Show I AB ONS ON'S II OUR DEBT TO THE PRESS Babson Park Mass Pro Pro- Probably bably there is no business that does so much good yet is still so little appreciated as the newspaper business Most of us take our papers for granted paying our dime to get a dol lars Jars worth and more of news and Information and fail ing to realize the value of the personal social and economic service provided us Purveyors Of News The history of the press In ht the United States is a long and fas fas- fascinating one Beginning with the first regular newspaper Er the Boston Newsletter originating in 1704 our newspapers have played a glorious part in the development of our cou country try Its economic growth and its advance advance to its position of f prestige among the nations of the world Not only the large city dailies but also the num- num numerous erous weeklies and the small rural areas have an enviable record of service as purveyors of news protectors of liberty guardians of public morals and champions of the better life In pursuit of this fourfold goal our newspapers are con con- continually compiling and publish Ing a record of our times based on the thoughts motives act act- actions ions and living habits of people here in our own country and in inthe inthe the wider world which we must learn to understand if we are areto areto to prosper in it and be at peace with it it Protectors Of Liberty The first of the ten Amend Amend- Amendments ments to the Constitution of the United States which form our Bill of Rights reads in part as follows Con gress ress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press But what thus became the law of the land in 1791 a scant 15 years after the Declaration of Independence was establish establish- established ed in principle back in 1735 when John Peter ed editor of the Weekly Journal of New York City was quitted of libel charges arising from his critical reports and com comments ments respecting the con con- conduct duct In office of the Colonial Governor of New York Ever since day the American press has been the protector of the peoples people's lib liberty erty exercising this function with a faithfulness and zeal seldom matched and never sur- sur surpassed surpassed passed by the press of any other nation Its alertness and in- in integrity integrity are among the most ef- ef effective effective bulwarks of our freedom as American citizens Guardians Of Public Morals J As w we h a vo I grown to our pre pre pre- present sent greatness as a nation and have become more know know- knowing knowing ing and more tolerant in inthe inthe the process newspaper editors too have grown in stat stat- stature ure and perspective Today editors try to win adherents for their views They endeavor to persuade rather than to im im- im impose pose their ideas upon the com com- communities communities they serve serve Yet American newspapers still share with the church the title of guardian of the public morals And rightly so N No editor worth his salt will sit idly by ignoring in his news pages or editorial columns those incidents or conditions which are undermining the soc soc soc- social ial and moral health of the corn com ChampIons Of The Better Life During the past quarter quarter- tury cen-tury advertising on the air air- airwaves waves has grown tremendous tremendous- tremendously ly Y Radio and television now share with newspapers the pro pro- promotion promotion motion and sale of a wide var var- variety of products and services Yet until radio and TV become more effective gatherers of news as well as dispensers of entertainment they will not hold the same consumer inter inter- interest est the newspaper holds The mass production and distil techniques which have so greatly and so quickly ad- ad advanced advanced our economic growth would have been almost impossible impossible sible without the preparation of mass markets by our ur newspapers Your newspaper large or small deserves your patronage and support Subscribe to it read it ponder what its editors call caU to your attention advertise in it Your newspaper is still your best and most dependable source of news More it is the steadfast champion of the better life we all seek |