Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1909-02-04
THE POWER .,.,. "E Hist.
THE PRESS
(By Robert Hunter.)


er Of the press? This thing you have
In your hands has cost many a pre-
cious life.
Battles have been fought that you
might read 1t tonight peacefully by
your fireside.
1t is one OF the rights" won by
blood and sacrifice. 1t and the ballot
are the two most important rights
that mankind has wrung from
tyranny.
Think of IL! This thing you have
In your hands-this newspaper
And now ask yourself what use are
you making OF it? 1t is one of the
greatest powers in the world.
II is the hammer Of Thor, the
sword of Siegfried
With IL you can do anything; with
out ii you can do nothing. Mark
that. This is no poetry or fine writ
ing This is "a terrible Gods fact"
And what use are you making of
this mighty instrument?
With this i'm the hands of just men.
injustice cannot live. With this in the
hands OF honest men. dishonesty cam
not live. With this i'm the hands OF
brave men, tyranny and oppression
can never get a foothold. With this
IT, your hands. you have nothing to
fear. Your battle against wrong 10
all but won.
But where are YOUR newspapers
Have you them to fight your battles.
or is IL the enemy that wields these
mighty instruments? And IL the en-
emy only has great newspapers, have
not your foresa'hers. who died to win
you this means of emancipation, have
they not died in vain?
Why die to win rights for man
kind IL mankind will not make use of
them when won?
"rhe interests" have great news
papers-some Of them one or more In
every city. town and hamlet in this
great country. but have the people
newspapers?
This miserable thing you have in
your hand is something of that kind.
II is anaemic, underfed, half starved.
1t is ragged and out at the toes. II
shuffles along through its childhood,
but. my stone blind friend, II is the
promise of everything. Given nour-
ishment II may yet split rails; 1t may
yet become the great emancipator.
II was born in a dirty basement.
mothered and fathered by hungry
parents. 1t was at birth little more
than a shrek. ungainly and hideors.
yet Luther in his hovel or Lincoln in
his cabin was no more.
II anything in this world Is great,
this thing in your hand is great.
1t is the beginning of a new world
power that will one day shape the
destiny of many.
Its eyes and ears are social eyes
and ears. Its voice is a social voice.
The eyes and ears search throughout
the world for what you want to Know,
what you ought to know, aud the
voice carries to every part Of the
world the news.
Through this thing. and only
through this thing. can you know
the truth about country politics and
business, about science, industry al
art, about freedom, justice and de-
mocracy. Truth. my friend, the truth
that shall make you free.
You are now fed on lies. You
know only what the enemy want sou
10 know, or what escapes from them
when they quarrel among themselves,
BY controlling this great instrument,
they control the sources of our infor-
nation as John ID. Rockefeller con-
trolls the sources of oil, and we must
buy the kind of product they want
TO sell and at their price.
Think OF this thing, more precious
more powerful, more enlightening
than all else, owned by the enemy
at least, all but owned by the enemy!
You have this poor thing in your
hands. II depends upon you whether
IL will live or die. 1t depends upon
you whether It will become great
instrument for fighting our battles.
Poor as II is. it is symbol OF that
which is our sole security as sover-
eign people.
II must be on guard. 1t must watch
out for us. II must report the truth
to us. 1t must warn us OF danger
and. when need be, call us to action.
viii It fail9 That is inconceivable,
for II this thing fails. then all else
fails.