Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-01
THE PRESS.
DIR. Talmage Says the Newspaper
is the Greatest Earthly Bless
sing ever Given 10 Man.
By National Associated Press.

By National Associated rress.l
BROOKLYN, October 3l.-Rev. T..
Dewitt Talmage, to-day gave his
views on the secular press. His text
was, And the wheels were full Of
eyes, Ezra, x, 10, and "For the Ath.
enians and strangers which were there,
spent their time in nothing else but,
either to tell or hear some new things
Acts, xvii, q. The speaker alluded
to the antiquity of newspapers, and
said that the first to answer the cry,
What is the news" was China, where
a hundred years ago in Peking, a
journal was printed on silk. After
n%arrating the establishment Of the
first newspaper in Boston, in 1851,
and in Philadelphia, in 1874, the
speaker added that the newspaper did
not spring suddenly into the world,
it came gradually. The circular begat
tho pamphlet, the pamphlet the quar-
terly and the monthly, the monthly the
weekly, the weekly the daily; but just
as soon a newspapers began TO de-
mOnstrate their power, they were
shackled. useless, useless, uselessl"
exclaimed Talmage. There is moth
ing that despotism hates as it does
newspapers. Even Napoleon l said
that the only safe place to keep edi-
tors vas in prison. fl had to choose
between a government without news
papers and newspapers without gov.
eminent, | would choose the latter.
A filthy and scurrilous newspaper is a
curse, but good newspapers are Il bles-
sing. Thank God that the wheels
are full of eyes. A good newspaper is
the grandest temporal blessing
that God has given this country"
Mr.. Talmage next alluded to the
prevailing impression that anybody
can edit a newspaper. Said he: The
theory that everybody can make a
newspaper a success is often disas-
trous. Three or four fortunes are
often swallowed up before people are
convinced that brains are required to
conduct a journal. The large swallow
the small. Although there are 1000
dailies, only 36 are half a century old.
The average Of newspaper life is FIVE
years. The most of them die of
cholera infantum. An editor must be
an Encyclopedia. More qualities are
needed as an editor than in any other
business. / say this to save men from
bankruptcy. Men who think that
without experience they can run a
newspaper, have ~softening of the brain.
Such men had better throw their
po~cketbooks in their wife's lap, and
rush up to Bloomingdale asylum.
Laughter. Newspapers are a tunnel
to bring out the waters of knowledge
to people; the Bible, Webster's die.
tionary, and good newspapers fit man
for the duties Of this life and the
next" Mr.. Talmage advocated an
unpersonal conduct for newspapers.
He said that many men wrote brilliant
articles, but their names were never
known. He believed that articles of
merit should be signed by the authors
name and predicted that such a course
would yet be adopted. IN that time"
said he, they will get credit for all
the good they write. Suppose a mans
character is assailed, who is respOn-
sible2 It's concealed in the editorial
we" He further advocated editorial
and repotorial departments in the
colleges and institutions Of learning as
means Of fitting men for positions on
newspapers.