St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-27
The FOURTH ESTATE.
Tribute to the Power Of the
Press by Archbishop
Satoili.
FACTOR FOR GOOD Or EVIL.
It Constructs. Moderates and
Keeps Alive Public
Opinion.
FACTOR FOR GOOD Or EVIL.
BOOKS ARE ALL VERY WELL,
But the Daily Press Fills the
Greatest Need of Our So
cial Life.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 26.-The tenth
annual dinner of the Gridiron club.
given tonight at the Arlington hotel,
was one Of the most successful ever
given by this club. Walter B. Stevens,
Washington correspondent of the ST.
Louis GlObe-Democrat, who was recently
elected president of the club. proved
we'll equipped presiding officer.
Among the many prominent guests
were: Archbishop Satolli, papal dele-
gate, ana his secretary. Rocker; ex-
Speaker Reed. As sociate Justice Brewer.
Maj. Gen. Schofield, the German, Ha-
waiian andArgentine ministers. William
Edgar Nye, II. Il. K0hlsaat Capt. Frank
NJ. Howes. of the Merchants and
Miners company. Baltimore: Senators
Teller, Dubois and German: RepreSen
tatives hopkins. Weadock, Baker,
Caruth, Springer and Cannon; Judge
Rufus B. Cowing, New York City;
Thomas Nelson Page and First Assist
ant Postmaster General Jones. Many
novel and interesting features of enter
tainment were introduced, and the
speeches were unusually bright and
able, notably among them that OF Mgr.
Satolli. who had his first opportunity
since his residence in this country OF
addressing the prss.
Mgr. SatoiiI's Address,
which was read by Dr.. Rocker, was as
follows:
From Aristotle to the renowned
author of l. Esprit deS lois.
Learned men have divided the func.
tons OF government into classes the
legislative. the executive or admins
trative anu the iudicial-which are, i'll
truth. but three activities of one aud the
same power which is vested in him who
has the care OF the people and repre-
sentS them. Now, however, an ade-
Quate division of the powers of governs
ment would have TO include a fourth
element, and this is public Cpinion.e x-
ercising its activity through the
organizement of the public press. 1t is
consequently great pleasure and
honor 10 me TO be with you this even
ing, feeling as | DO, mat | am sur
; rounded by the representatives Of this
fourth power i'll the greatest and most
glorious OF modern republics. a re-
public erulous of the glory OF those
of ancient times.
1t is the public press which has the
most general and eificaciouS influence
in constructing, muderating. keeping
alive and modifying, when necessity re-
quires, public opinion. 1t is question
whether laws depend from the social
dispositions Of the people, or whether
the social dispositions depend from the
/ law. In my opinion, the dependence is
mutual, and, consequently. lie legiSla-
IL
ent of nor indifferent to the popular
opinion which manjfests itself through
the press.
Communication of Ideas.
Man as Il social being has three
natural needs: The communication of
his ideas: interest and participation in
the government of the state to which he
/ belongs: 10 be kept as accurately and
promptly as possible Informed of what
goes Oh in the world about him. Nothing
better meets these wants than the pub
lie press. If man were left with the
faculty OF speech alone, none of these
three needs would be satisfied. Books
are, It's true. useful eXpedient, but
rather serve for general instruction
| than for the practical knowledge Of the
daily course of events, and may fittingiY
be called the fixed press
"PeTlodIcalS answer the need better,
but not sufficiently, as experience
proves. They may be termed an in
/ termittent press. The daily or public
4! press, continuous press. when we'll
organized has the advantage of being
fully proportionate to the social eX-
! igencieS OF the human man.
The Daily Press.
/ The practical life, not only of the
! individual, but also of the body politics.
! is asyllogism the major proportion of
! which containing general truth may
! be found i'll the book press; the minor
! may be had from the periodicals, but to
! draw the conclusion belongs properly
| to the daily public press, which day by
! day describes the social life in its
miuutest details. And. therefore, Just
as the conclusion of the syilogism con
tains in itself all the strength of the
premises. and is distinct from them, so
! the public press contains all the force of
general truths and of particular ap-
plicatlons describing as in lis proper
! field that which Is done in practical life
as well by the governing as by the
! governed.
| Society is an organized body. The
! government is its head; the people its
members; the military its veins and
/ muscles; its blood, the wealth which
has its beginning and ending in the
history of the people; morality and re-
ligion are its heart; the press may well
| ha tarmRd it's lunCS Siupa If sarvao aS