Evening star., 1928-12-22
Half Century Of Progress
Hailed by Newspaper Editors

Half century of progress in news
paper building, as exemplified by a
special edition of 232 pages, with which
the st. Louis Post-Dispatch recently
observed its fiftieth anniversary, IS the
text of appreciative comment by cotem-
poraries Of the Missouri daily.
I'm very peculiar and intimate
way" says the Detroit News, "a news
paper Is identified with the community
in which it exists. The one is the
making of the other. And 1t was and
Is remarkably favorable area which
the st. Louis Post-Dispatch has served
for the past half century.
Fifty years ago the city Of st. Louis
had many of the characteristics of a
frontier town. Much of the territory
now served daily by the Post-Dispatch
was bidding for pioneer settlers, and
enterprise was directed toward supply
ing purely local needs. And with this
great region the st. Louis Post-DiSpatch
has grown up. 1t has extended its in
fluence, inculcated its principles and
impressed by its ideals. It has directed
and shaped and supplied many Of those
elements which have made the great
Middle West important In the affairs
of the Nation"
y X X Il
"In many respects one of the most
individualistic of American newspapers, F"
is the comment of the Fort Worth
STAR Telegram, which sees In the Post
Dispatch 1.-The cradle of the genius of
the late Joseph Pulitzer and the labo-
ratory of his journalistic experiments" !"
and praises the special anniversary
edition as perhaps unsurpassed in this
distinctly American form Of Journal
iStic endeavor."
Explaining the success of the Pulitzer
publication, the Little Rock Arkansas
Democrat states: "The newspaper must
do more than trade; it must remem-
Der that its purpose is to bring happi-
ness not only to the physical but to
the spiritual man. It must have SYM
pathy with the man in the street as
we'll as the man in the mansion" ."
Quoting the message of devotion to
public welfare penned by Joseph Pulit-
zer on the occasion of his retirement,
the Democrat continues: upon that
message is builded the tradition Of the
Post-Dispatch; and what a wonderful
tradition it Is! A fine Magma Charta,
and because it has lived up to the letter
and spirit of that declaration OF free
dom the Post-Dispatch ranks unques-
tionably among the greatest OF Amerl-
can newspapers"
His amazing energy, his independ-
ence, his vigorous pen, penetrated
deeply into the civic life of st. Louis, y
remarks the st. Paul Pioneer Press,
with the further statement that the
Post-Dispatch was "the early imprint
of newspaper independence. fearlessness
and devotion to public service which
later became indelible in the world. y
The Springfield Illinois State Journal
also attestS: THE Post-Dispatch has
been ably, cleanly and patriotically
edited. 1t has been a power for civic
and political righteousness, and has
held up the torch of intelligence and
integrity to its constituency, guiding
them on their way. st. Louis and the
territory of which 1t Is the center can
never disassociate themselves from the
Post-Dispatch or proclaim any distinc-
tion for which that newspaper may not
demand a large share OF credit"
" X X X
1.-THE stable foundation upon which
the Post-DiSpatch is so felicitously
seated" in the judgment of the st. Louis
Times, was the intellect OF Joseph
Pulitzer, its founder. He laid down a
to journalism. The monument he left
behind his departing cloak Is an i'm
mortelle" The st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat adds its tribute: ANY one who
examines the first issue of the Post
Dispatch, published in 1878, and repro
duced in the anniversary edition, can
hardly compare 1t with the newspaper
of today without being impressed with
the vast difference. And it is a diff
ference of improvement, an advance as
remarkable as the half century has
shown in any industry. In this monu-
mental edition the PoSt-Dispatch honors
itself and honors journalism"
1T Is one of the greatest newspapers
Of the country Of the world" declares