The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-05-05

or in each of lies this great powe
with which tie milton may j
shaken.
II was better that we shoul'
look INTO this great profession
with which we have identifies
ourselves, and learn wherein il i
that it's power Is SO wonderful,
great, and is so througlly well re
cognizcd, when many Of us have
no consciousness Of such power
and. in fact, our modesty ma,
lead MS 10 entirely disclaim it.
| While am not sure that yol
viii all agree with NE, | am led t.
believe that a very large part Of
r the power of the public press
comes from the fact that it il
practically impersonal; that the
editor in this daily contributions
TO the knowledge of the people il
not dealing forth his own ideas
| but that the community asa whole,
or in great sections, arrives IN
voluntarily, insensibly as it were,
ut conclusions as to the conduct OF
public affairs, and the true editor.
recognizing the drift Of public
opinion, is:himself convinced by
that which convinces the people,
and simply becomes the exponent
of the people in better formulating,
in better celebrating and in better
| stating its own ideas, those con.
illusions that develop gradually,
and with which large masses OF
our people may agree.
II may be that this impersona-
lity of the press detracts in a degree
from the dignity Of the great edi-
tor. who in assumed TO teach the
pubic what what it should do,
who is assumed to deal out ideas
for the public and by a sort OF
magnetism TO induce the publicto
accept these ideas without mach
dispute or even discussion.
There bave'been great editors,
chief among whom We believe
Horace Greeley has been placed,
who really shaped public opinions
largely in the way desired. In Mr.
GreeIey's case this was because OF
his well known earnestness, his
profound research, his strong in
tcrcst IN the affairs in which he
was engaged and the strength of
the convictions that carried him on
In his work But, even then, witt,
a ! these advantages iIl his editoii-
al work, ii would have been i'm
possible for him to have attained
the place held by him in public
estimation, had ii not been that
the very views that were taught by
him were already developing in the
minds OF u great section Of our
people, and that while he became
their exponent and leader IN urg.
ing the reforms that he advocated,
still his work would have fallen
fiat had not the public attained
sucl, u degree of advancement as
would enable them to understand.
ingly receive the ideas that he nd
yanced, to tllrouglily appreciate
them, and To act upon them judici-
ously.
The power Of the press, the
leadership Of the press lies in the
quick recognition Of the merits Of
the principles involved IN the dis
cussion of public matters. There
are opposing methods Of govern.
melt, many Of our best people be-
licving in the concentration Of the
in the hands Of d few
chosen persons, leaving but little
To the discretion of the masses,
while others believe that the gov.
eminent should not interfere in
the slightest degree with individu-
al effort, except insofar as may be
necessary for tho preservation Of
Df leacc. We necessarily find
large masses Of our people ready
10 receive ideas and suggestions
lending 70 favor the lines Of
thought IN these matters in which
hey already participate. This il
rs true IN every branch Of our in.
'ellectual activity as it il in gov
mental or political affairs. The