The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-03

nalism.
 "'What is everybody's business said Mr Pulitzer to pr. Hosmer, for years his close personal companion, is nobody s business-except the journalists. IL IS his by adoption. But for his care almost every reform would fall stillborn. He holds officials to their duty. He exposes 1 secret schemes of plunder. He promotes every hopeful plan of pro2res. Without him public opinion would be shapeless and dumb. Our republic and it's press will rise or fall together. An able, disin- terested, public spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and the courage to do 1t, can preserve that public virtue without which popular gov ernment is sham and mockery.'
 Fighting the Coal Trust
 That these professions were not merely those of printed type but of the heart and conscience I will relate an experl- ence while acting as managing editor of the Morning World. Not many years ago the great railroads operating the mines combined to raise the price of coal to the country. Our pious friend Baer of the Reading, echong the sentiment of Commodore Vanderblts historic com ment on public opinion, allowed that the railroads could take care of their busi- ness. The hardships which this policy ehtdiieu HI tne great ClLy COulQ not D6 overlooked. A newspaper indifferent to such wholesale tribute was unworthy of existence.
 We started campaign to defeat this combination. We soon had allies. h. vestigation revealed thousands of tons stored at convenient points by the roads to be distributed in quantities which would not disturb the market price The roads stiffened under pressure. Finally 1ar fol laf f1~. >ta The combine was broken, prices fell to the normal level
 Several messages Of compliment on the newspapers work came at intervals from the blind owner. Months later I was his guest at Bar Harbor. Details of office management were discussed for several days. On the day of my return to New York, just before 1eav- ing his home, he placed his hand on my shoulder and said:
 MT. Pulitzer's Unselfishness
 That was great fight the paper made on the coal trust. Sorry I was too sick to help you more.' He paused for a moment and then asked:
 'Tennant, did anyone ever. tell you that l was perhaps the largest indi- vidual stoclsholder in the New Jersey Central, one of the largest coal carry ing roads?'
 I expressed surprise
 With an emphatic slap on the back and In forceful accent he said:
 Promise me that you will never allow yourself to be influenced by any consideration for my personal invest ments or interests. Promise me that as long as you remain with the World that you will have only one master the public-the public's interests first of all.'
 And so. my friends let me reaffirm my faith in optimism. Let me offer a great newspapers success as the best testimonial that newspaper policy which accepts optimism as its creed rests solidly upon the rock of human sympathy.
 optimism, the foundation of this re- public, optimism, which has kept it un- sWervingly true to its declaration that 1t shall be land of men and a land or opportunity equal to all with hon ors and riches within the grasp of the humblest born-a land that has given opportunity to penniless Scotch lad to become the greatest worker In steel. that has given opportunity to & poor Swede to make Dreadnaught battleships possible, that has given the half starved son of a Long Island minister with salary of $100 year the op- portunity to become the greatest build CT of railroads; a land that has given a tow path boy and a rail splitter, the opportunity to become President"