The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-15

from party ties. tho Democratic in
1896 and the Republican in 1912. as
in the past twenty years,
The newspaper is no longer indi-
vidual No newspaper Is one man.
When newspaper circulation was num-
bered by hundreds or few scanty
thousands. one man spoke. When cir
culation is numbered by the hundred
thousand. many speak The newspa-
the newspaper to create and express
the common consciousness OF the com-
munity. Its news brings common
knowledge. It's opinion expresses the
mass opinion of the larger share of
It's readers, or II gradually colors their
thought and purpose. In newspapers.
the city. the State and the nation each
knows itself Through publicity. pub
lie acts become visible public Will
forms. When national conventions
meet and legislatures, state and ma
tional, assemble, the greater parlia-
ments Of the people have reduced their
action to narrow choice and decided
enactments To Jefferson, publicity
was the publication in small sheet
written by one man of mcager and
inaccurate knowledge, crumbs fallen
from official tables. Publicity to day in
the newspaper is Il vast meshed net
cast into the ocean of national life,
sounding all it's dccps revealing its
lowest depths and gauginE all its NOV
ing floods"
Union Never More Perfect.
After ~ description of the newspaper
Of this day. its vast reaching industry
and power. Or. Williams sal This is
the MYSTERY in the SDul ri Tho Amer
lean State that in the newspaper it has
found the medium by which 100. 600, 600,
over 100000 square miles, have daily
the same facts, think the same
thoughts. ponder the same issues and
divide. aware of the difference which
leads to division. The German news
paper expresses a bureaucracy. serving
an autocrat. highly organized admins
trative unit French journalism is
Paris. Up TO this present day the Eng
lish press, led by the Times, expresses
the ablcst ruling class. constantly re-
cruited from below, history has known
The American newspaper instead has
had to bend the bow of that many
naturod Ulysses much travelled. a great
nation, widely difrused and thronged
with that man of many wanderines.
the immigrant. 1t has accomplished
the task. and it's bow once strung, its
arrows have slain many II public ma
rauder pretending love for the people
but 10 rob. The more perfect Union
the statesman of Virginia saw afar.
sought aud accomplished. was never
more perfect than it is to-day under
Il new President, Virginia born"
Speaking of the newspaper rs the
most powerful agency by which n free
people cnforccs its will through the
general knowledge of the public il =
self DR.. Williams said:
If the private ownership of prop
/ "a
only be because publicity has brought
in the owners of millions of dollars
a responsibility TO the lives Of millions
of men, and is surely but slowly TO
cnd through the pillory of the news
paper the pranks. foul or foolish, of
those blown with insolcnce and pride
III the possession of lavish means, law
b .shly expended. or a wise democracy
viii. by shrewd cumulative taxation,
end the possibility Of men having money
enough 10 dcbauch themselves and the
public, AS wise mothers forbid TO their
children playthings perilous to child
and family.
II would rest my case" said Dr. Will
iiams in conclusion, ION one great evil.
the greatest in society. on which the
German. French and English press have
been silent. The American press has
unsparingly unveiled lamar at the
crossroads of humanity, where she sat
Yelled from the days of Genesis and OF
Judah, and. by uuVeilinE, publicity, in
the press, has set III motion, not be
cause.it was worse than others, but be
cause conscience there first awokc"
To- night Or. Williams made Il brief.
informal talk before the journalism
club Of the university, and later was
rendered a reception at the Colonnadc
/ Club.