The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-04-02
True Mission of the Press.
THE PRESS OWES DIGNITY TO ITS RE-
sPoNsBIILITY RATHER THAN
ITS POWER

SPONSBIILITY RATHER THAN
ITS POWER.
AT the recent anniversary Of the Hi
bcrnian Society in Charleston, the toast
in honor of the press was responded to
by Roswell T. Logan, Esq., of the Ne'cs
and Courier, and his remarks were SO
timely and appropriate that We repro
duce them for our readers;
The Press-The press is a mill that
grinds all that is put into its hopper
fill the hopper with poisoned grain and
it will grind it to meal, but there is
death in the bread.
Mr.. Logan replied The sentiment
which has just been uttered is one to
which the professional editor can re-
spond with pride as well as pleasure 1t
recognizes the ennoblins responsibility
of that arduous pursuit which makes Of
his life one long succession CT days and
nights Of unremit;ing toll. The preg-
naut sentence in which you have been
pleased to convey your compliment to
the representatives of the press not only
ignores that narrow and sordid view Of
our profession which would regard it as
devoted merely tn the gathering of news
and the accumulation of money, but it
rises far above the hacsn"yed phrase of
compliment tha. prates eternally of the
value, liberty or power Of the press.
You have alludel to the highest, the
grandcst, the holiest functions of jour-
nalism. You have touched the sweetest
chord that vibrates in the bosom of the
editor. In listening to you he forgcts
mere money making and partisan poll
ties, and remembers that to him are en-
trusted, in great measure, tho education,
the morals and the welfare of mankind.
1t may seem a somewhat arrogant as
seriion, but it is, nevertheless, true, that
the newspaper combines, in high de-
gree, the offices Of prophet, teacher and
judge. Thousands depend upon its
judgment Of the future; maidenly mod
esty is no barrier to its approach; it
shapes language and disseminates
knowledge; with head line it can
make or mar reputation. The pro-
phecics Of no seer Of the olden time
were believed with more implicit conf
dcnce than arc the prognosiications of
the daily papers by their constant
readers The press is not infallible,
neither were the prophets. Mankind
are still the same. They delight to be-
lievo.
No school book can teach like the
columns of newspaper. Not one
schoolmastcr in five hundred could
spell all the words, compose rs well all
the sentiments, or locate all the places
named in single copy Of any country
weekly, even a patent outside. A boy
who would read the papers regularly
with attention and care, and take the
pains to find out, as far as possible, all
that he did not understand, would in a
few years acquire fund of information
that no college course could give him,
and with which he could puzzle all the
professors in America
What widespread decentralization was
caused by the publication, in all the
papers Of the land, o! the particulars OF
the Becchcr scandal What beliefs have
been shaken, if not destroyed, by the
recent discussion of the dogma Of hell
Perhaps you may remember that, not
long ago, two half grown youths in the
interior, who were probably constant
readers of that pcstiferous sheet, Frank
ieslie's Boys and Girls Weekly, took
several hundred dollars from their uncle,
who was also their guardian. and ran
away with it. They were arrested and
brought back. The head lines Of the
paragraphs about these boys read gen.
erally in this wise "Two Precious Ras'
Gals, "Two Youthful Villains" ado
lescent Robbers" Youthful Candidates
for the Penitentiary," etc, etc. The
paper at the boys home, however, merely
headed its paragraph Two Wild Boys."
To the editor Of that paper these mis-
guided youths should be cverlastinsly
grateful. If he had stigmatizcd them
with any of the opprobrious cpiihet.
that had been so unsparingly hcaped
upon them elsewhere, they could never
again hold up their heads among the
companions Of their youth; but as mere
ly wild boys they can repent and be
forgiven.
What editor, who is true man, car
fail to feel the responsibility which
have thu, cndeavored to portray? 1t il
a great, heavy, trying responsibility
but it is not lrksomc, it is not crushing
it is inspiri,ing, it is ennobling. 1t il
akin to the responsibility that lends
dignity to all the professions. Th'
clergyman, the professor, the lawyer
may win success and fame by force o
intellect and power of knowledge; but i
is only by a conscientious fultilmcnt o
the trusts of his profession that he cal
earn true title to respect. Like tn
other honorable professions, the pres
owes its dignity to its responsible,
rather than to its power; and therefor
again, in behalf Of my brethren Of tn
quill, thank you for the toast wit
which you have hOnOr0d them.