The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-08-21
Temperance Department.
EDITED BY THE W. c. 4. q.
The Press.

ne freSS, II mas Deen truly SdlO
''is the Argus of the World, the Ear
gallery of the Globe, the reporter of
The universe" Its myriad eyes flashing
from the ten thousand centers, reach
hundreds and thousands of homes.
No corner of civilization escapes its
searching glance, No hidden thing
I-vades its scrutiny. And as it sees, it
listens, and as it listens it tells, so all
the world Can discuss at the breakfast
table today, what the rest of the world
ibid yesterday. The telegraph, the
Icable, the telephone, the pen, the type,
are its trained servants, and the ubiqui.
tous news boy its herald. The educa-
|ting power of the universal press is i'm
measurable. 1t is the realization of
this power that makes US ask "what is
the relation of the w. c. T. U. to the
Press" what duty do We owe it? and
what does it owe us3 For it is an unde-
niable truth that the press of the
country is the index of its civilization;
the lever Of mortality. How shall We
as temperance workers write upon It
the truths we believe, aud through
them move humanity to higher grades
of thought. clearer conception of duty,
and greater loyalty to God? AS more
and more the home is recognized to
be the central power of the world, tenn
perance which means knowledge, pu-
rity, Godlikeness, is revealed as a pri.
NAL law. How shall this law be so
inwrought into human heart and brain
as to renew the creation defiled by ig-
norance, sin, and sel6shness. The
years are continually casting new
moulds for human life, and the pless,
is ever keeping pace with the demands
of the age. The plan Of our Press
Department OF the w. C. T. u. is both
aggressive and progressive. 1t asks
that the press shall help in the dis
semination of temperance truth, not for
the sake of Organization, and for the
sake of humanity. 1t does not come
into the sanctu,n where TIE Editor is
indeed King, as suppliant for favor,
nor as one demanding recognition,
but simply as an integer of the worlds
growth, that has claim upon the
public for representation. 1t comes
with truths that have adirect influence
upon the safety Of present and future
generations, as seen by the watchful
|eyes of the natural keepers of the home.
1t asks that these be given place as
well as things Of less importance, and
our requests have been answered so
cheerfully so kindly by the editors of
to-day, that now over 1000 newspapers
weekly, have columns of temperance
truths, temperance news in them. In
our own State we find SO many local
weekGes, ready and willing to help us
in this way, and we feel very glad of
this, then local papers reach our homes,
their influence is past computation.
Our local papers are not appreciated
as they should be, one often hears Sc
we're criticism upon our own papers.
They are dull or do not have the best
most interesting items of news in
them &c. well if they are dull perhaps
it is because the town is dull, the Edi-
tor can't help that, one word to the
guod people, to the temperance people,
to all who desire first class papers in
their city just sayso in dollars as we'll
as words, this would be but simple
justice for we all can but see the help
fulness Of an editor. Our local papers
should be found in every home. What
responsibility we find resting upon
the Editor, on the Author, when we
think that the Press even distances the
pulpit in its control over men; the
paper and the pamphlet 60 where the
Pastor and Preacher cannot find their
way. A home without b,oks or papers
is like garden without flowers, like a !
forest without birds or sunshine, like a |
house without furniture. Out of book |
less homes go many of the criminals,
paupers, and chronic invalids, because
in home well stocked with good read
ing, the inmates have little leisure, no
idle time for Satan to fill with mischief. |
A bookless parlor is bowling wilder
ness. Parents, see that your children |
have papers and books to read at home, |
Al -