The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-25
THE;PRESS AND
THE STATE.
4 MEANS or DEVELOPMENT

At the late press convention th'
following able essay vas read by
Mr.. ". r. Buroank, editor OF TIE
| Winston Sentinel;
"Many years ago there va. coun
Itry peopied only by savages. il
contained the most ferflly soil; II
| nad . variety Of c!irate. including
| most GENIAL; its mountalus we're ol
giant size; it had valleys Of exceed.
ing loveliness; its scrn~ry VAS the
kIandest upon the tacc o. the earth.
! In It's forests uers .te no,. Orna.
mental a. we'll a. the most usefuI
OF woods; among It's rocks the most
precious Of minerals; there was gold
! aud silver, coal and iron, granite
and even prec,Ods stones
"But of what value was all this
profuse wealth of nature while the
country vas psopied only by saw.
agesl Since the dawn of creation
it had yielded nothing Of perma>
n-nt value; the winter SHOWS anc
| the summer epns saw little change.
Compared With tue present uses OF
men these fertile fields were a.
deserts, for all their products were
a. flowers that are born to blush
unsetE.
"Well, this land speak o: re.
NAMED to be advertised, and lis
first advertiser was Christopher Co.
,nmbus. IN It's natural resOnl ces
the America pf his day .9f IL.
America of our day, but, behold
how changed! The crt Of printing
hsd been invented little while bt.
lore the discovery OF this new
world, but the press, aa that word
is now significant. WAS not get born.
~ as HSEiC OuitC hUd &c u3iI
centuries beforo the goi-a oi CatlioI.
uia, the silver of Nevada, the cop-
per Of Montana, BECAME known to
the world, and men EN- < ated to
the far West as they dli To the
shores Of THIS country when James.
town vas tound,d !, and Sir Waiter
Raleigh sent his frs C0inr- 20
what is now the Old Moth State.
cit is within tho memory Of us
all--ior it was during the decade
that preceded the t9k,ng Of the last
ceu,us-tnat various parts Of the
United States had 81 enormously
rapid deve.opnent--so rapid aud IN
30 bret Q time that even 20 the
progressive modern American It
seemed almost Incredible. Within
q wear bas AmerIc.n enterprise
transtOI med Q pasture into city
with paved street-, banks, schools,
churches, and electric roads. One
city in Tho South .s sa,d to
have doubled it's population I've
times IN ten years while one in the
West increased lta population some
1--WE thousand per cent.
"Now, l saomit to YOU that these
things could not have been accomp.
i!shed without tho modern press,
and this miracle Of cities built iu q
day had its foundation or main Ie.
lance on that other miracle-:he
Press. Indeed, such is the necessi.
ty of the newspaper in developing
the resources OF d State or q part Of
It. that town-hu'lders regard a
newspaper as An essential aid, a
necessary adjunct, Of their enter
prise. They establish the newspa-
per shortly after laying off the town
lots and charge it's expense account
on the books of the land and deve'.
opnent company. Zee town.bulId.
or, therefore, looks upon the press
az prior in point Of necessity to the
b INK, tho school.house, the chm ch
aud the other cOnc0mltants of q
progressive village or town. Not
only this, but these town'builders
had previously paid tribute to the
press, and In the newspapers of the
large cities Had presented the ada
yattases OF their own partlcuIa, 10.
ca,.ties.
..Hefore the town is bu!:F-w bile
there are but stakes 10 ozark OF
the town lcts-the lnodein town
builder recognizes the press as an
ard in developing the resources OF
his section. After the town is built
the people therein recognize the
value OF their home newspaper by
the most liberal patronage; and
notice 10 all such towns Ill the West
and North what | would like to see
l. T.,