The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-23
PRESIDENT THWING TALKS
INFLUENCE OF THE MODERN NEWS
PAPER DISCUSSED.
His Subject the "Changed Conditions
in Social Institutions and Move
ments"-He.rd Elsewhere.

The Contemporary Club had for its guest
at sAe PrOpylaeum last night Rev. Charles
f. Thwing, president of Western Reserve
University. of Cleveland. The subject of
his address was Changed Conditions in
Social Institutions and Movements" He
was introduced by Mrs. W. l.. Elder. and
after the address 1t was discussed by A.
r. Potts. Lucius Il. Swift, Mrs. May Wright
SewaI and others 1t seemed to be the
general opinion that DR.. Thwing was too
pessimistic. President Thwing said, in part
The American people have ceased to be
a people of a book, and have become
people of the newspaper. The book does
not count for so much 1t did years
ago The monthly magazine does not
count for more, certainly, but the daily
newspaper does count for very much more.
Everybody reads It, The editorial relation
has. in the case OF most journals, though
not of all, become less significant, but the
news department has become much more
important in every one. Everybody reads
it, The negro on the islands of Port Royal
spends a week over II, and the guide in
the AllegOsh half a day, as well as the
merchant who gets his copy wet from the
press i'm half an hour-each reads its pages
To this result at least three conditions
have contributed.
'.One of these consists in the mechanical
relation The typesetting machine and the
Hoe press represent this mechanical move
ment. This condition has contributed to
its cheapness, and its cheapness to its COM
monness. The newspaper is also far more
interesting to the ordinary reader. OF
course, IT'S taste is bad in many elements,
but its very badness is TO many readers an
element of its picturesqueness. The choice
OF news, even TO the personalities and in
decences, bad as they are, ministers to
its power over certain readers. The in
creaSing unity of the world is a once
cause and result of the increasing power
of the paper. If steam has made the world
a unit, and small unit. too, in respect to
personalities, the telegraph and the tele
phone have made the world one in re-
spect to intelligence The daily press is
giving us as much news regarding China,
Turkey and India as formerly the Spring
field Republican gave about the Berkshires
or the Bangor Wing and Courier about
Penobscott county. Nothing is so inter-
esting to man s man, and therefore men
will read the paper which tells about them
selves, and especially about themselves in
deeds of daring and wickedness; of good
ness, too, be IL said, although it must be
added that for certain readers conditions
of wickedness are more fascinating than
conditions of goodness.
There is one specially interesting char
acteristic of the cheap daily paper, for it
is usually on the side of honesty and fair
play 1t supports the course of its con-
stituency, the great body of the people. AS
in the Cheap drama. the audience Kisses
the william and applauds the hero, so the
paper usually SEEKS for what will be the
most useful TO the greater number of the
people. 1t is against jObbery public rob-
berry; il Il against the selfish boss. In this
function ii is not content simply with the
functions of enlightenment and inspirations
il does things. 1t not only solidifies and
unites public sentiment, it leads to proper
services. 1t overthrows corrupt reigns in
city governments. 1t collects money for
starving India, for burned Armenian viii
lagos, and for the poor children of New
York and Chicago. Ii completes the Grant
monument and the Liberty statue. Ii has
a certain power of mobiliZa ton of human
forces which deserves TO be compared to
that of the greatest emperOrs and kings
over their armies. The owner and director
OF great daily newspaper, and the man
aging editor. have become most moving
forces in civilization. The influence is ire
mendOus, too tremendous TO be put into the
TOO, VINO, like most mOnarchs, especially
In the early part of their regime, are more
sensitive to the power of their monarchy
than of its responsibility"
Yesterday morning President Thwing adj
dressed the students of the law department
of the University of Indianapolis. He also
addressed the pupils of Shortridge High
School in the assembly hall yesterday
morning. DIR. Thwing declared that the
young man of the future must know how
to think rather than to be so highly edu-
Gated in books He said that a freshman
entered college full of wisdom, but that
the seniors of that school knew little. The
speaker referred to successful men as an
illustration of what thinking would do for
one. His recital of little incidents that he
had noted in John ID. Rockefeller's life
were exceedingly interesting. as the latter
is a close friend of DR.. Thwing
In concluding the speaker said that il
school that fitted him for the life struggle
of later years.