The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1893-09-14
THE MISSION OF THE PRESS-ITS RELATION
TO INTELLECTUAL, MORAL AND NATE
RIAL DEVELOPMENT


cannot hope do justice within the limits of paper OF
this kind Indeed could hope do the subject justice
limitations to time space placed me- as it
would battle the profound philosopher and
the fluent writer feel that his pen unable to
ery portray its Importance However there some thoughts
in connection with it which may to dwell upon and
which may be inappropriate in gathering of the news
paper workers of this great and growing state.
The development of the press has been of the most
remarkable FEATURES of development people, and its
expansion has brought closer and yet closer relations
with every department of our life with phase of human
progress There time when the newspaper mere
incident of daily e it rold the news in simple but
left the field of the teacher for others presents
the record only of the events of the day. but of the
thought the culture and the conscience of the times The
newspaper has index of
schools the guage of the church There
department of human affairs that does not look
the daily press for its greatest assistance that does not
draw from the press its most valuable most practical nforma
ton The press is at once the herald teacher of
bulletin board of the moral mental and material
of people the mutudes with their eyes
towards it, catch their inspiration and enthusiasm from
the which they flashed it, 1t is impossible
to any department of life that is not influenced in
greater degree by the press the is
of the public and in all the majority of the
people derive their impressions entirely from the
The of the press the material moral and intel
ectual development of the times apparent that is is
scarcely necessary illustrations Of its arreaching
power material affairs there is branch of industry
very large depend upon the press for
its prosperity Those who engaged any kind of business
must know the condition of the markets which they
depend this knowledge they rely the reports that
are laid upon their breakfast table, they must know where to
for business then must know what competition they
their furnish them the earliest and
useful information upon all these points The investor
where there opportunities for investment he
must able Judge of the relative advantages of different
lines business Of different localities and his principal
source of information always be the newspaper
follows that IA paper be useful the business men of i'll
nif\ md to "A
interests of its section must be both enterprsng and trust
worthy The that it furnishes the statements that
be reliable, and must be guided by determine
ton opportunity point out the advantages which
its locality offers Our communities are in need
capital enerprsing people These to be had and
things being equal those sections that have the mos
" enerpsng reliable will be most successful
this competition, 1t makes difference how small com
muny may be, it will grow if its resources be Judiclous
advertised by wdcawake local paper shiftess paper
probably positive dctriment place for the world ha
Judge communities by their newspaper pubics
MS; there is place far advanced that pushing
energetic journal will not carry it forward to higher plane
Developments would say therefore, if you want your sectio
progress make paper progressive II you nave an
thing your locality that is worth telling Of tell OF it, and te
i again. Dwell upon often and keep 1t
well the that il cannot escape the attention oil tho
whose hands your paper come To this extent ooomf
benefit to any community often hear persons acc
booming believe that every newspaper man should boo
any thing his locality that is worth booming The wor
know of it unless you do boom it, Tell the tru
it, but by all set the people to talking about H.
you draw times many people to your section as
subject your will make business for rest assured tn
they will opportunities right in your own district tn
van had never dreamed Of speak earnestly because
believe of Idaho understood even
our people, and that, with an energetic conscenuo
booming press work from end of the state to the 9th
will have here the most prosperous commonwealth
all the ssterhood
Referring again other branches of my subject wor
10 of their salient points 1t is
necessary dwell upon the function of the press as an edu
tor people. 1t is the boast of the men OF the press
they The boast is that may properly be
duged for there is power in our modern CIVILIZATION
greater influence than the in the domain oil POI
lar education 1t bhooves then to realize that gr
responsibility placed upon shoulders, in view OF the
o that education is of two knds-good and bad-and that
would educate all than to be guilty Of ncucat
thatwhch either immoral believe that paf
should both intellectually and morally and that ne
paper should take the greatest pains to satisfy themse
that the matter they publish will tendency to 10
either the intellectual the moral standard of their readers
Again there feature of education that is of more
portance than that abstract quality which we call cultue
nothing deveopes culture rapidly as the use OF cor
language; and that newspapers which habtu
of slang and valgarisms in articles that all
o people commit grave onse against their readers
VIII papers pass the hands of the young who do not realize
importance of cultured peech these become accustomed
able terms which are outrage upon they naturally
a their minds thus become encrused with habit
speech likely become lifelong barriers to the enr
laho. OF the inner lorms Vi in'ei''u fr n,, - -, O.
enough of slang the streets They should not nj
endorsed publication which comes into their no
proudly boastng it is the teacher of the people
agri In conclusion, would that it is self-evideut tina
very should be faithful reflex OF those simple virtues
in which nation rests and that II should str
adhere to the rules by which culture the acn
any education measured Give cultured hghrmnded
you and will a cultured hghmnded people worth
quire these sun-bathed mouuanguarded valleys
have been given home and heritage for our chi
and their children's children after them