The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-31

INGi RSOLI ON THE PRESS.


From Bob lngersolls Speech
The press-what was the world without il
What has the press done? What ought il to do Not
many years ago the nations were walled i'll by pre-
ludite OF race of custom, ofregion. Each believed
its race the greatest its religion the only true one
The nations met as enemies nothing to exchange
but blows. nothing TO give and take but wounds.
Movable type was Invented and as Mrs. Browning
says: "Ciytlilaton was thrust into Europe the
point oia Moorish lance Thoughts were then
exchanged i'll place of blows. the newspaper was in
vented the pgovincialism of Europe began 20 ;isap
pear; the peasant who hal thought his king the
greatest In the world, III imparson with his petty
ncigllbor, began TO get lust view.
The same thing done in The United States.
Each citizen thought his state the greatest and the
love of state was the highest civic virtue But by
the circulation OF the ncwspaI the patriotism for
the state--which / call mud mtiiotsu--became
transferred to the safe, and the citizen became a
true and splendid American. Applause The
papers, disseminating the same news tend to the
uniiication of the nation, and we Q. the benefit of
the greatest brains in the solution of state questions.
CIVILIZATIONS AND BAEnAGIsN.
There was a time when civilization was i'll r mi
nority, when taEbar.sm was well nigh universal;
when the torch Of progress was held in few feeble
hands and barbarisln tram pied it down aud extin-
guished it i'll the bood of It's defenders Yet other
civilizations arose and kept airing, one after an
other, until nov the great republic is abe TO hold
that torch against the combined world. Tremet-
d0us applause In the struggle between ciViliZn
ton and tarl arism the world Is passed Sht
We have Tassed midnight also III the struggle for
supremacy of the governors the gov
erncd. The world is destined to be re-
publican Those who obey the laws are dcs
tined to make the laws Yet the relations
OF the nations of the earth are those of say
ages. Each nation for itself is civil lied. But the
'g3f VIII hat must ijec0nio until me
dealings of nation with nation the same those
between civilized man and civilized man. Kings
ard ministers used 70 be content with the applause
of each other. But now kings are compared with
kings: when they go TO war they know they are to
he judged at The bar of public opinion This public
opinion must be created by the newspaper
have heard much talk lately about our country
being oyer-popuated, Look OF the map, look at The
Mississippi draining vast portion of this splendid
country, reaching from the Ale yhanieS 10 the
Rockies. capable of supporting, clothing educ 0tins,
cniightcning FIVE hundred millions OF human be
ingS The MisSsSipprVcr is natures protest against
division, and reminder that this country Is To
main one, and under one flag Let the press De the
worthy mouth piece OF this great aud splendid
country. All SIX IS thar il be not the bat of
pciOn a chattering Jay OF gossip raven hOar5c
with Croaking OF disaster or vampire iattCning
the regulations Of men. Let IL be eagle, rising
and s0fdid. srasping only the thundcrboltS of
justice
This [ say Is to bc the greatest of republics. 50
great that it dictate to the world and say to nny
ration about to strike weaker one, stop" aud
The ord will be o1cyed. II will grasp by the throat
cunning rich, that may attempt to rob the toll
ing masses Of Euiore, Al hope ali / ask Tor, is
that the press Of the United States may continue
worthy OF the great republic.