Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-28
for the newborn conqueror. Co

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beneficial to mankind were occurring
in all directions. The night as really
passed, and the day had dawned.
From the. reformation to the pres
cut the intellectual development o
man has been steady aud continuous
Modern history is but q record anc
analysis Of this development. The
vlcissitudes and attainments Of rev.
olutisns. the decisions of courts and
cabinets. the direction and manage.
inent OF armies, the results of battles,
the discoveries Of inventors, and ali
the achievements in literature, law,
art, science, mechanics, philosophy
ana religion are simply the indicia,
the sequence, OF mind development.
What an Interesting theme for study
aud rejection is afforded as we trace
along the lines of time this marvelous
unfolding of intellectual power
Across the water how rulers, tyrants,
statesmen aud blgots have fought
against it? With what consummate
skill and ingenuity they have labored
to mold it to sustain aud conserve ex.
listing institutions But against all
such how steadily and sturdily it has
worked on. As surely and determin.
edly az the ceaseless evolution of ma
ture 1t has unfolded. Repressed toe
Tar at times, it has startled and be-
wlldered nations in an exhibition of
strength for
HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION.
The CONSERVATIVE statesmanship of
modern Europe has always recoghiz-
cd the fact that the real cause Of i'll
tellectual development ia the press.
She ls tho messenger, the hand-maid-
on Of intellect. Or course intellectual
development carries with it ideas of
personal rights, Of independence, of
liberty. Therefore, repression has
always been directed against the
press, Formerly against books aud
pamphlets now against newspapers.
And no wonder! If you Will estab-
llsh the American newspaper through
out Europe, aud give it general cir
culation, there will not be in five
years, or ten years at the most, with
the exception, perhaps, Of France, a
single government as it now stands
In existence. And, so far as we are
concerned. perhaps it is best that this
was European policy. 1t is not as
suming too much to attribute to it
tho birth aud foundation of our re.
public, aud the rights and blessings
we enjoy. In their efforts to. impede
bis coursers and bind his chariot
wheels, he leaped All ocean, this great
modern conqueror intellect, and es-
tablished his throne here. Tue
growth of his power has been great
The zenith is not yet reached. Before
1t is, mark you, the work OF the en-
issaries he sends out now will be con.
summated aud the continent of bis
birth will be revolutlonized.
The first newspaper in the United
States was issued at Boston, Septsm.
bsr Is, 1890. But there had to be
some fighting done here before free.
dom Of the press was established. Its
publication attracted the attention OF
the colonial legislature. and its pub.
ilcation was announced as contrary
to law, and that it contained "reflec.
tions of very high nature" VIVA,
these reflections were l can not in.
form you. Of course they had some
reference to religious doctrines
others followed. but sio WY. AS au.
other illustration of the work to be
done here: In August, 1921, James
Franklin, brother Of BENJAMIN, es.
tablished the New England Courant
1t was not long before it was involv-
ed III serious controversy with the
Rev. Cotton Mather and other minis.
ters. The clergy were still the great
controversialists. What they didn't
know wasn't worth knowing, and no.
Dody Knew ANYTHING but them. Ii
also criticised office-holders, and made
remarks on public affairs. This was
a serious offense in those days. Think
what the fate of the editors Of the
newspapers of the present day would
DC II such actions were REASONABLE.
The jails.
HOTELS AND CHURCHES
of the land would not contain them
on conviction: In 1922 the legislature
lnterfered and issued its edict forbid.
ding James Franklin to print or pub.
ilsh the Courant, or any other pamph-
let or paper OF the like nature, ex-
cept 1T be first supervised by the sec.
retary of this province" committee
OF the house having reported "That
the tendency of said paper is to m ock
religion aud bring it into contempt
that the holy scriptures are therein
profanely abused that the reverend
aud faithful ministers of the gospel
are injuriously reflected on, his ma
)esty's government affronted, and the
peace and good order of his maiesty's
subjects OF this province disturbed
by The said Conrant." The conse.
quence was that James retired, and
Benjamin began his editorial career
80 well known to every printer, pa
triot and reader in the land.
Coming on down to 1776 we find
papers established in most all the
prominent cities aud towns Of the
country. Seven were published in
NJ massachusetts,, one in New Hamp-
shire, two in Rhode Island, four IN
Connecticut, four in New York, nine
IN Pennsylvania, two each in Mary
and, Virginia and North Carolina,
.hree iu South Carolina ana one in
Ieorgia-thirty-seven in all. These
we're weeklies, with the exception of
oue in Pennsylvania that was a semi
weekly. The curious who are de-
'lrous OF marking the rapid acauisi.
lion OF the freedom Of the press, can
'asily do 80 by looking into one or
more files of the newspaper of that
period aud q little later, They will
discover that the editor had already
entered with becoming vigor upon
hat course 80 noteworthy in the
present day of abusing. in politics.
everybody and everything that was
lot to his liking.
FROM that day the newspaper has
,ovahced from the weekly to the
iaily, frsm the city to the town, un-
IL it is established as the greatest in-
ellectual institution and power in
he land. 1t has helped to build up
ne nation, aud the nation has built it |
lp. Its successive stages Of progress
re marked by the utilize alton of
team. Of electricity, and the most |
onsummate skill aud genius in me.
hanical constructions.
And this brings me to the presen.
alton Of few observations on the
harscter and influence. of tho press
f America.
We now number near so 900 900 of
'eople, and in all cities and towns
ewspapsrs are published. Every
ay millions of them are scat,ered
mong the people. The demand, now
reat'l' constantly increasing. Every
ody reads the newspaper everyb body
omments on its contents. And what
the most marked characteristic of
ur newspaper? | would answer:
is q newspaper.
AND WHAT IS NEWS?
IT. IS