The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-13

G yVM&NMI -0M 800 ~
MyglgaI1lsY days: by events
nS&SNeSk1r mot by prophecies
&4xSNl by fulnllments. no
~4M~ by promises. w
- live in an age o
SENATOR CHALLENGER. tremendous pur.
poses and startling renlitiss. The stage
coach that once rumblsd through your
mountain passes has bsen superseded By
the express train. driven by the power OF
steam. The p%ost-horss has given way to
tho telegraph, and communications BY mes.
ssnasr has bssn %supplantsd By the fas,
mail md tho telephone. II ID an ago o.
invention-an ora Of discovery. Old thing
are bsing forgotten, and tho restless braini
of busy men srs working out the problems
of the present, and trying to penetrate thu
Aysteries OF ths future.
Ths rude implements Of Gutenberg, by
means Of which be made : printed pags,
would seem strange to modern topographic
art. . tbs recent Inventions ia all de-
partmsnts Of human sndsAvor have far out
stripped those Of former years.
Fortunately, the progress Of h%unanitar-
ian ideas ana charitable plans has Kept
pace with the discoveries Of science and the
0UvUlOEAAoA0 u AuL1AA RAikAs M lOE1A0E
age Of the world dreamed Of such colossal
gifts and suoh grand plans for the sleva-
tion Of To people and ths amslioration Of
human suffering q mark ths closing wears
OF the sentury in which We live.
Ar an illustration Of the. changed eondi-
tion of things ii may be remarked that,
after = Desperate struggle to make his art
productive of sven the bare necessities Of
life John Gutenberg, the inventor Of the
art Of printing with movable types. died in
poverty and neglect in February. 1868.
But, more THAN 400 years after tGutten-
berQ's death, there is erected here q homo
for the superannuated disciples Of the first
memory. and a tribute paid by beaeyolence
to his genius. In the care Of his aged fol-
lowers the nineteenth century honora him
who. in : benightsd aRe, lifted the vsil
which shut ont the light Of intelligence,
and laid tbs foundation for the marvellous
enlightenment Of the present.
Thers must be in printers' ink an inspira-
ton 20 generosity and even prodigality, 80
few Of the craft ever become rich. That fol
low-feeling that makes.all the world akin
CLOVIS ever in the heart Of the printer, open
ing his purse to the needy and his soul to
with a homeless craftsman, his case is at
the service Of the wanderer. and his last
ration is fairly divided with the one who
knows not where to get his daily bread.
Nor ia his bounty or his charity circum-
eeribed by guild lines. Who SO hospitable
everywhere as a printer? Who 80 quickly
touched by the appeal of the afflicted?
Thrift may not be one of his virtues, but
niQgardliness is not ono of his failirgs.
His it is to share generously with others.
He has nc isolatod pleasures. His present
ID never burdened with the gloom of to-
morrow. '.suffeient unto the day is the
evil thereof" il the creed that TOO often
scantily clothes and feeds him and his fam
lily. Yet the world ia the better for his
coming. He has scattered smiles of glad
ness along its pathway. He has illnmined
it's night. He has brushed away the tears
from soma faces even if they have stolen
silently down his own. He has lifted here
and there q cloud, that sunshine might
penetrate a saddened heart. And whom at
eventide We measure his llfe's work, and
set off against his failings his many kindly
nets, we fnd that he has earned q home,
oven if he has not made one.
The printers case ID the training school
of some of the best thinkers of the age.
The range Of inquiry melted by it is bound
loss. 1t embraces all subjects. It is fst-
still going on between the advooatss of a
prescribed course of study In our colleges
and those who favor elective studies, but
there is no controversy oyer the curriculum
of the printing oftics. Its English is the
best. 1t must be eorreet.; 1t 10 often
instructive. There 10 no flight of fancy, mo
discovery of science, no speculation of phil
osopy, no plea for liberty. no prayer for
light. but tnds in the printing Office its
goal. The student ut the case fssds his
imagination, diaeplines his mind. broadens
his %thouglts and strenethsns his intslleot.
II used to be said of the legal profession
that its disciples must know everything.
SO A. to be thoroughly equipped to try tho
varied causes Of their slisnts. Ia there
anything within the ken Of mankind that
q printer may not be called upon to put
communion with the philosopher, another
ho is walking hand in hand with the soien-
tist, another he is in lock-stsp with some
noted instructor; again he is in touchswith
the editor in his endeavor to influence pub
lie opinion. and still again he ia making
present. history n future statesmen IS he
hlls up the forms Of the Congressional Re-
cord. He often takes thought in the rough
and dresses it in shape for the market. He
gets in sympathy with the writer, and when
allowed wsaves sut . finer texture than the
author drsamsd. He ia in touch with the
miliarity with the history and standard
writings OF tbs past. He 10. schooled. in
Judgment of human nature, and keeps in
with the pulse Of the people.
Many an article would never be inflicted
q l~onR-sunerinR public il it were first
to the test of the man at the
case. Manuscript that falls fiat upon his
ssnaibilities is not likely TO create y furoro
in Literature, tncito 4 rsferm, or change tho
of q state. He knows what will
awaken . popular chord, and his disorlm-
mating criticism sometimes reaches the
desk. His ridicnle il il that kills
tbs spring poet, that dsoimatss the ranks Of
those anonymous 6oribcs and Pharisoes
who sign themselves PRO bone publico."
and that indirectly crowds ont the oommu-
nioations of those writer's who are oontiu-
ualiy sacrificing to soms cauae all interests
not their own. The printer, it may be, no
longer %composss editorials at tbs caae. and
does not set original gems of Thought into
while you wait, but he 10 far from be-
ing ahorn of HIS power. The editor and
the proof reader still lean upon him, and
he shoots out from his ranks many 4 bright
leader in the worlds daily battles.
The printers oAse has been. and still ia, .
stone to positions ret honor, and
trust. FroM it have sprung statesmsn, phi
Iosophsrs. writer's, thinkers. scholars, pa
and philanthropiats. Il has made
felt In business affairs, In stataoraft
md In diplomacy through its graduates.
They have moved the world at home, and
'hsy have not been without their influence
abroad. Ths Franklins, the Greelsys and
he Plambs have aboundsd in tho history
II snr country. surpass than, il yau osn.
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