The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-18

mora csrrect to say, probably, that the growth Of the country has kept pace with the gfowfh of the press; and that leads me to consideration of the Press ana fs part in the great upbuilding of the country.
 Do you know of any great indus trial enterprise which has not been assisted by the newspapers of the country? I do not Do you know of any great question directing tho mate- ffai welfare of the, country which has not been thoroughly discussed ard the pest and wieest solution of which has not been advanced by the press? I do not Do you know of any dan ger winter, mas threatened the industrial lifs Of the country against which the public nas not been warned by the pr sys? ! do not. Do yon know of any vie that has been fostered by the press. .,ny sedttion, any corruptisa in high places or low places. any immortality in liv- ing? do not. I would not have 4 believed for moment that all the era ciss of wisdom have bee1 committed by the newspapers, that they are the only righteous and itnpeachabie inssi- tutions In the land: but they have per- formed good service to the State and to society and are to be counted among the great constructive and preservative forces of these advanced times in the progress of the world.
 Press, a Reform Element.
 When Tom Lawson determined to be good and to expose the shortcom- ings of his former associates In sha- dy financial transactions. he did not go to the pulpit or the bar or the courts. but to the newspapers. and ay the judieious use of the press unsettled many of the speculative values ot tfc country and taught the gamblers in wats-ed stocks and fancy securities the most important of ali lessons that honesty is the best policy. By his bushw hae king methods the great trusts and combinations of capital have been put on the defensive and .ven the Standard oil concern Is pleading not guilty to the indictments brough. was brought to trial by The New York Times for his robbery of the public treasury to Lawson's pitiless exposure of the criminal trusts, thers has becn an almost continual procession of ras- calls pilloried by the press.
 "'The Tattooed Man has gone into history. The Star Route thieves of a generation ago ars enibaimed .n the criminal annals of the country. Greene and Gaynor and Cassie Chadwick and host of other malefaslors have been sent to jail largely through the inau- ence of the newsp lD"rs speaking as they almost unao.noislv and invaria- bly do. for the stern enforcement of the law and the decrs,s of the courts. In all the conflicts which have been waged between organized crime and the reign of law. tf,s press of the coup- try has stool for justice. Tweed offer ed to pay George Jones, of The Times, $5.00o.09a if he would not publish the story of the thefts of public money in which he had been discovered. but the bribe was not accepted and Tweed and his companions in crime were sent to the penitentiary. Other attempts have been made to buy the silence of the press. but in ninety-nine cases out of q hundred they have failed. so that 1t has come to pass that the newspaper is more feared by the hosts of dark ness and crime than the law or the courts.
 Factor in UpbniIdins.
 The strength which the press has acquired by its koyalty to we'll ordered government. Is a powerful factor in building up the material prosperity of the country. Thefe is not a successful industry among us. which is not in some measure indebted to the good will of the newspapers. If reckless legislation is affecting the welfare of business enterprises Is threatened. the press is counted upon to counteract the evil influence of Ignorant reform- CTS and predatory politicians. If un- worthy men offer themselves for pub lie station. the newspaper Is expected to tell the truth about them and their wicked purposes. If a great industrial undertaking is projected. the news paper Is expected to exploit its ad- vantages to the public in such fash ion as to win the public favor. There is not a naRanaper In Alabama which