Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-09-19
THE FOURTH ESTATE"

The power of the press has be-
come SO widespread and prevail
ing that it has been termed 1.-The
Fourth Estate" How important
it is, then, for the progress aud
permanent welfare of the people
that the power OF the press be
rightly directed and fearlessly
maintained.
Whether for good or bad );
whether for promulgatiol. of cor
rect principles of political econ
omy or the warping of public
opinion into narrow lines and
making it subservient to the sell
fish ends Of designing politicians
or the personal advancement of
sordid greed for wealth, the in
1uence of the modern press can
hardly be overestimated.
The daily and weekly news :
paper now reaches almost every
home in the land, and ali read it.
Then there are the monthly
magazines, now issued so Won
derfully cheap that they are he
ing read more and more.
A mans reading cannot fail in
its influence upon him. His
views are colored, whether he
realizes il or not, by his news
paper, his magazine, the books
that he reads. Especially when
these impressions are made day
after day We breathe and are
nodded by the Intellectual, the
moral atmosphere in which we
move The position, then, of
the press is one of great power
and of corresponding responsi-
bility.
The political color of a news
paper is a thing Of vast imports
ance. In country like ours,
where the final appeal is to the
ballot, and where the vote Of
each and every citizen counts
exactly alike, the power OF the
press in political campaign is
looked upon, and properly, as
paramount. How, then, ought
those in control of these forces
to see to it that they are used for
the good Of the country, not
merely to advance the ambitious
scheme of this or that man, or
corporation or class.
THE ARGUS holds these con-
victions, and endeavors to pur-
sue its course with dignity be-
coming to the highest code of
the profession, and with due
consideration and respect for the
adverse views of others.
But what we want to say here
aud now is, that THE ARGUS is
deeply interested in promoting
the industrial development of
Eastern North Carolina, and in
furthering the commercial inter
ests of Goldsboro, and therefore
we desire to place The ARGUS
in every home throughout all the
contiguous counties, and to this
end We call upon and expect
every sagaciCus business man in
| Goldsboro, as q business matter, in
which ne is just as much inter
ested as we are, to lend us help
ing hand, by word, and subscrip-
ton and advertisement, to ac-
complish' this desire, for the com
mon benefit Of all concerned.
The opening of the Tobacco
Warehouse to morrow, as we
have said, marks the beginning
Iof a new era in Colds
: boro's commercial history
and in the industrial devel-
lopment of this section and
in the Improvement. consequent
thereupon, of the condition of the
, farmers, who are the bulwark OF
the country's progress. 1t will
mark, also, the doing away OF
sectional feeling between coun~
try and town, and general re
cognition of mutual interest and
friendly dependence, one upon
the other: and in proportion as
THE ARGUS is recognized and
fosterd, the better will it be en-
abled to cement the compact and
, promote the best interests of the
, whole people.