The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-01-08

far in advance of his times as an editor and
a publisher as he was in many of his other roles.
Many of the innovations in the newspaper Dusl-
ness which we regard as modern Developments
are nothing more than repetition OF tnelr sue
cessful use by Franklin.
Among his outstanding achievements in the
printing and publishing business and allied in
dustries are these:
He was the first to attempt to illustrate the
news in an American newspaper and also the
first to publish questions and answers in a news
paper.
He made the first newspaper cartoon, the
famous picture of snake cut into sections to
represent the colonies before the Revolution-a
powerful pictorial editorial which was widely
copied and used by other patriot newspapers.
He was instrumental in establishing is paper
mills in the colonies.
He was the first ito turn to great account the
engine of advertising, indispensable ele-
ment in modern business
He was the first prepayment of the "chain news
paper idea" He did this by setting up in bust
ness young journeymen printers, supplying print
ing office equipment, paying one-third of the
running expenses and receiving one-third of the
net profits an arrangement which was an ad-
vantage to all concerned. He established such
branches in seven different places: Charles
ton, S. c.. Antigua and Jamaica in the West
Indies; New York city; Lancaster, Pa; New
Haven Conn. and in Georgia.
He was Americas first master propaganda
and if ever the newspaper and the printing
press were used to mold public opinion" they
were used thus by Benjamin Franklin. And al
ways he made use of propaganda to promote the
public welfare-not private, selfish interest.
OF Franklin's idealism in his work as print
er and an editor, we find this revealing state
ment in his autobiography
"In the conduct of my newspaper, l carefully
excluded all lbelling and personal abuse, which
has of late years become disgraceful to our
country Whenever was solicited to insert any
thing of that kind, and the writer's pleaded, as
they generally did, the liberty of the press, and
that newspaper was like stage-coach, in
which anyone who would pay had right to
place my answer was that ] would print the
piece separately If desired, and the author might
have as many copies as he pleased to distribute
himself, but that would not take upon me to
spread his detraction; and that, having con-
tracted with my subscribers to furnish them
with what might be either useful entertain
Ing could not fill their papers with private al
tercation, in which they had no concern, with
out doing them manifest injustice.
snow many of our printers make no scruple
of gratifying the malice of individuals by false
accusations of the fairest characters among our
selves, augmenting animosity even to the pro-
ducing of duels; and are, moreover, SO indis-
Greet as to print scurrilous reflections the
government of neighboring states and even on
the conduct of our best national allies, which
may be attended with the most pernicious con-
sequences These things mention as caution
to young printers, and that they may be encour-
aged not to pollute their presses and disgrace
their profession by such infamous practices, but
refuse steadily, as they may see by my example
that such course of conduct will not, on the
whole be injurious TO their interests"
(0 by Western Newspaper Unon.)