Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-12-22
OUR COUNTY NEWSPAPER.

OUR COUNTY NEWSPAPER.
We copy the following article from the West
chester Gazette, which we would recommend to
those in this vicinity who do not sustain a coun-
ty paper:-
We feel inclined to put the question to our
citizens, whether they appreciate as they should,
the value of the local county papers? We do
this in no spirit of faultinding, for our success
thus far has exceeded our expectations, and we
ought, therefore, to be contented. But we put
the question for the purpose of drawing atten-
tion to the subject and stirring up proper de-
gree of public spirit in the matter.
Are these papers appreciated as they should
be? There is not citizen in this or any other
town, whose name ought not to be on the SUBJ
scrpt!on list of the paper published in the town
or neighborhood in which he resides. Every
person who reads this article, and who is sub
scrber to the paper published in the town where
he lives, can answer with an honest heart, that
so far as he is concerned his local paper is ap-
precated; but those who are not subscribers,
must answer the question in the negative. We
fear that this latter class is very numerous, we
know that it is larger than it ought to be.
That the publication of a paper in town or
village, is an evidence of the advancing state of
intelligence and of public spirit, cannot be de-
nied Persons at distance, generally form
their opinions as to the condition of town in
tellectually, by the fact of the existence or non
existence of local paper. 1t is almost an infal-
lible test; for wherever there is sufficient intel
ligence and public spirit to sustain newspaper,
there one will invariably be found. This is just
so much law of nature, as that grrss will spring
up in fertile soil. A person riding through a
waste of sand, where no grass grows, at once
pronounces the soil to be barren and unproduct-
i've: SO person finding town without news
paper, pronounces it to be wanting in those ell
ements, from which alone paper can draw its
nourishment, intelligence and public spirit. And
the conclusion is as certain and founded in the
very nature Of things, as much in the one case
as in the other. We wish this fact would be
borne in mind. There is not a citizen of our
county, who would willingly permit his town
to rest under the imputation of being wanting
in public spirit; and yet there are hundreds who
are pursuing course, which, if generally fol-
lowed, would necessarily result in this hun
dreds who are not now doing anything TO sus.
tain the paper published in their town or vicin-
ity. In great majority of instances this is the
result Of negligence, and in many cases other
papers are taken while their own are neglected
This, however, is wrong. The influence and
means of every citizen should, in the first in.
stance, be applied to that which is calculated to
raise and elevate the standard of intelligence
and morality, in the community where he re.
sides, to give to it tone and character. This
being accomplished, lie may then expand his field
of action, and subscribe for papers published
elsewhere-but the first duty is at home.
Our citizens all want to be apprised of what
is transpring in the town and county. That is
the matter in which they are peculiarly interest
ed. The meetings Of our courts, and proceed
ings before them-public meetings-politica
acts-matters of local interest and importance
deaths, marriages, causalties, &C., &C.; these
must all be chroncled. Our citizens all wish tC
keep up with the time; they wish journal pub
lished, to which they can refer for information
on all these points. But how many of them re
member that such journal can be kept up BY
only great outlay of time and money, how ma
ny enjoy the result of this outlay, without con