The Press and the Democracy.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Issue 758, 17 December 1900, Page 2

The Press and the Democracy.

lfc is well sometimes to take' stock of the way in which wo are ] using the rights and liberties ; which our fathers won for us by their struggles, and often with their blood ; because therOj is a danger lest we become up accustomed to these blessings ds not rightly to esteem them, or make -worthyuise of them. > i We sometiißGs--'prTuc-"Otn(fielves ) for instance, on possessing liTfr^l Press; but the freedom of thePress is, after all, as we have discovered lately by saddening experiences, a relative matter. If fsr& do not continually do our utmost to keep our press free, it will -be fetterel and gagged notwithstanding all qu.v boasts. Its freedom depends on our energies ; onr forefatlieri wqn it, but they handed on to coming generations the duty o£ jealously guarding it. Most of the journals of to-day are owned by moneyed men, individually 'or collectively, and naturally support and advance their interests. This is only to be expected ; and no one can complain who believes in a free press. The interests of the democracy are, however, very imperfectly represented and the reason for this lies principally with the people themselves, -ft is an unpleas&ut fact that to the Journs^^|ip^l gJ^^pPKttles the people often a scanty support in comparison with that accorded to spacious and sensational, prints which, whatever they may profess, are really anti-Democratic. Papers of tjiis latter class have an enormous, circulation and the consequence is that Democratic opinion is disproportionately represented. If*'the people would only support and push theii own papers with enthusiasm, they could rectfy this state of things. The cost to each individual would be trifling, but the] gain would be im- < measurable. The Democracy have, however, in ttij.s matjter, as in pthers, rnucli tq learn a'jbout the.importance qf -self-help and selfdependence. It is in their hands whether or- not they will thwart '

V the very strength of their adall back-stairs efforts to crL\h 'their journals. A large Cll>c^ation is the great essential; an^ \ journal which enjoys this, po.ssas\} S the power of competing snccess^Hy w ith any opponent; it has ir^ fact the sine quanon of assured a\<l vigorous existence. To igno\;j tlje Press is to ignore the cheapen a 'nc} most" powerful a#ent for spreading and influencing opinion. J^ito the most remote and^ mjlilcoly Quarters tlie Press carries its message • and it speaks to men in their.leisure hours, when they are free from .the hubbub and distractions of the world and have timG to take stock of their opinions. Who can say how\often that message has brought fresh convictions and ideas to those V whp .would neyoj 1 have Jisfcened fco^ke \y^M from a s living* a^enfjAAJ^^J Quincej^ speakmo^^^^^^^H oT the Press .--J^^^^^^^^^H

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