Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-05-13

or disgust our readers, by yer per-
hitting a personality with the name
of Bill Jones in u columns.
The Duty Of the Press Towards Edu.
cation.
BY J. II. MERwIN, OF EDUCATION.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES N GENTLE
MEN OF THE Missouri Press ASSOCIATION
Perhaps as a prelude to the sugges-
tons | have to offer on the topic as
signed me on this occasion-"The Duty
of the Press Towards Education"-the
following quotation from Plato will
serve as a practical foundation. Plato
said Gould we create so close, tender
and cordial a connection between the
citizens of a state as to induce all to
consider themselves as r~elatives-as
fathers, brothers and ~sisters-then this
whole state would constitute but a sim
gle family, be subjected to the most
perfect regulations and become the
happiest family that ever existed upon
earth.
If we weigh carefully this statement
We shall find it contains the very es-
sence of the purest democracy. and we
shall also find on reflection that the
two most potent factors, at work in our
modern civilization by which these re-
suits car be realized, are the school
teachers and the editors.
The one is to be more and more in all
the future the complement of the other.
An ignorant. unlearned community
or people do NOS read or need the news.
paper.
An ignorant people arc aiways and
everywhere . poor people.
Hence the teacher and the school
are an absolute necessity to the editor.
They prepare and7open up the way for
the newspaper. They both create and
stimulate and perpetuate a demand
for it.
As great and good thoughts are the
best gold of earth, are least destroyed
when most dispersed, so the school
trains the people for the reception of
the best we have to offer, and the press
distributes and perpetually equalizes
all good and hinders none, both tend
ing to the perfection of the common
veal.
If it be charged hat the press is not
an unmixed good as at present con-
Quoted we may admit the fact. But
evil always wars upon itself and is in
its nature akin to death, while all good
ness is immortal, and it is the latte,
which a merciful Providence accumu.
lates along the path of progress-the
precious inheritance bequeathed to us
and which the press makes ubiquitous,
and which not only enlightens but in.
spires eternal hope. These mutual
pledges not only exist between the
school and the press but they are being
rapidly multiplied between all "literar,
producers, and these reciprocal lahort
promise to establish In the near future
a grand brotherhood cast in the mighty
mold of the largest liberty.
With this liberty begettiDg a frater
nifty of interest and feeling and efori
there ! and must be a constant growth
and a constant REIMBURSEMENT to meel
these new conditions.
Fundament laws and formulas as re
corded in our statute books are EXEC
and rigid. There is no principal o
growth ia them and there il, therefore
a constantly widening gap bet seen tbil
Intelligent, progressive life Of to-da,
which the press represents and chroni
eles, and these so-calied "fxed institu
TONS"
These differences beget strife ant
cause diversions of sentiment and in
ierest inevitable, but these constan
adjustments are required and mRst b.
, stated TO harmonic laws and iHstitu
tons with hfe aud its needs.
Education and the press march han'
in hand. Encourage zach other, borI
5 Of like T-cessities, they are twill
branches Of one parent stock.
The relations of each 10 the other ar
| 50 reciprocal that | car scarcely fin
/. place for the yord duty or the idea !
, conveys.
f. This huge shadow cast from the ppa
: tree ofilliteracy frightens and blights
t vast multitude. palsles every efor
7 made to extend the power and b'essin
Of u widespread intelligence.
We ought to slay this hydra-her
b and now. The statement is made an
constantly reiterated that in proper
tioG az the masses Of the people be
: come educated and intelligent the
{ become dissatisfied with their cendI
= ton and worthless as laboreEae
Ii is the duty of ihs press 10 disps
g the Illusion -oorrect this error. Th
stupidity OF the statement Is mont
mental the arguments upon whic
d the statement IN made are more 20.
Take this beautiful, prosperous Gil
Of Mexico, or any other like il With
the borders of our vaz: domain. mort
or south, east or west, a city with Law
and a government, a city with school
and newspapers and churches and AL
roads and manufacturing ESTABLISH
It m~ents-with all these diversified indul
tries, bego.ten Of intelligence and eoi
tact with outtide and out-of-sigf
ID ~orid-iake this city Of Mexico. vhel
% We meet with in besatifni homes !
$500 5ZEG4 5