Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-10-12

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cises OF over the mass Of mind. The press
is most powerful agent in giving fashion
TO public sentiment-in politics, in morals
and in education, it holds preponderating
power. The influence of the press in Wis
consin upon the moral and intellectual con
dition Of our population, is but imperrectly
realized. There are certain statistical facts
connected with the newspaper press in this
Territory, which give an exhibition of
things that may not be unnteresting.--
Although to some they may appear ex-
tremely simple and of trivial consequence,
yet TO US they are regarded in far d;ffe-
rent light. Whatever has to do with mind,
and the guidance Of public opinion, is of
infinitely greater importance to the inhabi-
tants Of this Territory, than the discovery
OF mineral treasures.
The present population Of Wisconsin
may be estimated at38, 900, which number
is scarcely the population Of an average
| county in the State of New York. There
are now published in this Territory nine
weekly newspapers. evil suppose that
these nine newspaper establishments have
an average list Of 500 subscribers each
this gives a weekly circulation Of $500
papers, and yearly circulation of 234,-
600 copies. Suppose that each newspa-
per publishes fourteen columns Of reading
matter weekly, exclusive advertisements,
this would produce from each newspaper
establishment, (aIlowing 500 copies the
number of weekly issues) annually 1884,
GOO columns Of reading matter. This null
tiplied by the nine presses in the Terrific
ry would produce annually 3,276,OOO CO.
lumns Of reading matter published in Wis
consin. This amount Of reading matter
is equivalent 10 the publication, by each
press in the Territory, Of 3,64O volumes
of an ordinary size book, containing 800
pages in each volume, or it is equivalent
to the publication by all the presses in the
Territory, Of 32,760 books Of 800 pages
each! This would give at least one volume
annually to every man, woman and child,
capable Of reading in the Ter ritory.
Suppose again, that each newspaper in
the Territory publishes weekly on an av-
erage, two columns Of editorial, or original
matter. This gives annually to the edi-
tors of each of the papers, the writing of
original matter equal to book of 500 pa
ges. Here then is reading matter equiva.
lent TO nine volumes of 800 pages each
annually produced by the native talent Of
our own Territory. Each newspaper es-
tablishment distributes 500 volumes; or
4,5O0 distributed by all. OF the character
of this amount Of original matter the pub
lie should be the Judges doubtless much
have been written that might better have
remained unpublished, and much that has
been published has contributed to the sum
Of intelligence in the Territory. At all
events, enough of original matter is annu-
ally written and published in Wisconsin to
poison the whole population, were it die
tated by bad heads and wicked hearts,
1t is not alone the influence Of original
matter produced in our Territorial papers,
which is brought to bear upon the public
mind; the character Of the selected matter
in the columns of paper, is altogether
dependant upon the editor, and regulated
according to his taste and principles -
Therefore the 1921 volumes of reading
matter, which is annually distributed thro'
the Territory, takes its character chiefly
from those who conduct our public Jour-
nails
For the purpose of bringing this sub
ject still more distinctly before the mind,
and TO show the probable influence of the
press; we suppose again the weekly Cir
culation of newspapers in Wisconsin to be
1850 copies. These papers are mostly
subscribed for, and taken by heads Of fa-
miles; it may therefore be safe to colcu-
late that each paper is read at least by
four different persons. 1t then appears
that the papers published in this Territory
are read by $4,000 persons every week.
Suppose further, that each Of these per-
sons spend haitian hour each week in read
ing the papers: the result then is, that an
amount of time equal to 375 days, is every
week devoted TO the reading Of our Terri
torial newspapers:-extending thisestimate
for one year the total amount of time thus
devoted would De equivalent to 366 years
and fifty-ive days.-There are doubtless
many who will regard these calculations
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