The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-08-16
Freedom of the Press.

and competition. And the freedom of
the press insures hearing to all inter-
ested persons, while the public re-
mains to judge every contention.
Some evidently deplore the fact that
the press is so potent. They labor un-
der the delusion that it creates senti-
ment against individuals, distorts
truth, perverts facts, rakes up scandals,
influences the actions of men, pervades
the sanctuary of justice, drags pri-
vate affairs into the limelight of pub
licity, and, as one of our learned
members lately said, in effect, possesses
the power to blacken the character of
man so it resembles that ebony tint
so characteristic of the descendants of
Ham. Perhaps the press can do all
this, but, if so, the age of miracles is
not past! There must be good reasons
for generating thought against one,
and no power of human invention can
misrepresent truth or falsify facts.
Not in such manner as will stand the
test of national judgment. Scandals
are made, not raked up. Men caunot
be dissuaded from right actions, and
the press cannot invade the halls of
justice-nor can it besmirch the per-
son who is not modern Bacon. To
illustrate, by example, that the
papers lack such powers would
require unnecessary time. The
disseminators of such conceptions
misuse their God-given talent to un-
derestimate the modern vehicle of
instruction for the masses.
The potency of the press is not
obvious if we confine our inquiries to
a casual glimpse at periodicals. To
derive even a superficial knowledge
of its power one should consider the
press as an institution of our land and
not base his assertions on the traits of
a mere component part. When one SO
considers it he will realize wherein
lies the power of the press. Its forces
will not be found confined to the ad-
vancing of private, corporate, or poll
tical interests.
Today we have become accustomed
to rapid transit of communication
we have the telephone, telegraph and
other inventions enabling men tC
transmit thoughts from one part o1
the world to another with greater
celebrity than the high winds of heaven
Th mighty press has kept abreas
w / modern inventions. While
u Gle Sans subjects are slumbering
representatives. of the press are for
arding news from the interior o
. Africa, from Japan, China, the Car
, domain, etc. When Americans aris
to partake of breakfast, be it in tn
mansion, cottage, or poverty flats. tn
/ morning papers are available to all
, In their columns appears the news o
. the world. One may read of the lates
. events in foreign countries and in ou
: nation; of persons occupying tempo
: rarily the stage of notoriety, of trans
4 actions of all descriptions, of the lates
: disclosures in high places or low places
q and of the conditions in boroughs an
8 cities. If emperors, kings, president
: or noted persons meet; if conference
Q of labor organizations, cults or Mo-
: mons are held; if an actress elope
j; with a millionaire; if honeyed word
8 fall from the lips of a silvery-tongue
: orator, or a bunch of tainted money
f offered to church or college-all is il
J, stantly borne on the wings of the pre'
J. to the Offices and homes thruout tt
9 United States to be digested by th
Q eighty millions of citizens. The efe'
q of all this momentary heralding .
q news, this bringing into juxtapositic
Q, of the whole nation, this spanning {
q the world, covering space so great, hi
Q. dignified the press and elevated it to
d, rank equalled perhaps only by Il
g. temples of justice. Therein lies Il
Is potency Of, the press-its circling Il
n globe in search of intelligence to
le conveyed to the citizens, without I
le gard to conditions of servitude, rar
or color.
p How many demagogues, who asst
le the periodicals, pause to reflect full
O., on the features they deplorep "
Is venture to say, but few-if any.