The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-23

NATCHlTOCHES, La, OCTOBER %, $780,
An Eloquent Address.

An Eloquent Address.
Mrs. NJ. A. Fields, Catherine Cole
Of the New Orleans Times, by request
read the following address, before thu
Press Convention, which was recefv
cd with applause. and upon Major
Burke's motion. ordered spread upon
the minutes:
GENTLENEN-I suppose that some
OF you will expect me to speak Of NO.
men 10 journalism on this occasion.
That, however, IL not tho DRIFT Of my
thoughts. but rather to give you the
v1eWe OF q woman on that subject.
The object Of this Convention, ]
take 1t. 10 clearly % effort to improve
the present methods Of journalism in
our State.
It would be untrue to cay that these
methods do not require improve
ment. for the purposes Of q power 90
nearly unlimited % that which is
exercised BY the Press can never be
made too exalted.
The time was, and 70 not % very
long ago, either, when tho great 10.
borat0ry Of public opinion Was the
stump and the pulpit; but tho swift
march and progress Of the world has
snapped 10 twain the circumscribed
limits OF these pure but trsmmelled
agents, and now tho great moral
force that influences men and affects
governments 10 the pen Of tho news.
paper editor. Much has been sajd
and written about the freedom Of
tho prese," but It can safely be con.
tended that the pres possesses oil
tho freedom that 70 necessary II Q
country where the expresoion Of hon.
orsble sentiments, the defense OF tho
grandeet principles and q tolerant
consideration Of ell religious and 20.
lttloal questions are esteemed the
culmtnations Of refinement, educa-
tton and civilization. That the drift
OF the popular mind ts upward and
elevattnR is In Q great measure due
to the ever increasing influences and
ever extending facilities Of knoWl.
edge Afforded by the press.
Ny practical experience % q Jour.
naltst has chiefly been that OF 0
news.ditor, and II I were asked to
state a. the result OF observation
what I considered the deficiency OF
the Southern press. I should cay
that not enough time or space 10 de.
voted to the homo interests and to
the announcement and development
OF the mechanical, Industrial and Ia.
tellectual pursuits OF the home PEG.
pie.
Beyond q doubt, the hrst great
purpose OF the Newspaper is the
news" The news! How seldom
do We stop to think how much IL i'm.
piled in that one word. It means
Livingston searching for tho sources
Of the Nile in the heart Of Afrtca-l
Livingston dying and Stanley 10 Q |
brave expedition for bis relief. Il
means Sir John franklin. the En-.
gllshman, amid tho eternal SHOWS Of |
the North, barred only by mountains
Of Ice from the open oea beyond. I'll
means Kane, the American, on q IKE
and In the name OF hu-
manity searching for the lost no.
bleman. It means tho greed OF the |
United Kingdom for dominion IN |
India, its slow but sure processes OF |
and the equally slow but |
sure establishment OF Western ideas |
10 the Orient. It means tho chaos Of |
the Southern Republics-the Incl.
dents OF superstition and religious |
bigotry which marks them a. less
peaceful, less prosperous, and there.
fore less happy than the Aztec DOW.
Gro they eupplanted. It means the |
steady drive OF the railroad spike on |
tho longitudinal line towards Mexico |
and soon 70 drive out tho modern |
types Of ancient cruelty and establish !
agriculture. commerce, laws and
peace. It means Prof. Cookies eeti.
mating tho motive power Of Q ny Of
light. II means tho pleythemogrsph |
measuring thought With tho oemo |
accuracy that tho sensoti0n OF pain |
p measured. II means Darwin With |
bio philosophy Of evolution which |
be- startled tho Intellectual world. |
L means the Nthilists Of Russia and
Communists evefyWhere-cruel and
lndefenslble, but who attest the n.
Dtinotive revolt OF tho human mind |
at Tyranny and oppreeeion. It meens |
tho suicide whose violent ending |
6rioge Into view sometimes tho fol.
lee Of Q mis0pent lile and sometimeo |