The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-04-03
POWER OF THE PRESS
Felt in the Progress OF tSe Wor,5-in-
fueree Of tire Weekly Newspaper
Close to Its Readers
BY c. H. BETS, Editor of Lyons, n. Y.
Republican

fishers Association in january
We are living in a histOry-making
time. We are now passing through
transition period in our onward march
TO a higher and better civilization.
On every hand We see the unmistak-
able evidence of a peaceful revOlu-
ton. Old faiths, old customs and old
standards are passing away. We are
In the midst of a political, industrial
and religious revolution. We are go
ing through a period of revelation,
agitation and evolution. During the
last few years there has been a
widespread revival of civic righteous
ness. Revela ions of business and
political corruption have agitated to
a remarkable degree the public mind.
The result of all this has not only
had the effect TO awaken the public
conscience and set in motion many
needed reforms, but it has created
a popular clamOr bordering on frenzy.
Political parties are being shatter-
ed by the spirit of independence.
Business methods are being exposed,
condemned and reformed. Religious
creeds are being revised and civilized,
and sweeping change is the order of
the day.
In the political world the people are
demanding a higher moral standard
Of their public servants, and wher-
ever they are found guilty of wrong
doing they are being driven from
place and power.
In the business world the captains
OF industry, who are boarding their
millions, are being required to give
an honest accounting as to how and
where they got it on their money is
declared to be tainted"
In the religious world the fires of
hell have been eKtinguished, and old
fashioned orthodoxy is fast dying out
with paralysis of the brain and Ossi-
f1cation of, the heart.
We are in the thrOes of a wide
spread political industrial and re-
Hgious revolution of farreaching con-
sequences. But in accordance with
the law of evolution we shall soon
emerge from it and be carried en-
ward and upward to a higher, better
and more exalted plane, where We
shall be able to discard for all time
the sOiled and faded garments which
we have outgrown, which belong to a
darker age, and which are not becom
ing in the gracious sunlight of our
present civilization.
In this great work of regeneration
and reform which is now going on
the press has taken the lead and has
power. This as the newspaper age
AT no lime in the history of the
world have the newspapers been 81
widely circulated. so progressive and
so powerful as they are today. Speak
ing in the larger sense, the influence
the daily life of every citizen of the
civilized world. 1t is the creative
constructive and vital force in on
twentieth century civilization. 1t il
the great dynamic power that sway
the world and shapes the destinies o
men and nations.
The newspapers of our day exer
a tremendous influence Some of.
is bad; most of it is good. TIL
most wholesome influence, however
comes from the local weekly news
paper. There are many reasons 70
this, chief among which is the fac
that it is printed in the cOmmunit
where il circulates and is publishe
under the watchful eye of its sui
scribers. 1t is also surrounded b
local conditions which bring il clos
TO the hearts of the people For thi
reason it is held to a strict account
ability for its accuracy, enterpris
and moral tone. If it expects to pro:
per it must be honest with its reaC
eTs. and il must be clean and reliabl,
for it is distincdvely the home paper
1t is the one paper TO which ever
member of the family becomes attacl
ed. II is the literary looking glass
which its readers see their own sent
ments expressed and through whic
they see what their friends and neigl
bOrs are doing. Ii is, in a word, tn
freside companion. This is the re;
son that its influence radiates froI
every home and is more pure an
powerful than the influence of the da
ly newspaper of large circulation an
sensational headlines.
The local weekly newspaper Occl
pies a field Of its own. 1t is in clos
touch with the people in the comml
nifty where it circulates, and it reflect
their sentiments as no faraway dali
can nOSSibly do When the local D;