The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-12-24
AMERICAS PRESS
By r. Fl. MARKHAM
ALONG FREEDOMS TRAILS
In the Christian Science Monitor

page of the daily paper which you
now hold in your hands you would
find that this is Volume XXXv, num-
Der 5. which means that The Christian
Science Monitor has been in circula-
ton 81 years. 1t gathers news from
all the world, and in normal times
distributes news throughout the
world. In doing this, it has enjoyed
from the very beginning almost per
feet freedom. 1t has been free to print
all the news which it has considered
wholesome, and to express all the
opinions which it has felt were wise
and helpful.
Approximately two thousand other
American papers, which are distrib-
uted every day among AZ million
people, have enjoyed the same rights.
Such press regime is rather new in
history, and is enjoyed by only a
small part of the human race.
In order to realize with what diff
culties it was attained, let US go back
to a scene enacted in the City of New
York two hundred and seven years
ago. At that time a young man, who
had started the second newspaper, in
what was the third most important
city of the American Colonies, was
being tried for opinions he had
printed.
Some ninety years after the May
flower had landed at Plymouth Rock,
shipload of very poor German chill
dren came to New York. Among them
was a lad named John Peter Zenger,
who was accompanied by his widowed
mother. He represented kind Of
labOrer that was quite prevalent in
those days, namely an indentured
His master was a well-knoWn printer,
William Bradford, the founder of the
first New York paper. Young Zenger,
who was then l3 years of age. prom
Used to work in Bradford's printing
office until he was twenty-one,
against his maintenance and the
chance to learn the printing trade.
During those eight years Of service,
he young man could not have hired
out to anybody else, and could not
have left his master without mourning
severe penalties. If he had run away,
he could have been hunted down and
brought back. If his master had
wanted to rehire him to some other
master artisan, the youth would have
Been obliged to go. However, MI.
Bradford was glad to keep him, for
John Peter Zenger was very able
helper
Five years after he had ended his
oeriod of servitude, he became a free
nan. and set out in business for him
self. publishing pamphlets and book
let's. Eventually he started a paper of
his own, called the New York Weekly
Journal. 1t was in sharp opposition
the New York government of that
time. which it accused Of squanderlng
public money and of depressing the
people. Zenger, who had acquired but
little formal education, and never
completely mastered the English
language. wrote very ungrammatlcaI'
but forceful articles. Also, he had
very able contributors. SO he at once
attracted large circle of readers.
New Workers read his crude little
paper with warm approval when he
wrote: Owe see mems deeds destroyed,
Judges arbitrarily displaced, new
courts erected without the consent OF
the Legislature, by which it seems to
ne trials by jurics are taken away
when the Governor pleascs. Who is
there that can call anything his own?
Or enjoy any liberty longer than
those in the administration will con-
descend to let him." The public be-
lieved Zcnger was right, when he ac-
cused the administration of arbitrar-
ily taking away the peoples property
sheir votes and their rights before the
law.
The Governor at once tried to stop
the paper. But for time the juridiclal
officials failed to cooperate. They
would not indict the offending editor.
Before long, however, the sheriff had
his own servant burn Zcngcr's paper
as sign of official condemnation,
and he put Zcnger in jail, where he
was kept for ten months. During that
period his little paper, which con-
taincd only four pages, missed but
ono issue. All the others were edited,
as the paper itself stated, Through a
Hole in the Door" The acting editor,
who was on the free side of the door
listening through the hole, was very
plucky Mrs Zcngcr, the mother of
five children, in addition to a step
child.
When the trial approached, Hcngcr's
able lawyers protested against the
Judge whom the Governor had APP
pointed to direct it, and because of
that they were excluded from the
court. The case of the German immi-
grant seemed hopeless. But his APP
parent helplcssncss only increased the
popular display of sympathy for him.
When the trial was held on a very