Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-01
DANA ON THE PRESS.

4 0rlllant Address by New YOrk's Vet.
ersn Edater-Tho Power OF the Modern
journal Ably Set Forth-Eight Maxima
TOR Newspaper Men.
MILWAUKEE, July 25-Charles A. Dana,
editor Of the New York Sun, addressed On
immense audience at the New Academy,
under the auspices of the Wisconsin Edi.
torial Association. The veteran Journalist
was graated WARMLY The speaker said he
began newspaper work on weekly
literary paper, which meant that 1t was
issued once every week [laughterl.
The axadkly edition Of that sheet waa
$50 copies, which would not compare
very famorable with the present daily
paper, whioh literally ran mile minute
(Applause.l lin the modern newspaper the
intellectual land the mechanical depart.
Aents joined,to produce the daily paper Of
to-day, which was one Of the wonders Of
the world. ,t.u--...
The noaern paper Is possible, he said,
only in thickly settled, civilized country,
which demandsiit. It is q mark of high
intellectual development that q country
demands such a publication. AS com.
pared with Europe, America was
far in advance. In the whole OF
the British islands there was not more
than half dozen papers which would COM
pare with those of this country. The same
criticism held good in regard to the news.
papers of Germany. There the papers
were remote from the people; here the
press was close to the people.
The atmosphere of freedom was essen.
tial to the production of great newspapers,
A distinction should DO made between
American and European definitions OF
freedom. In France the daily paper
would have one weQ-written essay,
but the remainder of the sheet
would be filled with matter which in
America would be considered immaterial,
The newspaper must furnish the informa~
ton the people desire or it will be failure.
The first thing looked for was news, and
by that word the speaker meant any thing
which would interest the people
The speaker did not think a college
course in journalism would be Of much
value. The one school was the newspaper
Office, and without it no man could become
thorough journalist. [Applause and
voices: That's so."] There were no set
maxims and rules for journalists. The
doctor and the lawyer might have rules.
but there were very few rules that could
be used by newspaper men. Mr.. Dana,
however, submitted the following:
''First-Get the news and get all the news.
and nothing but the news
"Second-Copy nothing from any ones pub
deatfon without perfect credit.
''rhird-Never print an interview without
the knowledge and consent OF the party inter-
viewed. Laughter and applausel
Fourlh-Never print q paid advertisement
as news matter. tLaughter.1 Let every ad.
vertisement appear as an Notwithstanding
sailing under false colors- [Applause.]
Fifth-Never attack the weak, the defense.
less, either by argument, by invective or by
rtdicule, unless there is some absolute public
necessity for so doing.
believe they contain the whole truth or the
only truth.
"Seventh-Support your party, it you have
one loud laughter and applausel, but don't
think all the good men are in it and all the bad
ones outside Of it. [Laughterl.
'Eighth-Above oil, know and believe that
humanity is advancing and that there is prog
ress in human life and human affairs, Zap
plause], and that, as sure Us God lives, the tut
ure will be greater than the present or the
past" [Applause.]
Continuing, Mr.. Dana said:
There is one other point would touch
upon, and that is the question of the power OF
the press. We know that the press is very
powerful agent. 1t takes men when their in
ing has not yet been worked out, when
their opinions have not yet been fixed,
and it suggests and intimates and
tnsinuates an opinion and q judgment
which oftentimes O man-unless he is man of
very great force Of character and intelligence
adopts as something established and concluded.
That is part Of the power Of the press. It is a
power, an influence, which is exercised over
the minds OF the people, often without the
knowledge OF any criticism on the part>of the
person who is subjected to its power.
"That, however, is not what I mean by the
real power OF the press. The power am now
referring to is something more substantial
and much more important. The press
often takes up great cause. remember
when 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
on the other, except that those on the other side
are not so proud OF it now. (Applause] There
was great power, and for the most part it was
exercised for the good Of the people, and we
rejoice now, as we look back upon that great
controversy-we whose fortune it was to bear
some part OF it-at the great result that was
finally Observation-Disclosures, as it was, through
blood and fire and tears that have left upon this
country and upon the history of the world q
mark that will never be obliterated. LAP.
plause.] That is what mean by the power Of
the press-the power OF speaking out the sen.
timent OF the people, the voice OF justice,
the aspiration OF wisdom, the deter.
minatton 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 sun rises.
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 officers Of the Government an i'm
mense authority. There is no King, no Emper.
or, no autocrat In tho world who Yields such
power, for instance, as the President OF tue
United States. Well, suppose time should come
God forbid that it ever should come-but, If il
should come, that there should be in the post
OF the President man who has gained
such influence over the hearts of the whole PEG.
pie that they become deaf to the suggestions
of wisdom and give to his ambition q free
sway and an open field; suppose that he
sets aside. little by little, the restraints
OF the constitutions; suppose that he
,sramples upon that great principle OF per.
eonal liberty which is the uoblest in.
heritance that our fathers have left us,
because 1t is the very life Of the Republic; sup.
pose that he tramples down that principle; the
Executive power Is in his hands; the army fol.
lows and obcys him; where, then, is tho
safeguard Of the public liberty against
IT. Af> l.