carry
pleasant aspect; it must be aimable an
unpretentious; speaking the language an
wearing the habilments Of the people
bone of their bone and flesh Of their flesh
q sincere as we'll as an effective delivere
Of their thoughts, wishes, ard fances.
Shakespeare lived in our time, conceivin
him TO have been robust, bithe, ant
hearty person; conceiving him TO hav
been what we understand by an able per
son and an able bodied, and, withal,
most gay and festive person | take leav
20 doubt whether he would find the dram
the best vehicle .Ior his OVERLOOKING wis
dom, his exuberant wit. humor, and fancy
his amazing activity; | wonder that a MAJ
OF such varied and large resources, of sucl
vigorous, current, and racy faculties a
Dion Boucicault should be comparativel,
poor man, wandering about the worlc
and writing plays, when he might be. hat
he bent himself that way, the editor of tn
London Times
THE ENGLISH PRESS.
/ do not name the London Times as
frst-rate example of frst-cass journalism
There is no journal of the first-class il
London. | am not able to say what tn
Times may have been in the days of Mr.
kinglake's somewhat apochryphal
shrewd, idle clergyman, who made it hi
duty to loiter about places of common
resort and find out what people though
upon the iprincipal subjects Of the time
The press Of London is, and has been
since became acquainted with it, pre-
tentious tumble of incompletions; verv
polished and very dull; reminding one O
those elaborate dramatic composition
which are said to be written for the closet
THE AMERICANIPREss.
1t can be said Of the American press, OF
the other hand, just a Thackery AM
Tame have said Of the writings of Henri,
Fielding, that the cloth is none th