Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1885 — COMPARE THE TWO PAPERS. [ARTICLE]

COMPARE THE TWO PAPERS.

‘Che Senatorial business at Springfield is not making much* progress, but Logan’s friends are standing by him well, while Morrison’s are shaky. Logan’s prospects are brightening, while* Morrison’s are growing beautifully less. 'rtrere is no longer aiiy reasonable grounds for- hoping for any temperance legislation in Indiana this winter. The vote in the State Senate last Friday, on the bill requiring the teaching of physiology and hygiene and the effect of alcoholic stimulants and narcotics, in the public schools, shows that a majority of the members of that body are opposed to passing any laws that are unfavorable to the liquor traffic. We are glad to be able to state that Senator Hoover's vote was given with those who favored the bill. 4 ’ ■evKxagnKsnKUKv’vsvExiinMEßßaKjsMßi It is to Senator Hoover’s everlasting honor that he is among that small band of honorable deniocrats, in the State Legislature, who are opposing the infamous Congressional and Legislative ap yprtionnient schemes of the Dem • Liats. If Mr. Hoover is really in earnest in his opposition to these unspeakable villainies, and will work against them, »nd vote > gainst them at every opportunity, and speak against it as occasion offers, in a manner not to be misunderstood, he will win the gratitude of his constituents, and the honor of all honest men. after that, many of its echoes throughout the state, have been trying to make it appear that Senator Harrison voted against the Texas Pacific Land Forfeiture bill, in a certain stage of its progress lately. “The he, which is half a truth, is ever the blackest of lies.” The truth is that Mr. Harrison has favored the bill at all times, and the only grounds for the Sentinel’s -landers is the fact that a short time ago, the question arose in the Senate as to which of two bills, the Land Forfeiture bill and another, both of which he favored, should be acted upon first, and Mr, Harrison voted for the other bill. John Bull seems to have bitten off a good deal more than his j aws can masticate, in the Soudan. The Mahdi seems to be a sort of African big injun war chief, of forty thousand Sitting Bull power, and is licking the British pretty rgularly. The proverbial British propensity to hog everything in, sight, has got them into a most tremendous predicament, and one which they have hard work to ge; of with advantage or credit to themselves. In the mean time Americans will with them in their disasters in about the same manner in which they sympathized with us when Canby was masscred in the Lava Beds, and the brave Custer fell at the Little Big Horn. No w orffs can express the indig - nation which every true friend of republican government and of the rights cf the people, should feel at the infamous ijglitical swindles, the legislative and congressional apportionment bills, now before the State Legislature. Although the Democrats in Indiana are already in a minority of nearly 5000 rotes in the total vote of the state, ypf, by their previous gerrymandering they have so arranged tlse Congressional Legislative distrieb, Th,at they have already scouted nine uqt of, thirteen i-ongiGSsmeu ai’d a. of f'uity-six if the Legislature, yer 3liis.ißtfidt enlnigh and thev now ■ * te ©teal two more con N ■ .. • ■ ■ ‘V’ ' ■’

gressnaen and enough seats in the State Legislature to raise their majority to nearly double what it now is. - It is a wjcked, infamous and damnable crime, and should be opposed by all possible means short of actual revolution. , The newspapers of a town are its truest exponents, and, more than any thing else, are the opbn which strangers base their judgment of its character. An enterprising, readable newspaper, full of interesting local news, cannot fail to’ impress its readers that it comes from an enterprising and progressive town, and by its reflex action, such a paper goes far towards impressing its own character upon the. town where it is published. A gooff paper is thus a most powerful factor in making a good town, and is. a constant benefit to it, and to the surrounding country. On the other hand, a bad, worthless, unenterprising paper, not only causes people to judge the character of the town from the character of the paper, but it also, at the same time, tends tq impress character upon the -town and < community where it is published. ■ i n rhi- way a-worthless paper-ifiFflhi constant detriment and a reproach to the town and the community that sustains it.——————— Rensselaer has two newspapers The Republican and The Democratic Sentinel. For ’The Republican we can say, without boasting, that,.as an enterprising, honorable, i readable newspaper, and a positive ' force for progress, and for good in I the community, it comparesfavorably with any of the papers issued from.any towns similar to ours in population and. business advantages. It is, ip short, as good , and even a better paper than the people of Rensselaer and Jasper county can reasonably expect to be published within the borders of the .county. On the other hand, the Democratic Sentinel-is, beyond question, the most utterly worthless sheet published in this Congressional District,’ and, probably, in the State. Its name is a by-word and a reproach in every newspaper office where it goes as an exchange. The people of this community regard it with unmixed contempt. It is utterly without enterprise as a news gatherer, while as •& leader of thought and moulder of opinions it has no ability whatever, except for the, mos.t vulgar and common personal abuse. As a political , organ, it is really a detriment to the party which it favors, and is openly declared to be such hystho leaders of that party, in the county. That such a paper can be anything else than an injury to the town and county which sustains it, admits of no question.

Last week’s papers were fair samples?of all their issues. Let us compare the two. The Republican had on its first page three columns of interesting local news items, which had Leen-gathered up at the cost of much labor and trouble. On other pages were about two columns of matter of an , editorial nature; a column and a half acX'ount of the railj’oad wreck near Rensselaer; a column of interesting extracts from neighboring papers; a good account of the wreck near Bloomington; a letter from Florida; items from Union town-” .-hip, Ac.. Ac., making in all about nine col umns or good, honest local matter, and seS in type of a reasonable size. The Stsfitiafel coirtaiiied on its first page, three goliimtis of copied matter, of no local interest whatever, and set in type large enough for nn auctioil bill, to fill up fast; another column of the same kind of matter in the same type on another page; a column or two of stereotpye matter, some more re~“ print in smaller type than that before.’ mentioned, lastly'a : little more than a column of loriil matter, and which, for the most Wziagarbiad from tfie columns

of The Republican, In regard to the railroad wreck, ! which happened so hear the town, and in which its readers would naturally Lei so Much interest, it had just a little less than a third of a column, and at least half of that is copied, verbatim, but twithout acknowledgments, ‘ from this paper.; Of the great storms and blockaded roads and railroads the paper says not one word; nor does it make any mention of the wrecks on the L., N. A. <fc C. near Bloomington and‘_Battle G round. The, local advertising in the Sentinel Tor the issue consisted mamly of matter that is left m to “fill up’’ after the time for which it was coutrhcted for has-expired and for which no pay can rightly be expected. One such advertisement is over the name .of a man who has not been in business since last spring; another speaks of .the ‘ ‘Extremely warm • weather during last month .