Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1882 — OUR NEWSPAPERS. [ARTICLE]

OUR NEWSPAPERS.

Oar English critics, while admitting the enterprise oi oar journals, and that they present the news of the day in a thorough and attractive shape, are disposed to find fault with the editorial comments' that are made upon men and measures. They say that the entertaining way in which news and gossip are discussed have drawn people away from solid intellectual reading. It is Unfortunately true that the system of free general instruction in this country has not produced a race of book-readers. Among the well-to-do middle class, which includes the young and enterprising merchants in our large cities, not one in ten reads a book—with the exception, possibly, of a novel—from one year’s end to another. They depend solely upon newspapers for instruction of all kinds. And yet this is the class upon whose energy, honesty and enlightenment the future welfare of our country rests. The antidote for this evil should be found in the newspapers themselves. If they have suoh a hold upon the minds of the people, so that they no longer care for other mediums of knowledge, they will be in time, if they are not now, in a condition to supply their readers with the solid mental food needed to maintain intellectual health. Those who have paid much attention to this subject must be aware that so ms advance in this direction has been made already. Able and thoughtful articles appear in all our leading journals from week to week. More than this, evident pains is taken to present to the reader the latest results of scientific research. No doubt there is a great deal of the superficial in these presentations, but this is a trouble that time can cure. If the newspaper is supplanting the book, it is trying to make good its loss. Scene at Continental kursaal: English party at card table—“ Hello, wo are two to two.” English party at opposite table—“We are two to two, too.” O'er man spectator, Mho “speaks English," to companion who is acquiring the language—“ Veil, now you see how dis is. Off you want to gife expression to yourself in English all you have to do is to Way mit dor French horn!”