Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-09-23
MISSION OF THE NEWSPAPER.
An able and Elegant Treatise by J. NJ. Gregory Of
the University Of Illinois before the Social
Silence Convention at Saratoga, Sept. Sth.

| 4AC nmcAlCdu newspaper Is tue DcSt III
dex of American life and the fairest represen
tatiVe of the people. Whoever would form
correct estimate of the spirit, genius and
life of Americans must study the newspapers.
Our virtues, our vices, our thoughts and
opinions, our politics, our trade, our push
and pride, our weakness, strength, creeds,
customs and civilization, all are imagined in
our periodical publications. The American
newspaper has no rival on earth in the volume
and variety of its issues. More than 10000
papers appear each week from our newspaper
press. More than 1000, ,0OO, 900 copies are
circulated annually. They cover the whole
field of human thought and interests. Every
department Of business, manufacture anu
trade has its advertiser. Schools, scientific,
moral, educational, religious, political and
charitable societies and organizations publish
newspapers devoted to their interests and
filled with their ideas. But stating the num-
Der of newspapers does not tell the whole
story. One must note we'll
THE GREAT ARMY OF WRITER'S
who help to fill their columns, the editors,
assistants, reporters, correspondents, critics
and contributors of all kinds, which, paid
and unpaid, include large portion of the
talent ot the country. The best brain of the
nation speaks through the newspapers. The
latest and freshest thought of the people is
to be sought in the last paper issued. Malice.
meanness, fanaticism, folly, falsehoods and
frauds, which mix with our daily life, can
not be shut out from the paper But truth,
wisdom, practical sense and love of the pub
lie good, solid learning and courageous criti-
o;c 4 A.
that we may easily forget the bad elements
which mingle with them. 1t is the business
of social science to take account of all great
public forces, to mark their exact character
and tendencies, and to learn their amount
and direction power for ~goedor evil. The
newspaper is at once the product and expOn-
ent of the American mind-no better, no
worse. The good probably exceeds the bad
in newspapers in a large proportion than
among the people; for vice seeks seclusion,
not publicity. In no other country does the
newspaper exercise such power as in Ameri-
ca. Americans live, work and think through
the newspapers. Acting as
PUBLIC CONSCIENCE,
it places its seal of shame or honor on each
chapter of our history as it transpires. No
American forgets it. 1t watches to reward
the good and punish the bad. Good men
trust it and men fear it. The power of the
newspaper is not the mere force of printed
thought. 1t is the embodied power of the
public life of the day. Each reader feels that
he is surrounded by an unseen multitude who
are reading the same lines, and he grows ex-
cited with imagined responses. All forces of
current history prove themselves through
the press. Force never remains idle. 1t is
impossible that so gigantic a force as the
American newspaper should exist without en-
erting corresponding Influence upon the
characters, affairs and destinies of the entire
people. All things educate rs. Country,
climate, scenery and society, business and
pleasure, and environment exert power on
our minds anG characters. While few have
deeply considered the depth and extent of
the influence of the newspapers, few will
deny it. A free press is necessary as the
complement of free schools. Without schools
the press would lack readers. Without the
press. :; ..,..
@. Scholarship WOULD FAIL
of half of its uses The newspaper is pull
lie agent. totfers to the people for pay GER
tain services, and in this work as advertising
agent and public herald it depends for its
support but to reckon it only as public en-
tsrprise would insult public intelligence as
much as it would trit1e with public interests
and rights. In its public character the paper
enters into the rank of the worlds teachers.
Education has two chief factors-culture or
discipline, and knowledge. The one comes
by fit exercise or training; the other by
whatever furnishes information, by observ-
ance, by reflection, and most of all by read
ing. With all our schools we could never be
an intelligent people without newspapers.
They are the peoples libraries, the cyclopedia
of the millions. Scholars and professional
men must read books; but woe, woe to them
if they read not the newspaper. Even the
articles lends additional charms, if not add-
tional utility, to il. The freshness and var
iety Of articles lure the reader on. 1t talks
to men of their business, their political party,
their church, themselves. The men it de-
scribes are their contemporaries, their neigh
bors. 1t thus adds something of dignity to
their daily lives. The newspaper of to-day
chronicles the movements of thought as well
as those of men and nations. Ali find place |
in these
PERPETUAL SCHOOLS AND TEXT BOOKS
of popular learning. Facts will sustain this
estimate of the educating power of the news
paper. Other things being equal, the man or
family who read a good newspaper will
be more intelligent than their neighbors who
do not. Sift from the American people the |
foreign importation of non.reading masses,
and the remainder will be found to be the |
best read and most intelligent population of |
the globe. The newspaper is not advocated |
az substitute for schools, but as q compile |
ment to them The American press, direct |
ed by men of educational minds, will find its |