Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-12
Views 0md Reviews
Fittieth Anniversary of South
Americas Most Noted
NJ oaHcnn nor
~ eWSplper

have sent message of greeting and ap-
probation for the s0th anniversary number 10
be issued this week by la Prensa.' which we
would otherwise refer to as the Buenos Ares
Press and which is easily the foremost daily
newspaper of South America, and IN some
respects of the world. | have seen copies OF
La Prensa from time to time and have heard
of it and its wonderful establishment from folks
who have visited Argentina and been struck
with the unique position that paper holds Al
the meeting OF the Associated Press last year
the announcement was made that the leased
wire service of this great news gathering or
ganizaton had been extended to South America
and number of South American publications,
chief among them La Prensa, were elected to
membership, carrying full benefits and obliga-
tons.
Something about La Prensa, as gathered
from its 1914 anniversary booklet ! am sure
will be of general interest The paper was
founded October IS. 1869, by DR.. Jose c. Paz
to be an independent newspaper, "the free voice
of the people in public affairs" In presenting
its first number, DR.. Paz outlined his purpose
in these words:
Independence, the respect to the private
citizen the judicious attack public officials
and not against the individual, form our
doctrine.
Truth, honest, this is the starting point.
the only ends which we pursue"
The founder of La Prensa died some years
ago and its direction is now in the hands of
Ezequiel P. Paz.
La Prensa holds forth in magnificent home
in Buenos Aires that resembles beautiful pub
lie building And, in fact, is more than any
thing else great public institution combining
under its auspices many activities that else
where are conducted as official enterprises or
as the work of public associations
an arranging the plans, the founder con-
ceived the idea of establishing certain number
of philanthropic features dedicated to the well
fare of humanity and to culture. which besides
aiding the national progress and supplying the
public needs which were not reached BY official
measures nor aided by private institutions and
which formed return to the public in the guise
of gratutous services of the greater portion OF
the receipts gained by the growing prosperity
of the enterprise"
This was done by inaugurating a group of free
bureaus a complement to the newspaper Or
ganization: A medical-surgca1 bureau, that
carries on clinics under noted specialists per-
forms free vaccinations, gives special dentist,
oculist, aurist service, maintains a medical
library; chemical industrial and agricultural
bureau, with experts developing new methods:
a legal bureau; popular music classes: public
reference library; a free information bureau; a
postoffice; three halls for public meetings; a
meteorological observatory: apartments for the
reception and accommodation of distinguished
visitors, literary celebrities scientific men. emf
nent travellers who are entertained guests OF
La Prensa. The paper also awards substan-
tial prizes to stimulate education, for example
one of 1000 pesos annually to the person who
proves he has taught the greatest number of
lliterate people to read in the national Ian
gauge within the boundaries of the republic and
sponsors popular conferences lectures and in
StituteS. something in the nature of what done
here in chautauqua work. All this, of course,
along with the production of comprehensive
newspaper, replete with all the intelligence Of
| the day.
To La Prensa, heartiest congratulations on
| fifty years of useful life and best wishes for
many many more.
The incident related about carrying mes
sage from Andrew Carnegie to my father in
the form of an inscription in my autograph
album appears with fac-simile of the page in
the current St. Nicholas Magazine, the best
periodical for children, for which | wrote the
| story, and | have already had mention of it
from several little friends, who are enthusiast
! tic about St. Nicholas just as when | was
| boy. This article is a sort of sequel to a
| similar article I contributed about my Mark
Twain autograph-and ! may have more of
| them.
Tzr R&14<m