Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-01

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This fact announces that you are q
reading people, and since the State is
traversed by great trunk lines of rail-
roads the leading dailies of half dog
en- big cities are scattered broadcast
and eagerly compete with your own
papers for circulation and business.
Hence, gentleman of this association,
there is no danger that Ar-ansaw will
ever be behind the times or again
spoken of as the back woods.
EVOLUTION OF THE PRESS.
There has been a great evolution
| in journalism. 1t is only about forty
years since editorial opinions began
to be written and to exercise an in
fiuence upon the public mind. Now,
how vast is its power? The opinions
of leading papers are daily telegraphed
all over the world, and are read more
eagerly than the speeches made In
Parliament or Congress. journalism
has taken its place along in the van
guard of the active enterprises of the
times. 1t has taken advantage Of all
the improvements made in fast ma
chinery and telegraphy, avails itself
of the telephone and every new dis
covery or invention that can be utll-
lied to facilitate its purposes. 1t is
ever changing, restless and aggressive,
yet ever stable, expanding and grow
| ing up; the solid structure is assum-
ing proportions OF beauty and strength
year after year. Its enterprise is limi-
ted only by the utmost boundaries Of
knowledge, skill and human endur-
anee. 1t sends daring men into mines,
Shere the death damp has done its
work, and to scenes of shipwreck and
death. It reports all the shifting
scenes of life, from the suicide in the
garrett to the shocks of battle that
make and unmake empires. One great
paper sent out and ascertained the
fate of Livingston and to find the
true source oflhe Nile, a problem that
bafled mankind for two thousand
years. 1t has invaded the realms of
science, laid its hand upon secrets of
State and attended councils of war. Is
there great fire in the forests ofMichi-
gan. flood in the Mississippi valley,
carrying ruin far and wide, tor
nado 10 Iowa, great criminal trial, a
brilliant wedding, an execution, an
ecumenieal council? The world is
promptly furnished all the essential
facts-and sometimes more-when the
world calls for it. The goods are too
often thus adapted to the market.
ITS FAR REACHING POWER.
The vast power of the press is ad-
mitted by all and needs no argument.
It's influence in moulding public opin-
ion, and in giving shape to the policies
of men, of parties, Of great and small
undertakings and even social and re.
ligious affairs is felt and acknowledged
| whenever the printed word is read.
The London Times, for instance, ever
appealing directly to the understand
ing of the more intelligent classes,
although it has a circulation OF only
10000, exercises a greater influence
than any paper in the world. 1t
rarely appeals to passion or prejudice
or resorts to sophhistry or perversion or
concealment Of facts to carry lis points,
out reasons logically and consistently,
With the educated mind of the age.
Hence, its vast and immeasurable in
huence. In its time it has made and
unmade parliaments, cabinets and
parties. 1t has indirectly raised ar
mics and disbanded them, fought bat
| ties in different parts of the world,
declared war and made treaties Of
peace. The position this paper occu.
| pies and its wonderful and far-reaching
| influence may be set down mainly to
the fact that it deals fairly with all
questions from its standpoint and ap
peals to the better Judgment Of the
English mind.
HORACE GREELEY
| in his career afforded a notable illus
tration of the power of the press. The
| Tribune in his hands did more than
any half a dozen papers that could be
named to prepare the Northern mind
| for the war and abolition of slavery
Having a purpose, being conscien
tious and Withal fanatical, he threw
his whole soul and energy into the
cause of abolition, or, as he called it
human freedom, and impressed him
self upon others from the Ohio river Il
the Canadas, and from Plymouth Rock
to San Diego. His terse, homely
English went to the hearts of the
people in cultured Boston, as we'll az
the woodchoppers and miners in the
far West. His pen, more than am
other, prepared the mind of the NOrtl
and of the British public for the re
ceptiOn Of Uncle Toms Cabin" as
truthful picture, typical Of Southern
5 life, rather than the product of an in
: tellectual dollhouse. His pen sen
e Abraham Lincoln to the White House
t sent armies in the field; brought abou
+ the emancipation proclamation, an
s set free four millions of slaves tWent
q or fifty years sooner than it would hav
i been done by revolutionary or peacelu
i means 1t may be that he took int
It account the drift Of public seutimeu
y and set himself in ahead of it as
rs leader, and it cannot be denied ths
As he took every advantage Of popula
& sectional feeling, and thus made h
il paper for the time an almost resistlei
power in the land very different frol
ly what it now is.
AZ OTHER PAPERS
ut had a far greater circulation, we,
to mole enterprising in gathering ar
nd condensing news, but failed to exc
he the same influence upon the mass,
10 The best newspaper, strictly in ii
tal sense of news, is not necessarily Il
W. most influential. It's utterances car
in. weight in proportion as they appear
an be tolerably consistent and Straigh
Il | C.-..l III. M.A.I