Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-25
NO. 26.

The ghastly mummes of dead Pharaohs;
! The rags that decked the Italian lazzaroni,
Now ground and bIeached with soda and chlorine
The creamy pulp flows DER the vast machine,
And issues thence, texture smooth aud strong,
n beauteous sheet ten thousand fithoms long.
Now wakes the engine with its gathering roar
The inky tide is strern the pages DER.
Fingers of steel the dampcned folios seize
Aud the broad tyInpan gives the final squeeze
Then folded stamped. each with its patrons name,
he ample mails their wonted contents claim,
And the fair sheet with friendly greeting co,aes
\ welcome gnest, III twice ten thousand homes.
] said this broad and many counned page
Was ruling sovereign of the present age.
with more than regal influence in its words,
u mdt's the current history il records:
shapes laws and customs, molds with matchess skill,
Thought. feeling sentiment. to its own will.
10 every family il brings the news
knowledge to guide aud triiles to amuse;
1t tells the farmer when to pillow and SOW
Nhd now TO make his corn and turnips grow;
lnsrncts the cook TO boil and fry and bake,
And the Young housekecper to mend and make:
shows whence the state Its revenue should draw,
ENpounds the constitution and the law:
Tells how prosperity and thrift are given,
And what's the best and shortest way to Heaven.
Say, then, If such the influence II possess
,,., What are the dpfies resting ON the Press?
What, TO discharge them with fidelity,
>hould he its aims, and what itself should be!
First to repeat the lesson of our youth,
Its chieiest should he 10 tel IT, truth
place this weighty ob-ery alton here,
Because, sometimes, / am compelled to fear
That quite unlike the good, Immortal boy,
W Host new DouHh HAlcliet was Its bride and
That chopped the cherry Tree its edge to try,
rl'',i |, ne lnodtrn new paper can tell IL.
y IIf{l's were regarded onee with faith ,leyout
llt saying, " True rs print" dispellcd all DOUBT.
hat change, alas IN modern times suecee.isl
lis now, lone nothing knows by what he reads
To-day the papers say the Pope Is dead; 4ft
Tomorrow, that he's only siek-abed;
The next day that he's not been sick at all
Twas but IL hoax to cause the funds To fall
In politics, especially, we see
How strangely facts and statements disagree.
LOOK oer the and,-show me the public man
Who e'er for Office employment ran
Whose every action, motive, sentiment,
he party press does not msrepresent
show ne II thing one party strives TO 40. 81.
One public measure, either old or new
Which its opponents do not brand as evil,
plot and instigati0n Of the devil.
Once on Il time, two politicians sat
Discussing. pro and con, affairs Of state:
Some project of the government just then
Was maklns mneh excitement among men.
tine was defeuding II, as partlsans do
The other cursng it and Congress too;
Each TO his iavoritc newspaper referred,
To prove on its authority his word U-
This only to the strife new food suppIied
Each said the Others dirty paper lied;
Nay, that the party which each sheet sast aimed
With fraud and iasehood thsaaga aud through
stained.
At last, to end the quarrel waxing high,
They asked an honest farmer standing by
For his opinion. With q Yankee oath
81 YUM, he answered, al believe you both ",
Next, all their readers win agree, I'm sure.
These printed pages should be ever pure
Why should virgin sheet so fair and white
Come from the types all foul with moral blight.
With inurndos and suggestions reek,
Forcing blush on innOceGey's cheek?
Why gather up the illih of city sums
And pour The sewage into all our homes?
For stun to fashion into rlbald tales2
Why in emblazOned type spread an abroad
Each hideous crime of cruelty and blood,
OF arson, burglary, and theft and rape,
In every vile, disgusting, mode and slispe,
What are all such but lessons that We frans
r' TO teach % the Young ne ways M in and shame
Describe his tools, lunch. Jimmy, bit, and stock;
Show how some fsfthless clerk contrived to stcsi
iiy false check or cQunterfeited seal -
To many rogue II will II challenge be
To be as smart, and get rs much Us he.
'Iis true, you may give vice its READ name
May warn of all its danger, sin, and shame
The allurement, still, before him he will set
Ihe crime rtlnember,-your advice forget,
Think this short way to gain lie may pursue
And il 'tis guiH, it's git without the H.
Bear with me still. Nor truth nor purity
Alone make the Press what Ii should he
There is character which all commend,
In which all pleasing traits harmonious blend.
speech, dress, and manners, graceful and refined
Reveal the kindly heart, the cultured mind,
That make the gentleman, Gods nobest work,
| In whom nO covert vices meanly lurk.
Let us transfer this personal quality,
And the Press should geafiemdplg he
What though your en,ious rival er the way
Assails with eoarseness everything Won say,
DO not, in turn, with aspect itree and grim,
Disgrace Yourself in trying TO blacken hm
Threaten his bastard blood forthwi witl to spill
Like the famed editors of Eatansw
II that notorious slanderer, common fame,
Breahes calumuy against some good mans name
BE not too swift to credit il ut first
And of two motives charge him with the worst.
Let courtesy and fairness guide your pen
Nour diction pure, by no false taste begu,ed,
Drawn from the well of English undecided
Avoiding slang, that leprosy of speech
And fraught with sense in all you say and teach
Worthy in language aud IN ,hodght to mold
The word, and sentiments of Young and obi
May say ane thing more? The Press should be
The fearless champion of mordiifD.
Let IL not give its columns to defend
iS il In hpfr
Let II inculcate honesty In trade
DenouEcng frauds of every sort and shade.
Insisting on fidelity to trust,
on laws humane, impartial, wise, and Just
seorning the demagogue's insldiouS tricks
Who boasts that all Is fair tn politics
And makes his way where low ambitions call,
As venomed serpehts wrggle, hiss and crawl
Let it guard well the sanctity of home,
Where strife and jealousy should never come
Aud brand II william ot the deepest dive
Him who corfupts a woman's purity.
Let II not shrink To teach mtn has a soRI.
That sense and show are not of life the whotr
That virtues aims the nohlest JOYS i,npart
| The happiest man is lie. to virtue gh en-
Who walks beneath the conscious smile of Heaven
Whose days grow brighter as his years increase
And liie's last evening sets in clo,ldess peace {.
You say preach; what else should Won ,xpect
| If you II prcacher-poet do elect?
| Let him, for once enjoy the occasion rare
4 congregation where no sinners are
Who know but little of the faults he paints,
| Even if Il few are net pres sely saints,
~ khtA va puIlll,
True to the proud ptigV" of her slieli
Leading her sister States in every field
May all her Journals faithfully record
Whnte',r Is best in act and thou ght and word.
| Her Fafmers sow good seeds in fruitful soil
And reap rich harests for their care and toll;
! The states bright fortunes ill her Chronicles
Better than those the ancient record tells
| Her Press and 4rgUs guard her chi,fast mort
1 Like the twin basiions of u well armed fort;
| Her Transcript be, as now. lar in the van.
| Her Democrat good Republicans
And thy bright radiance such, q polar Star
| That none again aeed wonder what YOU are
| These, Ala all others, whether small or great,
| That make the q" Press " of our beloved Stale,
! Like gems that in the armament appear,
| \ constellation be-, serene and clear.
| Then TO whatever side her Mirror turns,
| Its face shall catch the light from gslsien Mns;
| NOught false, impure, corrupting. shall Ii see
| And only pleasing its redectioaSbe.
A NTGT NT1HTm NTN