The age-herald., 1901-05-03

 bered in scores Tn the journalism of to- day, and the sober editorial leaders of this age are vast improvement on the leaa- CTS of the. early great editors at whose utterance the nation took pause. The complete transformation of journalism from the supreme importance of the edi- tor to the supreme importance of the. newspaper has been accomplished within my own Journalistic experience, and the newspaper of today is greater and grand CT because 1t Is vastly greater and grander than any individuality.
 A Universal Necessity.
 Half century ago the newspa- per was luxury, today It IS a universal necessity. Our wonderful progress in railways in the telegraph and in the journalistic mechanism that leads the mechanism of the world in progress with the free school at every cross roads, have made the newspaper multiply into annual countless millions, and IL is today the greatest of the great public eduea- tors. 1t has a larger clientele than the school, the college and the pulpit com bined and instead of reaching only few of the more cultivated and fortunate classes 1t now enters almost every home and Is read by every class and condition of our eighty millions of people.
 "The successful editor of today may be guiltless of leaders or paragraphs, for his duties are much more important than the writing of editorials He has every class and condition of culture at his command He successfully summons the President of the Republic. holding the highest CIVIL trust in the world, to enrich his columns Cabinet ministers, Senators. Representa- tives and the most cultured teachers In literature, art and science are subject to his call, and the pulpit, the bar and every other profession proffers the genius of the land to the editor. All these are journey men in the journalism of today, while Kings and potentates of the old world are often more than willing to be heard through the American newspaper Such Is the matchless progress of our news papers within my own journalistic experi- ence, and proud as I have always been of the profession that have ever regard ed as the most honorable and resF"ns'h'e trust of 8 free people. Inever was more proud of 1t than I am today.
 As To Sensationalism.
 I've hear American journalism has be- come sensational Like every other great calling it has those within it's fellowship who bring dishonor upon 1t by prostitut- ing 1t to unworthy ends. There is unpar- donable sensationalism In the newspaper calling, but I doubt whether it Is so 10 greater extent than any of the other
  ment. The pul.it, the bar, the medical profession and business circles have each their features of sensationallsm Wnlen bring reproach upon their calling, put even this evil that always has been, and always will be, visible In the great strug- gle for progress has not been without US compensatlons. It has made our best Journalism advance to the highest stan dard of popular attractlveness and usetul- ness; it has made our pulpits struggle to escape the humdrum teaching that made religious worship tiresome and spread vacancy throughout the church pews, and 1t has made the medical profession ad-- vance from its regular calomel and jalaps of fifty years ago to the most enlight- ened and progressive of all our great professions.
 "Discounted by all its defects the American newspaper of today that 1alriy represents American Journalism is the greatest and the best newspaper the world has ever produced Partisan and general disputation in our newspapers IS ten-fold more dignifled courteous and tol- erant today than 1t was in the days or Washington, Jefferson or Jackson. and the most grateful reflection 1 have In re- tiring from responsible editorial direction in journalism Is that I leave 1t greater, grander and nobler than it has ever been in the past.
 ..Friends, I pity the man who does not  welcome the gathering of the shadows which lie beyond the patriarchal years. The life that has fulfilled reasonable measure of its duties; enjoyed It's sun shine and mourned it's misfortunes; tenn pered it's shadows and welcomed its bless ings, finds ample compensations in every fieeting stage from the fevered hopes Of youth to the mellowed ripeness Of age; and its paling twilight should come as sweet incense to all who have traVersed the brief and fitful journey from the perishable to the imperishable life that IS our common destiny. It Is within the power of all, from the greatest to the humblest, to teach that life Is worth the living, and your generous testimony or tonight will ever be as beautiful and fragrant flowers along my pathway until memory is chilled into forgetfulness by the memorable messenger who summons us to the darkness which breaks in the better life beyond"