Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-07-19

tiOn, and Ladies Accompanying: In be-
half of the citizens of Big Rapids, cor
daily welcome you to our city, and with
pleasure extend to you its hospitality. Il
would be pleased to take each of you by
the hand-yes, by both hands-and give
YOU a cordial, heartfelt welcome. This
desire is not peculiar to myself, but is
felt by all our citizens here assembled;
and although the time-honOred custom
of handshaking cannot be SO extensive
ly INDUCED in, yet / assure you that the
greeting and welcome we offer is none
the less cordial and heartfelt. AcknOwl-
edging-as we must-the press to be the
great disseminatOr of knowledge and
learning, the prOpagatOr OF science, art,
history, literature and religion, and per-
petuating the history and achievements
of all the arts and sciences, we cannot
but feel hOnOred that its representatives
have chosen this, our young and -four
ishing city, as the place for the second
annual meeting of your Association; and
we hope your stay among US will prove
both pleasant and profitable. We feel
the object of your meeting to be praise
worthy, and deserving cOmmendatiOn
and encouragement. You have left your
homes and business, and some of you
have travelled many miles in the heat of
summer to attend this aSSemblag8 OF
Journalists; to interchange views and
give each other the benefit of your varied
experience, which cannot but tend to
promote the interests, advance the
science, and increase the usefulness of
the profession of which you may be just
ly proud, having as it does for its object,
the diffusion of knowledge, and the ad-
vancement of civilization and science,
and promoting the intelligence, welfare
and happiness of the people, and num-
bering among its vOtaries the names of
many illustriOus men of ancient and
modern times. The origin of printing,
like that of many of the arts, is some
what obscure, several nations claiming
the honor of its invention. So far as l
am informed, history points to Lauren
| titus COstar. of Haerlem, in Holland, in
about 1929. as one of the first printers of
which we have any authentic account,
although the AsSyrians and Chinese
claim to have practiced the art many
years before, by the use of blocks of wood
upon which they had carved words and
characters. Be this as it may, believe
COstar to be the first to use seperate, in
| terchangeable types, which he made of
wood. A few years after, Gutenberg
made them of metal, engraving the let
ter upon each separately: and SchOeffer,
| in 1456. completed the invention of me-
tallic types by casting them with faces.
Retarded by the jealousy of govern
ments, printing for some time derived
but little advantage from mechanical
Ingenuity. The presses used for many
years were clumsy, wooden affairs; but
thanks to the genius, energy and perse-
verence of the yOtaries of the press, i'm
prOvement has succeeded improvement
until the art of printing stands not a
whit behind the foremost.
Printing was introduced into America
at Mexico, in the year 1910; and accord
ing to my best information, Cambridge,
Massachusetts,, is entitled to the distinc-
tiOn of having the first printing press in
North America, which was under the
charge of Stephen Daye. This was in
the year 1888. The first newspaper print
ed in America was the Boston News Let
ter, which was first issued by John Camp
bell, April oath, 1704; and now, accord.
ing to reliable statistics, we have fully
1900 newspapers and periodicals printed
in the United States. In our own state
l340.
The press is indeed power. What ar
influence it has eXerted in making this
nation what it is! What an influence i,
still exerts, and will continue to exert
for veal or for woe! 1t has been sai(
that "Every man, no matter how humble
has his influence" If this be true O
those in other walks Of life, how mucl
more so is it of the journalist. The,
commit their thoughts to paper and the!
are read by thousands. The young reat
, them, and their tender minds are mould
ed by the impressions they receive. Mel
i and women read them, and many time
their course of life is changed by wha
they read in a single newspaper. How
important then that your infuenc
should be in the right direction. 1 an
happy to say that l believe large ma
Q jOrity of journalists are gentlemen o
intellect and culture; that there aim j
9 the accomplishment OF good; that the
appreciate the responsibility of thei
;, position, and are striving to max
their profession an instrument for In
/. creasing intelligence, prosperity an
l, happiness, and elevating the standard G
morals throughout the country. And
believe that when the gentlemen VIII
have come together iU this COnventiO
shall return to their homes and thei
y spheres of labor, it will be with a hig
l. and firm resolve to make journalism
IS profession in which truth, manhOo
honor and justice shall have an abidin
place. And may God speed you; an
throughout the whole length and breadt
of this land, may journalism stand hig
not looking up to any other prOfessiO
!. that has for its object the accomplish
ment of good, but stand with ther
Ill shoulder to shoulder, heart with hear
's soul with soul.
st TAT this point the speaker rendered a
II invitation to the members of the pre-
+ and the ladies accompanying them
view the manufactures, the Holly wat
works, the public library, the princip
lg streets, and other objects of interest
IS, the city during the next forenoon, al
,o announced that carriages would be
q their disposal for that purpose in fro
ID of the Mason House, at o'clock A. M.
ne also invited them to witness a review
th the Fire Department, which would COZ
tv mence at II o'clock A. NJ.
Resuming, he said:
W Our good people, having heard the sa
~ ing that "the way to reach a hung
i'd mans heart is through his stOmac
p (and think you must all be hungry
:. " this time,) and wishing to convince y,
70. that our welcome and prOffered hOspit,
OF ity do not consist of mere words, ha
st prepared this repast, of which you a
al cordially invited to partake. Had y
~ chosen for your place of meeting sol
Gil larger, more pOpulOus city, a more sum
cy tuOus banquet might have been prepar
for you, spread, possibly, under a ma
nificent dome, and surrounded by g,
- geOus decorations; but though our Il
~ =. may be humble, and our banquet frug
'lg yet I assure you that one could not ha
I'LL been spread by more willing hands, 4
offered by more generous hearts.
he DartakinQ of it. NAV Won he refresh