The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-21

lands of sweet immortelles. With life filled to its utmost capacity have had but little time for preparation, and 1t was only a few days ago I began to think about what subject I would talk to you on this occasion. After much hesitation could think of no subject that believed would be of more pIa tical benefit. and would be near the hearts of the members of this Asso- citation than the Press and It's Pos-er For Good.'
 Mir. President. it was the great Roman orator, Cicero. who told us that Socrates called philosophy down from the heavens to earth and introduced it into the cities and the houses of men, compelling men to enquire concerning life and morals, and things good and evil" Plato studying the great prin- ciples of science. learning to the higher laws of nature, and following in. the footsteps of Socrates, made the Prophe- tic anticipation that the laws of the physical universe were receivable into numerical relations, and therefore capable of being represented by mathe- nautical formulae. These great pro- phets in philosophy pointed out the great principle which would govern and perfect all science. and would lift the world to its highest plain of knowl- edge and culture. They were far ahead of, their times in their reason ing. and were looked upon with sus- picion by their contemporaries. The world today has been brought to full realization of the teachings of these great philosophers, and after the great strides that have been made in science and art, the world today is ready to marvel at nothing. Year by year, and century by century, great improve ments have been made. The field for thought and research have been broadened until today the advantages are simply unlimited; but we must not be discouraged by the long strides made in the past for the end in the onward march in great achievement is yet far distant. In the palmiest days of Greece and Rome, when they had reached their pinnacle of culture, re-
 iinement and fame, the people thought then that surely the world had reached It's highest plane and that there was it- tie to do in perfecting science and utiliz ing the great laws of nature. So we would stand in wonder if we could live to witness the wonderful progress of the Twentieth Century, and see the wonderful strides made in utilizing the gifts and possibilities given us by the Great Master of the universe.
 During the wonderful progress the world has made, the Press, though young in years, has not been silent and impotent factor. Though the be- ginning of the art of printing Is not definitely known it Is supposed to have been practiced by the Chinese as early as the Sixth Century to a limited ex- tent. but did not come into general use until the Tenth Century. Moveable type was not invented until about f4B. and 1t was at the close of the Four tenth Century before the manufacture of paper began, which is the beginning of the real work of the Press. The first printing press of America was supposed to have been set up in Mexico 1856 the first in this Union in 16S9: the first south of the Mason and Dixon line, at Charleston, s. C.. in 1730; and the first west of the Mississippi River at St. Louis, in 1908. Though as we see. the printing press is comparatively young in years, yet It's work. it's in- fiuence, and power, cannot be justly measured by these few centuries. The manuscripts which were prepared for it more than two thousand years ago, were not given to the compositor until the Fifteenth Century and therefore gave to him the delayed work ot these centuries to do. Even the Divine Commandments inscribed upon tablets of stone, the Roman fun damental law upon tablets of brass, the Sacred Scriptures upon parchment made of skins. and all the works Of science and art. would have been for ever lost, or would have remained in a crude and imperfect form but for the printing press. Though the world since the Fifteenth Century has made great progress, the press has kept apace with it, and today the humblest citizen in his far away mountain home can keep in easy touch with any me- tropolis of the world. If our first great printer, Benjamin Franklin, could com pare his rough printing press now in the Patent Office at Washington with the perfecting press of today, he would stand in Wonderment at the great achievement of human genius. Today by the wonderful work of the press the painters brush has almost been stilled and the great geniuses in this art have been relegated to the rear. Next to the school house, and l may say the church, the press is doing more to en. tighten and elevate he human race than any other force. It is power behind the throne" that is bringing every great question before the peo-
  lv.
 I was impressed the other day day remark made by a gentleman who had recently returned from California; do not wish to discourage any one who is going on our trip, for l anticipate the most pleasant one yet made by the As sociation,-when I asked him what were his impressions of that State, and how it would compare with this State, he said so far as natural advantages were concerned that this State was superior to that. There every resource and advantage of the State had been we'll advertised; the press has) been long and persistent in sounding its praises until thousands of migrants have been drawn there from every quarter of the globe There thousands of tourists visit every year, and every possible resource of the State IS being well developed. What we need in Ala bama, and in the South, today, my friends of the Alabama Press Associa- tidn is a more thorough cooperation and a greater effort in bringing before the eyes of the world the wonderful re- sources and possibilities of our section. What we need is to infuse into the peo- pie this idea and to inspire them with the importance of this great work. We are standing today at the threshold of the brightest century the world has ever known. As we look out from the watch tower of the present, we behold the harbinger of a better and brighter daV-a day radiant with bright hopes and grand possibilities for the South. Nearly every section of the world i5 becoming crowded and | as reached the highest state of development. From