The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-05-15

mas zone, we see tnat Tree press and Tree
speech is the glory of our country. Your duty
is grand one. You sound a warning note to
persons resting on fancied security of the
evils coming upon them; to tell of vampires
who were sucking the blood of the nation; to
stand as sentinels to warn men of the dangers
which surround them. After alluding elo-
quently to the freedom of the press and advo-
eating free speech. be concluded with an ap-
propriate story by Patrick Henry and saying:
You may trihe with the whirlwind, lay
hands on the lions name, and play with the
spots of the leopard; you may trifle with any.
thing, but do not trihe with truth.
The toast of the faithful correspondent
''he furnishes varieties to the toiling typos"
TO which Mr.. w. A. Bowen, correspondent
for the Express in Austin, replied in a very
neat and appropriate speech, in which he
spoke of the trials of correspondent and
''thrashing." He concluded by toasting the
press of San Antonio, and coupled with it
the name OF Mr.. P. Newcomb.
Mr.. Newcomb, in responding, said:
Gentlemen, had almost taken the hope
that had escaped making any response. As
to the press of San Antonio we can fairly say
that it has kept pace with all other progress in
this city. can say something of the press of
San Antonio, because during the last twenty
five years-aye, twenty-five years. have had
something to do with all the papers of San
Antonio. In the early days OF the press
weekly issue with $50 subscribers was sufficient
for the wants of the people, and as a boy
have carried the whole Of the edition of the
weekly Texan and Ledger. That was in 1851
and 1851. There was at that time no tele-
graph, and OF course no railroad, and only one
mail week from the outside world. In 1876
| started the first daily-the Herald-selling
out to Messrs. Logan and Thompson. That
was success until after the war; l remember
that pied the first form of the Herald, which
was printed on borrowed press. 1t was a
success, and issued as a daily paper till its
death. 1t was succeeded by the San Antonio
Daily Times, now lively evening paper. The
San Antonio Daily Express, a lively morning
paper, and one OF the pest papers in the state,
| started aSthe Alamo Express l was run
ming it as weekly Union paper when the
town was filed with Confederates. had
then to be my own compositor pressman and
| carrier. All l could do was to get boy to
| roll for me, and when l saw the flames rise
| from my office, and knew the forms were cast
into the river, felt greatly relieved and knew
| that IN one sense my mission was ended. NV
fate began at the case, and suppose the in
fatuation which inthrals printer is the thing
| rich or to win fame, he is not likely to do it
at the case. All he will get will be small pay
for much work. l am in union with the
printers. have worked at seventy-fv cents
| the thousand ems; that was the only time
| considered l was we'll paid. We now pay
thirty, five cents per thousand ems. do not
consider that they are fairly paid for it but that
is all they ask US to pay. l do not saw
| this because l want the boys to raise on
us next week (laughter.) The craft are paid
less in consideration for the work than any
other class Of intelligent workmen. When /
| hear OF strikes anywhere, l am inclined to
think the issue is such that shows that the de-
mand is generally just. take part with my
printers, make up my own forms, and can
say it is pleasing thing to 60 into the Office
| to take part with men at the case, and take
| pride in being among them. The issue of a
newspaper is always precarious thing, and
| many times have the printers to look for their
money in vain, and still work and wait in the
hope of pay. I've seen papers live with no
hope or no purpose. The success of the
newspaper is the success of the printer, and
am glad to record that our city newspapers are
all paying fairly, and paying the printer. The
printer has a hard life and ekes out his ex-
| istence at the case. Printers sometimes pet
melancholy and take too much remember
that Sam Houston was accused of getting
drunk, and this charge was brought against
him when running for governor. Sam told
them he had laid upon the open field, fed up
on dried beef and fought the battles of indie
pendence. The public excused Sam Hous-
ton, and were willing to have Sam Houston
drunk Than any other man sober, and | think
the printer may be excused this occasional
failing. We find the craft are thinking and
intelligent men, honest and thrifty, and on the
whole creditable to the state. The prosperity
of the press has been in every way commen-
surate with the growth in other directions. In
1852 one hundred weekly papers supplied the
want, now the LIGHT, 10 cent per week pa
per, has daily subscription list of 1000. of
which about 1000 are distributed daily by foot
and horse carriers. From $50 weekly to
1000 daily is great increase, and is in Keep
ing with the increased wealth and intelligence
of the city. The other papers too are all we'll
supported, and all are prosperous, The
newspapers work for the good of the city and
the state, and may be set down as the friends
of the printers. (Cheers.).
Mr.. Newcomb also enumerated the ssvera,
publications in the city, English, German and
Spanish, all Of which were flourishiny.
The chairman then gave ''the city of Austin"
which was briefly responded to by Col. Sayler.
mayor of the city.
Mr.. Peter Loiselle was publicly introduced
as the caterer and was raca;raJ ,,;.L A.