The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-25

done towards the curing or at least tho charming of the spirit Of lying. which prevails among us wherefore nothing shall be entered nut what we believe true repairing to the beet fountains for in- formation. And when there appears any material mistake in anything that is collected 1t shall be corrected in the next Moreover. the publisher of these occur rences is willing to engage that whereas there are many false reports maliciousIy made and spread among us, If any well minded person will be at the pains to trace any such false reports so far as ne find out and convict the first raiser of 1t he will in this paper tunless just ad- vice be given to the contraryh) expose the name of such person as the malicious raiser of false report It Is supposed that none will dislike this proposal. but such as intend to be guilty of so william ous crime." A paper based upon such principles might at least have been given a second trial.
 According to Thomas's History Of Print ing ..thirty-seven papers were published tn the colonies in 1775. of which one was in New Hampshire. seven in Massachu- setts. two fr Rhode Island. four in Con- necticut. four in New York. nine ir psnnsylvania. two in Maryiand. two 1T II in South Carolina. one in Geo:gia Oi these journals eight were in existence ir 1S10. the time Thomas list was first published. In the gear lsio the numb, t ? },
 
 increased to $50. Alabama did not ther have an existence North Carolina had ten of the popers. South Carolina ter and Georgia thirteen. In the Miss!ssi pp included. there were four publications. all at NatcheE. and all long since suspendsd Tn 1923 there were ten papers credited to Alabama, although double that number had been attempted up to that date. The Press of Alabama.
 It is a difficult matter to prepare pa- per on the journalism of Alabama. The details are nneagre and the sources of information widely scattered There are but few records in the National Library and the files of the papers of the pres ent day furnish but little information concerning the publications of the ear Her days of tine State and Territory. while a four years war in which most of the editors and publishers of that period took part makes ,he records from 'sl to '6s incomplete and unsatisfactory Un- der these disadvantages your historian has had to rely upon various sources of Rs ss1s sss ssssere oscaos ases and tssrs Ss mation. and enabled him to pre- pare what Is he-e submitted. With out their assistance the task could not came from nearly every county in the State herein mentioned.
 There are indisputable evidences o6 the fact that the territory now comprised in the State of Ala bama was early sought out by men of the Old World in search of fame an1 fortune. DeSoto spent many weary days and nights traversing her hills and val teys.
 There were 10 such record preserving devices in those days as are now a hand to take down every word that is spoken. and to describe with minutest detail every incident that occurs. What volumes could be written if the famous explorer had carried along with him a printing press of future generations. history of the trials through which he passed. the char acter of the people who obstructed his pathway, and a word painting of the beautiful country in all its freshness. AL though there were settlements in Ala bana long antedating the territorial or State organization there were no news gress in business and industries and pop uladon. All that Is known of those days is from neighborhood traditions and in- dividual letters that have been preserved and handed down from generation to generation until put into permanent form by a Pickett. Meek or Brewer. s.
 It should be the rule of every State to have copy of every publication sent to dts State Librarian earnestly recom- mend that every publisher of a paper. daily or weekly send copy to MT. Thos somery. for the benefit of future future generations. How easy than at any time 1t would be to obtain an in- sight into the records of each locality and of the thousands of events which go to make up the history of State and q