Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1902 — NEWSPAPER GROWTH. [ARTICLE]

NEWSPAPER GROWTH.

Marvelous Development of the Amerl* can Press. Weed, Bennett, Greeley, Prentice and Raymond—the grand “we” of the old school—were in a small company when they virtually* ruled public opinion, says the St. Louis Republic. There were only 254 daily papers In existence in 1850. To-day there are 2,226. In 1850 the combined circulation of the papers was 758,454, while in 1900 the circulation of the 2,226 was 15,102,156. The aggregate number of copies Issued during the year 1850 was 426,409,978, while in 1900 it was 8,168,248,749. It must be admitted that this growth in circulation has followed a change in the so-called mission of the newspaper. A half century ago no statesman felt secure unless he had the editorial support of the papers. The press did not then, as now, express and lead public opinion, but formed it. To-day the highest calling of the newspaper is to truthfully furnish thejiews. No dally can make editorial expression the leading feature and survive. Railroad, telegraph and cable have made communication so easy that the desire of the people for the latest news has made the circulation of the better papers increase by leaps and bounds. With the betterment of transpurta? tion facilities the weekly press has failed to keep pace with the daily. From 1880 to 1890 the increase in the daily was 25.9 per eent; from 1890 to 1900 it was 30.2 per cent; while the increase in weekly circulation dropped from 26.7 per cent between 1880 and 1890 to 14.7 per cent in the last decade. There was $192,443,708 invested in newspapers and periodicals in 1900. They had 27,579 salaried employes, who received $27,015,791, and 94,604 wage earners, who receive $50,333,051. Material cost $502214,904, and the money value of products was $222,983,569. There is no way of promoting the actual value of the product In promoting advancement and saving the cost of mistakes which ignorance makes at every turn.