Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-07-11
The Opportunity Of The Fourth Estate.

Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The third great convention of the
year is to be held at Blue Ridge Springs
this week, and it goes without saying
that it will nominate and elect another
Virginian for the presidency; for this is
the season Of journalistic journeying.
and the Virginia Press Association
meets once more to renew old ties and
discuss new questions. Hardworking
newspaper men and women will gather
again to talk about measures and
methods to improve the work and in
crease the force of a legion of news
papers, which, considered together, con-
stitute an influence of unreasonable
power for good in the Old Dominion.
Dull newspapers are rare in Virginia
even the smallest sheets are interest
ing and newsy-and it may be added
that some of the smallest are the least
fearful of the libel law and the least re-
specters of persons and powers and
principslities. Many of our smaller
newspapers posses distinct individuality;
many of them are marvelously well
edited considering the size of the COM
munities they serve. The number of
Virginia dailies and weeklies vigorously
discussing and agitating the needs of
the people is one of the most encourage
ing indications that the day of a newer
and finer order is near.
The opportunity Of the Virginia press
was never so great as now, nor its re-
sponsibility deeper. The light is break
ing across the hills here as it is almost
everywhere else. The old order is pass
ing and the demand for progress is in
creasing. The supreme need is pro-
gressive government efficient enough
to enlarge the opportunities and better
the lot of the plain people. If Virginia
is to progress and her people to prosper,
there must be wiser laws and broader
men in Office; private gain in govern
ment must give way to public benefit;
we'll enough must not be let alone, but
hammered into the best. In other
States, through the adoption of pro-
gressive laws by progressive legislators,
the people are prospecting as they have
not prospered before. This has been
the result in very great degree of the
aggressive and advanced efforts of the
newspapers, which have pointed the
way and voiced the demand of the people.
The press in progressive states informs
the people as to the progress other
States are making, keeps them ARREST
with the forward movements in popular
government and spurs them to demand
that which is their right.
There altogether too many news
papers in Virginia which take no inte-
rest in progressive reform; there are
altogether too many which entirely omit
reference to the peoples welfare and
the methods and measures by which
! popular government may be secured.
There are newspapers which ought to
lead, and yet which will not lead; they
are so situated geographically that they
have almost monopoly in giving the
people news and advice, and yet they
are silent. The function of a weekly,
especially, is not simply to fill up with
plate matter, local, personals and a
smattering of news. 1t owes duty to
the people which it ought to perform,
and there is no newspaper 80 small that
it cannot participate in the government
and better conditions of people in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. The peo-
pie look to the press for informing
leadership; and that much, and nothing
less than that much, the press should
give the people.