Year: 1876

The Liperality of tie Press.

 There is no feature of Am eri can journalism more conspicuon: than the liberality, or, rdther,gen erosity, of large proportion O

 it's representatives. We see the truth of the statement illustrated every day, and in every part ol the country. No scheme of pub lie benevolence or enterprise de signed to benefit humanity fails to receive, if properly inaugura

 ted and consistently carried on

 the hearty and generous support of the press-a support more powerful and efficient than the ar guments of an advocate, or the eloquence of an orator. In pur. suance of their acknowledged mission and sphere as leaders oi civilization and directors of pub lie opinion, the great majority of the journals of the United States are working for what they think the best interests of the people, and are ever ready to bring into public notice any plan, by whom soeyer devised, for the further ance of those interests. We might enumerate hundreds of cases in which the advocacy and commendation of the press have brought right, but unpopular or little known ideas of reform and enterprise into popular and prac- tical operation. And We might on the other hand, call attention to numberlcss instances of detec- tion and exposure of fraudulent practices and unsound theories through the agency of the press. But it is not necessary to do either, for the work of the press in these directions is known of all men, and is appreciated by all good and fair minded citizens. We know that without the agency of the press much of the increase of prosperity and intelligence which we, as nation, have ac- complished, would not have been made. Let us cite single in stance of the power of the gener

 ous and hearty support of the press. The Cen tennial Exhibition, now being held in Philadelphia, was project ed years ago, and found many warm advocates and many ear nest opponents. The patriotic spirit was, perhaps thoroughly alIye in the breasts of the people, but the people were by no means unanimously in favor of cele

 bratlon at Philadelphia. With cut the concurrence of a majority of'the people and their legislative representatives, the Exhibition could never have attained the grand proportions and national character which it now has. With the people of this country in a state of apathy and indifference as to the matter, the exhibition coHtd not be expected to secure the cooperation and practical aid of foreign nations, And it was by the efforts of the press, Tn q great degree, that different state of public sentiment was brought about, and the people imbucd with sense of the importance and practical benefits of the pro posed Worlds Fair. The agents of the Centennial Commission, in their efforts to obtain appropria

 tions from Congress and from State legislatures, found their task made much easier 5y the ap- peals and arguments of the press. Congress was pursuaded, legisla

 lures were convinced, and the people at large were made to see the matter as it existed. And for this valuable and essential service, not a dollar was asked or expected. Convinced that the object was a worthy and patriotic one, the press lent its all-power

 ful aid towards it's accomplish ment, and when the history of the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 shall be written, the patriot- ic and generous work of the press should receive the credit that 1t so well deserves.

 In a French translation of Shakespeare, the passage, "Frailty, bA+ DntNa e tvGtanp v ig trun < lot