Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1912-08-01
THE PRESS AND
THE PEOPLE
ENDOWED NEWSPAPER MAY
SOLVE PROBLEM, SAYS
VINCENT.

Madison, Wis, July 30.-George
E. Vincent, president of the Univer-
sity of Minnesota, in an address up
on "The Press and the People," at
the opening session Of the first ma
tional newspaper conference at the
University of Wisconsin tonight,
predicted that despite discussion of
endowed municipal and public news
papers, the press would remain
private owned public function for
another generation or two at the
least.
President Vincent began his ad
dress by tracing the history Of the
American press from colonial times,
and showing how, in his opinion, it
had been evolved from and had re-
fected the character of the various
progressions of American life. He
said that it rendered essential SER
vice to every activity of the national
life and supplied the materials for
the growth and readjustment of the
public mind as well as being of i'm
mense Importance to the physical
welfare of the nation.
Influence of Interests.
Taking up the question of the in
fuence of interests" upon the press
President Vincent said:
'1t is we'll frankly to recognize
the fact that the nation is made up
not primarily of individuals but of
persons who are grouped about
common interests. The national life
is the competition, the rivalry, the
cooperation of such groups. This
is to be expected, and on the whole
to be welcomed. These groups make
necessary contributions to the gen.
eral welfare. But to this they must
be compelled to subordinate them
selves. To recognize these groups
and interests is essential to whole
some public opinion. There are and
must be- a multiplicity Of interests
railway interests, agricultural in
terests, labor interests, educational
interests, religious interests. These
interests have every right to seek
their own welfare, and to call pub
lie attention to their rights and
purposes. But the public insists
that this be done openly, not sur
reptitiously and by indiscretion.
1T ia doubtless true that the press
too often yields to economic and So
cial pressure; but in this it is not
unique. It shares the responsible
ity with politics, with business, at
times with education, and even with
religion. Newspaper men have as
keen a sense of social responsibility
as the members of other professions.
I believe that the rank and file of
the press writer's of the country are
in hearty sympathy with the chang
es which promise larger justice and
fairer conditions of life. Any pres
sure exerted on the press is trans
mitted to these men from the man.
ayers who employ them.
"The shortcomings Of the press
are the products of our national life
for which all of us must assume our
share of responsibility. True this
wide diffusion of responsibility has
sort of philosophic futility. Men
who want something done, and that
done quickly, resent so impotent a
conclusion. It is satisfying to lay
down the blame at definite door
and to demand instant reformation.
But social progress is not made to
order. Men cannot be expected sud
denly to free themselves from the
nexus of dependence which we cal
the web of life. No, the failures
and shortcomings Of the press are
part and parcel of our common life,
and each of us must accept share
of responsibility. !
How to Secure Independence.
"Nor is this a hopelessly vague
and frultless conclusion. There are
things to be done and ways to do
them, Some put their faith in de-
vices and innovations. If fifty or
a hundred thousand Of us would
pay $25 a year for our daily paper,
If We would not stop our paper
whenever the reports or editorials
displeased us, If the journal could
be unhampered by our prejudices
and interests, we could find able
and competent men to give us
model publication. But plan
which calls for so radical a change
in so many human beings is, fear,
academic. Possibly the endowed