The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-12
LECTURE EDITORS
Col. Harvey and Gov. Cummins
Address Press Club

CHICAGO, Jan. 1.-THE twenty
fifth anniversary Of the founding Of the
Chicago Press club was celebrated here
tonight with a banquet in the club
rooms. In after dinner speeches states
men and authors, the invited guests of
the newspapermen, praised the power
and influence of the American press.
The principal speakers were Col.
George Harvey, of New York, and Gov.
Cummins, of Iowa. Two hundred and
forty resident and nonresident mem
bers of the club, with their guests, were
present. Homer J. Carr, president Of
the club, presided Col. Harvey, in re-
spending to the toast, The Freedom of
the Press said
There is no press in the world COM
parable to that of America in freedom
and influence, political or social from
venality, from contamination of any
kind whatsoever. 1t is faithful, but it
is free. We have our sadly eXagger-
ated headlines on week days and our
monstrosities on Sundays; we have
amazing productions of no less amaz-
ing art; We have columns and col
umns of crime and pages and pages of
waste. Finally, we have our red and
white papers, sometimes referred to as
yellow journals. Only those behind the
curtain of the editorial sanctum can
fully appreciate the proportion Of in
sincerity contained in the virtuous
ayowals of shy and retiring, though
weak, human beings of both sexes. In
nine cases out of ten, the most voeif-
erous protest may be attributed safely
to self-sufficiency, snobbishness or a
guilty conscience. There is so little of
malice in American newspapers as to
be unworthy of notice, but it is I'M
questionably true that too little heed
is paid to the fact that unwillful mis-
representation is often quite as seri-
Gus in effect
'Tnlplant in your hearts a frmer res
olution to make the truth known at
any and every cost" was the. advice
given the banqueterS by Gov. Cum
minis, who chose for his subject, THE
Editorial Page" Gov. Cummins said:
Il believe it to be true that the only
menace to an uninterrupted career of
honor, glory and success that will car
| ry this land of ours to the highest
point that mortals will ever attain, is
| first cowardice and second corruption
among those who hold public position.
| The people of this country dislike a
| coward. The coward in public life is
| oftentimes able to conceal his short
| comings in the garb of conservatism.
! When | speak of a coward, I mean a
man who, with an honest instinct and
| a desire to do right is afraid to do it
and elected to office. If we are to ex-
emplify free institutions throughout
the world we must drive this coward
from public life. There is no agency
known to this country SO potential in
stripping him Of the mask that he
wears and exposing him to his people
in all his defornity as the editorial
page. 1t has already done much but it
| must do more.
Il have no sympathy with that an
cient maxim that it is better for nine
ty-nine guilty men to escape than for
one innocent man to suffer. The pro-
lection of society, the lifting UP of hui
mainly, of the world, are the essential
things in all civilization, and therefore
/ say when you are right, strike and
| strike hard, although even once in a
while you draw honest biood.'
Other speakers were ex-Goy. George
w. Peck, of Wisconsin; Opie Read, EN-
| erSon Hough and w. D, Nesbit.