Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-04-03
THREE GREAT POWERS
CHURCH, SCHOOL AND NEWSPAPER
Some Comments upon Three Great
Institutions by Abe Jones.

/
are the church, the school and the
newspaper All go hand in hand and
where you find one you will find the
others. Some people think we could
dispense with churches, as but small
portion ofthe community attends them.
Did you ever stop to think what and
where we would be without them?
There are spots in the world where
neither of the three powers were ever
heard of, and what is their condition?
No attempt is made in this article
to prove or disprove the doctrinal points
of any church, but an endeavor to show
in few words the good of all. Idon't
believe it is necessary to investigate
what people said or did thousands of
years ago or to decide whether so many
drops of water or an immersion in the
river is the proper thing to do? Nearly
all the preachers of the present day say
less about the dead past and more about
the living present, showing they are
up-to-date and catch on to what the
people want to hear. To say nothing
about theological questions, all churches
preach and teach principles that if
practised would make good citizens,
good neighbors and honorable and up
right men and women, and that would
make world good enough to live in
and good enough to die in. ASK the
greatest infidel whether he preferred to
live in country where there were
churches or where there were not, and
if truthful he would answer in the for
mer. Now, my old friends and sinners,
go to church once in a while. You
will hear nothing to shock you, but
instead grand intellectual treat.
The schools are but little if any be-
hind the churches in responsibility TO
the world. They must teach the same
moral principles. The teachers must
maintain as correct department before
the scholars as the preacher in his
church, and they have innumerable
trials not known to the church. They
have thousands under their care too
young to be taught anywhere else, and
they keep constantly in mind that "as
the twig is bent the tree is inclined"
But thanks to the school system of this
country, which is so nearly perfect that
there are no serious jars Except in elect
ing school directors). No better illus
: tration can be given of the great value
. of learning than has been given by one
: of, if not the greatest, business men in
: America-Andrew Carnegie. He with
his level head and noble heart has
" given millions upon millions of his
: wealth to help educate mostly those
i who had not the means to educate
themselves. He has also given many
millions for other purposes just as noble.
The newspaper is the last on the list,
but not the least. 1t is doubtful if there
e is system of education in the world
. that surpasses the newspaper. A great
speaker might deliver an address to
1000 hearers; great newspaper would
; deliver it to 100000. Not only the law
bat the common sense of the editors
y demand a paper whose moral tone
: makes it suitable to be read in any
family. There are no "Brick Pom
eroys" at the present day. 1t has been
e said, and with no little truth, that a
thorough newspaper student was as
3 well qualified for practical business as
many college graduates. The influence
5 of newspapers for good or evil cannot
8 be comprehended at a glance. They
are one of the greatest factors in the
0 making and unmakiDg of officials from
! the President down. 1t is doubtful if
. the great money power has as much
3 influence as they do They also have
; the faculty of giving more news than
anybody else gets not only from this
country but from all the world. One
! would naturally think that paper
that gives every item of news from the
largest to the smallest would run dry,
but not so. The next week there is
just as much, all fresh and crisp, and
: 50 III COuIlIuts week dlltT week anu
a month after month.
r The benefit of paper as an adver-
Using source for business men is not
appreciated except by themselves. To
r give simple illustrations: First every
e body either has something to sell or to
a buy; usually both. Now, if man has
g something to sell how are people going
to know it? He could get livery rig
q and start out; he might meet forty
r peor'le in a one day, tell them what he
had to sell, and perhaps not make a
v single sale, but he could put notice
in the paper for less than his days ex.
pense which would reach thousands OF
peope. | know a man who is very
extensive advertiser, and some have
wondered how he could afford sucl
:, great expense, but he has kept it uI
8 for many years. He started from {
e very small beginning and is now il
opulence, and is said to be the leader