The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-06-30
1.-THE PRESS"

have chosen "the press" as my
theme more with the desire to post and
inform myself, than With the hope to
add new interest or novelty to 80 weighty
subject; for, wi'a my youth and inex-
perience, such an idea would be gross
presumption. 1t ISL truth few will care
to controvert, that all great things have
their origin in very small beginnings,
and nowhere have we better illustra-
ton Of this fact than in the printing
press. In its 6,st conception it consisted
mainly of wooden screw and two blocks
of wood. This simple machine originated
in the brain of a German by the name of
Gutenberg, about the year 1450. Little
did its inventor anticipate that from it
would spring the huge, ponderous mass
Of machinery that is to-day propelled by
steam, printing thousands upon thou
sands of books, newspapers, magazines
and pamphlets. In my opinion no
science Of the present age has made such
gigantic strides towards improvement as
has the press. Before the year 14OO,
printing was unknown. Books there
were, but they. we're written by hand
upon parchment. Just imagine for one
moment the strain upon body and mind
that was necessary to accomplish the
task of writing FIVE or six volumes in this
way, to say nothing of the equally as
wearisome task of reading. Now, in this
nineteenth century of ours by few rev.
olutions of machinery volume upon vol.
ume can be printed in single day, and
nothing but pleasure is experienced in
the reading. Of course the invention of
printing by movable types greatly re-
duced the cost of books, and from this
date their number rapidly multiplied
and knowledge was more widely diffused
than ever before. The press becoming
then, Us it has ever since been, the great.
est educator in our midst. In this busy
world of ours ne cannot all be called to
stand upon the high places of authorship,
or hope TO tread the worlds great stage
as solons. But there is no excuse for the
busiest or the very poorest not being iu-
formed on all live issues and current
events of the day. Never have the faci!.
tiles for learning been so great and 80
cheap, and for this we must thank the
'great arm" of the press.
Take, for instance, one of the daily
newspapers of New York or any of our
large cities. 1t is compendium of use
full knowledge in itself. It's advertise
ments will furnish food for the hungry
and medicine for the sick for few cents.
It Informs the poor man where be can
get employment, and who will give him
most for bis labor.
The stranger, weary 10 body and de.
spondent in mind, listlessly scans the
pages of daily, aud To-! his eyes rest
upon that which be most wishes to find
"a home for his family and an opening
for his busin ess. The traveller, perple1ed
with doubt as to time and trains, has only
to search the papers, and he will find
schedule that can be relied upon, for, if
the slightest change is made in railroad or
| steamboat time, it is Immediately cor
rected in the newspaper. There is no
medium for the dissemination of truth
and knowledge 50 convenient and perfect
as the "press," and yet it is oftentimes
abused and made the instrument of i'll
will and hatred between families and
factions. Newspaper controversies are
often productive of harm. This is the
abuse and not the proper use of the press.
Therefore they should be conducted with
due regard to the rights of others. They
are essential to the settlement of all
great questions. But, like any other
powe-, they may be abused and made the
| means of evil, rather than good. How
ever, this is not the fault of the press,
| but Of the persons using it. Oonse'
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