The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-27
SATOLLI ON THE PRESS
THE PApAL LEGATE'S ADDRESS BE-
FORE THE GRIDIRON CLUB.
Distinct Impression Made Mt the Tenth
Annual Dinner of This Famous
Washington Assembly.


nual dinner of the Gridiron Club, given to-
night, at the Arlington Hotel. was of
the most successful ever given by this club.
Walter B. Stevens, Washington correspond
ent of the st. Louis Globe-Democrat, who
was recently elected president of the club,
proved a well-equipped presiding officer.
Among the many prominent guests were
Archbishop Satolli, papal delegate, and his
secretary, Rocker: ex-Speaker Reed. AS
sociate Justice Brewer, Major General
Schofeld, the German, Hawaiian and Ar
gentine ministers. William Edgar Nye. H.
H. Kohlsaat, Capt. Frank NJ. Howes, Of the
Merchants and Miners Company, Balti-
more; Senators Teller, Dubois and German,
and Representatives Hopkins Weadock,
Baker, Caruth, Springer and Cannon; Judge
Rufus B. Cowing, New York city; Thomas
Nelson Page and First Assistant Post
master-general Jones. Many novel and an
teresting features of entertainment were
introduced and the speeches were unusu-
ally bright and able, notably among them
that of Mgr. Satoi.. who had his first op-
portunity. since his residence in this coun-
try, OF addressing the press. Mgr. Satollis 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 functions of government into
classes-the legislative, the executive or ad-
ministrative, and the judicial--whch are, in
truth but three activities of and the
same power which is vested in him who
has the care of the people and represents
them Now, however, an adequate division
of the. powers. of government would have
to include fourth element, and this is
public opinion. exercising it's activity
through the organizements of the press. 1t
is, consequently, great pleasure and honor
n feeling
as l do, that | am surrounded by the rep
resentatives of this fourth power in the
greatest and most glorious of modern re-
publics-a republic emulous of the glory of
those ancient times.
SATOLI1TS OPINION.
''It is the public press which has the
most general and efficacious influence in
constructing, moderating, keeping alive and
modifying, when necessity requires, public
opinion. 1t is a 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 the
legislative power cannot hold itself in
dependent nor Indifferent to the popular
opinion. which manifests itself through the
press. Man, as a social being, has three
natural needs: The communica ton of his
ideas; interest and participation in the
government Of the State to which he be-
longs; to be kept as accurately and prompt
ly as possible informed of what goes on in
the world about him: Nothing better meets
these three wants than the public press.
If man were left with the faculty of
speech alone. none of these three needs
useful expediant, but rather serve for gen.
eral instruction than for the practical
knowledge of the daily course of events
and may fittingly be called the fixed
press. Periodicals answer the need better,
but not sufficiently. as experience proves.
They may be. termed an intermittent
Gus press, when well organized has the
advantage OF being fully proportionate to
the social exgencies of the human mind.
The practical life. not only of the in
dividuaI but also of the body polite. is
sylligism, the major proportion of which
containing general truth, may be found
from the periodicals, but to draw the con-
clusion belongs properly to the daily pub
lie press, which day by day. describes
the social life in its minutest details. And,
therefore, just as the conclusion of the
syllogism contains 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-
plications describing as in its proper field
that which Is done in practical life as
well by the governing as by the governed.
Society Is an organized body. The gov
ernlnent Is its head; the people its mem
bers; the military its veins and muscles:
its blood. the wealtn which has It's be-
ginning and ending in the history of the
people; morally and religion are its heart
since 1t serves the organ of public
respiration. Or. again, / do not hesitate
TO say that in the body polite
the public has that office in which the
1ndividual is performed by conscience and to
deflne IL as the organ of social conscience.
RIGHTS OF THE PRESS.
rs 1t not the public press which at the
proper time should make known to the
makers of law what should or should not
be done for the common welfare? Can
any one deny to the public press the right,
In matters which concern the people at
large. to estimate the value of public acts
And especially does this public press act
as the public conscience since the mass of
the people think, speak and act under the
influence of impressions received
from the daily papers So great
being the Importance of the public
press. 1t is evident how much those VINO
labor in this ministry merit the good will
and esteem of the people.
From the day of my arrival in Amer
lea down to the present moment | have
had every reason to feel pleasure with
the press of this country, to conceive the
most exalted opinion of il, to appreciate
its great Importance. to nourish for it feel
ings of sincere and imperishabie gratitude
IL you desire to know my mission among
you you will find 1t expressed in the con-
ditions enunciated for my favorable re-
ception here, by well-meaninR but misled