The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-07-18
BILL ARP.
Tho Georgia Philosopher at the Press
Meeting.
Atlanta Constitution.


| A.larM Constitution.
| Gentlemen OF tie Press. Ycu have re-
ceived your welcome-you have dined-
it is now in order to indulge in little
post prandial talk seasoned with taily.
Compliments are well received just after
dinner when the inner mind is satisfied
with his inner self aud the mind Graves q
dessert as well as the body. ] propose to
speak few words concerning the press,
the editors aud the printers and though
the deyi! is absent shall give the devil
his due.
There is an eternal fitness of things,
aud it is fit on this occasion that the host
should let his guest be the subject of his
thoughts and bis attentions. A generous
hospitality requires that, and SO does good
policy; for as one good turn deserves
| another, it is reasonable TO suppose that
when you return 10 your type all our
compliments will be repaid fourfold, good
measure, pressed down, shaken together
and running over.
| But facts are compliments, and it is q
fact that the press has made more adran
ces within the past half century thar any
art or science or profession. It has done
more for the worlds progressin all things
that become our humanity. 1t is no
longer the fourth estate, but is the first.
It's now more potent for good than is
| the pulpit or the schools. For, without
the press, the preachers and the teachers
would be helpless. Not book nor
sermon could be printed not a Bible or
tract for mission work not paper for
the farm or 6reside. 1t is curious to
think how the world got along without it
in the ages past.
History tells us that in ancient Roine
there was written newspaper published
daily and posted upon bulletin boards at
prominent places in the city. 1t was
called The Acta Diurna and furnished the
citizens with the news Of notable events
with the births and deaths, and fires and
earthquakes, and the eaicts ofthe magis.
trates. The Acta Diurna died with the
empire, and medieval Europe had 40 moro
newspapers until the printing press was
invented in the sixteenth century. Then
another appeared at Venice and vas
sold for small coin called gazetsa and
from this coin the paper took the name
of Gazette-s popular name until now.
But even this limited progress in the dit.
fusion of knowledge was unpopular in
England until the reign of Charles the
first During the reign of King Henry,
the Sixth, Jack Cade, the rebel, had an
army of twenty thousand men, making
war upon royalty and the educated class
es; and if a prisoner was taken who
could read or write it was sufficient
excuse to put him to death. Shakespeare
records Cade's sentence of death upon
Lord Say "Thou has corrupted the
youths of the realm in erecting 6 school
house. Our fathers had no books but the
score and tally and they were honest;
but thou hast caused printing to be used,
and has built paper mill. Thou shalt
die for it," My friends, if Jack Cade
we're here what would become of you?
Even in our day editors are not uniTer.
sally popular, for remember that when
Mr.. Scruggs was publishing a paper in
Atlanta and was assaulted in his office
and badly beaten for something that sp.
peered in his columns, l asked learned
judge if he thought the man was justified
in the assault, and he said, "Oh, ] don't
know have not heard the facts in the
case, but will say this, that in the ab.
stract on the general principles tits right
to whip 'em.''
The Judge had himself been severely
handled by another paper about that
time and was moi amiable towards the
profession.
The first English newspaper was pub
lished 1922 by Nathaniel Butter, and was
called "The Certain News of the Present
Week" In 1866 during the reign of
Charles II the London Gazette appeared
and still survives, being the Oldest news
paper in the world. In the year 1902
there appeared the first daily paper under
the name of the English Courant. We
do not know that it died bua my opinion
is that it was simply transranted and is
now published in Gainesville by q
Christian gentleman with an American
Freeman to assist him, and hence is call
ed the Ccurant American by Christian
and Freeman. In 1904 Daniel Defoe
published tri weekly called the English
Nation, and spiced its columns with his
own original story Of Robinson CFusoe.
But there was no great success in any
English newspaper until the London
Times began its wonderful career jest one
iu,,dre(l years ago.
In our own country there arc living
.."n"rs as old as the Times. The Mary
.anl Journal has changed its name, but
still maintains an unbroken succession.
l have before me Il genuine original
number that i, dated August Goth, l773.
In 172l James franklin was a printer
and his brother Ben was his devil. The
boss ola newspaper Was not then called
the editor; be was simply q printer or
publisher. The name editor came after
wards, and is derived from the Latin
word 'edere,' to eat. TO make a
living by this calling vas so precarous
that the publisher Was generally hungry
and was glad to take subscriptions in
something to eat. Some of our country
editors are etill driven to the same neces-
sity Not long ago | saw in the Camilla
Clarion a double headed, hungry an
nouncement that Brother Underwood
would receive for subscriptions chickens,