St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-25

pates himself from this sort of suggest
i've information and control But that
does not happen to everybody. In that
way there is considerable power in
the press, and it is power that inspires
me always with very solemn sense of
responsibility. Here you take the mind
of man, and without his knowing it,
you shape it, you direct it, you send it
along on a road which he doesn't know
and which very often you don't know.
Laughter.] That, however, is not what
| mean by the real power of the press.
The power l am now referring to is
something much more substantial and
much more important. The press often
takes up a great cause. l remember
when, a few years ago, we had in this
country an immense and tremendous
controversy which took hold of the
hearts and
LIVES OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE
over the question of slavery. There
the press was divided, some on one side,
and some an the other, except that
those who were on the other side are
not so proud of it now. There was a
great power, and for the most part, it
was exercised for the good of the peo-
pie; and we rejoice now. as we look
back upon that great controversy-we
whose fortune it was to bear some part
In lat the great results that were
finally achieved-achieved as it was,
through blood, fire and tears-that have
ieft upon this country and upon the
history OF the world mark that will
never be obliterated. That is what l
mean by the power of the press-the
power OF speaking out the sentiment of
the people, the voice of justice.
THE ASPIRATION OF WISDOM.
the determination of patriotism, and
the hope of the whole people. The
Judgment, the effort, the power of those
who were on the other side. is wiped
out. You look for it, and it is there no
longer. All their efforts have disap-
peared as the dew disappears when the
sunlrises.
There is another function of the press
which is perhaps even more important
In this free country our constitution
puts into the hands of the executive Of
ficers OF the government an immense
authority. Thele is no king, no en-
peror, no autocrat in the world who
Yields such power, for instance, as the
president of the United States. Well,
suppose time should cOme-God for
bid that it ever should come-but if it
should come, that there should be in
THE POST OF THE PRESIDENT
d HAL VINO mas gained such influence
over the hearts of the whole people that
they become deaf to the suggestions of
wisdom and give to his ambition a free
sway and an open field; suppose that
he sets aside, little by little, the re-
straints of the constitution; suppose
that he tramples upon that great prin-
ciple of personal liberty, which is
the noblest inheritance that our
fathers have left us because it
is the very life of the republic; suppose
that he tramples down that principle;
the executive power is in his hands; the
army. follows and obeys him; where
then is the safeguard of the public lib
erty against his ambition? 1t is in the
press. Tremendous applause.] 1t is in
a free press. And when every other
bulwark is gone, the free press will re-
main to preserve the liberties which we
shall hand down to our children, and to
maintain the republic in all it's glory,
let us hope, forever and forever"
Upon the close of Mr.. Dana's address
the audience broke out into a wild burst
OF cheering, and the old editor took his
seat, visibly affected by the reception
with which his effort was rewarded.
The exercises concluded with a lect-
ure by James WhitcOmb Riley, which
was warmly applauded.