Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-06-20
CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS.

In late number of your paper appeared a
communication signed g W." intended, perhaps, as
a criticism upon the mode of distributing pub
lie documents Truly, this is matter :" wo..
thy of COMMENT" but, like every other subject to
comment upon it fairly, it requires certain "a
mount of correct information in relation to it
it requires the mind of the commentator to be
moderately free from prejudice and selfish motives
at least such we should expect, where a g sclen
tfc man,, would undertake to criticise the acts of
politician to question his motives. He says
ITO make these numerous discoveries and i'm
provements generally known and extensively use
full should be the great object. take 1t, had in
view by Congress in expeudng such large sums
of money annually in the publication and distri>
button of their numerous documents. NotwIth-
standing the obvious and legitimate destination OF
these repositories of useful knowledge, their uili
ty is intellectually impaired by the sided and
partial system Of distribution followed by the
members of Congress; for while there may be
one ;udicous disposition of book, half dozen
valuable documents will be thrown away non
appreciating recipients. Thus politician may
receive Congressional Globe done up in half Rus
STA. a very natural distribution but then when he
comes TO receive Owens Geolog cal Report and a
host OF other scientific books and documents of
minor value, for all of which he really don't
two srraws except that they are livery pretty"
&c, while man of Science. il may be, one who
could appreciate such documents and would be
but TOO happy in difusins their contents, will be
served up with such trash as +" bunkum " speeches
on Kansas Nebraska by the honorable - Au
gustus and the " distinguished Cesar, and other
northern ights " of modern date; then. We say,
the proprety of this partial distribution does not
appear evident
To come to the point at once he intimates tina
the public documents Improperly distributed
by giving person of no scientific pretensions, a
document containing scientific information, while
| the man of science would receive of a
purely political nature. Almost any free
\ from prejudice, would CONS to the natural conclu
sion that distribution Of that kind would be bet>
ter than any other in attaining the object referred
TO in the above extract, viz; To make these nu>
Drerous discoveries aud Improvements generally knocn
and extensively usefui.' This cannot be done in
any better way, than by placing the documents in
the hands of those who do not possess the inor-
nation which the books may contain-by placing
documents, condensed, scientific, and other valuable
information 10 the hands of the people. There
need be no fear that su III documents distributed
among the masses, will be thrown away on " non
approaching recpeats > for if the man of science
does not know, it is full time that he should learn,
that the masses are capable not only of under
standing aud approaching the arts and sciences
and improvements of the age but also capa-
/ bic of applying them: and will receive more use
/ ful aud practical information from a single Patent
| Office Report, than they could under any circum
stances receive from such teacher as = w would
| provide them with, although his shelve. might be
| loaded down with Owens Geological Report"
and all the other handsomely illustrated works
| that Congress may ever have had printed
| The of science cannot be presumed TO
be ignorant of the arts and sciences or that he is
| dependent on Congress TO be kept posted up on
their progress and improvement; for besides hav-
ing made them his study through life, and having
his mind we'll stored with scientific information, he
also knows where to get the works that will ena-
bic him to keep up at least with the times. But
the " man OF science " cannot be supposed to be so
we'll informed upon current political questions
/ that he could receive no useful information from
reading a speech on Kansas Nebl sska. These
speeches, from their unpretending appearance may
excite the sneers of fancy of science, yet
they not the less valuable on that account to
those who psish to inform themselves upon the
topics TINS discussed, before they make up the
minds upon them; nor does it prove that
" w" would not rise from their persual & wiser
if not better" friend To his country. These
speeches. as g W" is well aware contain
great many facts and gteat amount Of infor-
nation which only be gathered at the seat of
Government, or by the perussl OF an immense
quantity of official papers and documents, and
which even . men OF science, could not possess
in any other form, without long and patient read
ing and investigation-the experience and infor-
nation of many days and months of research,
study, investigation and careful observation
may be epitomzed in a speech, whose unpretend-
ing appearance would excite the sneers of a man
whose fancy could dwell with delight upon the
highly colored illustrations in any valuable work,
such as Owens Geological Report, bat who would
seem 10 have no particular regard for truth when
it presents itself in plain ungarnished exterior.
One word more, and it must snffce for the pres.
emit Nv " it is 10 be hoped, has not forgotten the
old saying that the wicked imagine evil things
OF others he says the public documents are
dwlndied down TO mere vote buyers. Now if that
is his way OF thinking, and if that is the spirit in
which he receives public property it is no won
der that ne would be annoyed at receiving a bun
KUN speech, although it might contain the very
kind OF information which he most needed: in
stead Of one of Owens Reports, which might so
handsomely ornament his shelres X
WHEAT CRoP IN Observation-Disclosures from
several wheat growing counties in Michigan, re-
presents the wheat crop in their respective secs
tions as nearly destroyed by the Weev Fields
that had promised IS bushels to the acre but
few weeks since, are now utterly blighted by this
insect In some instances the farmers have plow-
ed up their wheat fields and planted them 10 corn
II Barnums Baby show came off in New
York last week. great variety of human curl
osities were presented. The total profits realized
by the arch Humbug general, are said to exceed