Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-31
AMERICAN ACTIVITY AND EURO
PEAN SLUGGISHNESS.


in the general pursuits of life, is fact demon
strated and Of universal admission.
The why and the wherefore are readily trace
able. Our institutions being the offspring of the
peoples own Wishes have in the heart of the ma
ton that protection which no armies could give.
These allow the utmost liberty to the mind and
conduct of man consistently with the rights of his
felow-man.
The mind thus mtrammelled springs forth to
action through every channel of human pursuit.
No vocation is beneath respect, for the highest
eminence may be attained by party possessing
merit, no matter in what business he may en-
gage.
This perfect freedom has stimulated to an ex-
treme extent the cultivation Of the press. The
number of papers and periodicals of all descrip-
tons, equal, almost, in number, those of Europe.
Information is more rapidly and more, generally
dffused throughout this country than in any
other whatsoever.
1t is true the character of our press, in some
particulars, does not compare favorably with the
leading papers of Europe. The great journals
which employ editors, at salary of $4,000, to
write single leader for each number of the pa
per, can afford to engage fine writer, man of
literary attainments and acquainted with history
and politics But in all practical, utilitarian
9 matters of life, the press of America is immeas-
urably in advance of every other in the world.
While the London Times, ct i'd omne genus, fill
their columns with ponderous discussions of poll
tics and literature. our papers make these mat
tiers secondary The great object in view by the
American publisher, is to get some information
which will benefit and instruct the reader of his
paper. Any invention in the mechanic arts, any
Improvement in machinery, any discovery of
minerals, any information valuable to agricul-
ture, manufactures, or commerce, is most greed
lily seized upon and instantly communicated
through the paper. Not only are the publishers
themselves active in obtaining and communion
ting all such INFORMATION, but all society is active
in contributing its aid in bringing to notice every
thing which can show an advance in art and
science. For example-the simple fact that Mr..
Steers, the builder of the triumphant yacht Anne
rca, has been engaged by Government to build
frigate, leaving her construction entirely to his
discretion, and that the Collins line has given
to him the contract to build its new steamer,
are>incdents which flying on the wings of the
wind throughout the country, and these incidents
viii probably appear in every paper in the Union.
The extreme pains which every party takes to
maize known any improvement made by him, has
perhaps no approach in any other country TO a
parallel, as general rule. Our railroads, hotels
and omnibuses, abound with advertisements Of
barber shops, and lighthouses, and the very drop
curtains of the theatre are made the advertisers
Of improvements The pavements beneath our
feet, as we walk along, pirate of the whereabouts
of some wonderful wares, or reflect the name of
some parties who claim 20 have them. The walls
in the streets, the fences in the country, con-
stantly present TO the eye the announcement of
some commodity, or some manufacture Hun
dreds Of thousands, ay, millions, of very fine
almanacs are printed and given away, having,
slyly, among its leaves, account Of some alleged
valuable commodity or improvement. The
cheapness Of advertising and the immense mum
Der Of papers all diligently at work bringing every
thing to notice, occasion a universal intelli-
gence, giving ceaseless hints TO active, inventive
minds, for further improvements. In one par
ticular the European people arc in advance o.
ours, in the art Of bringing their wares into no
an obituary notice, the fact, that the sorrowinp
and bsreaved widow Of the deceased will con.
tinue to carry on the business, and begs leave to
call the attention Of the public to her excellent
stock Of goods. We have not yet included that
"dodge" into our policy. Every paper is the
special patron Of every business in its nighbor-
hood, and with most elaborate pains il presents
fully and frequently the advantages possessed by
its town or district, and recommends all parties
to give them the preference as being the best
thus all the resources Of the country stand re-
vealed, one improvement stimulates another,
ideas are rapidly exchanged and rapidly engen-
dered
While the faults Of our press are many and
grevious, IL yet has the merit Of fostering every
species Of improvement, and greedily seeks in
formation for the immediate benefit of IFS readers.
We doubt not that many paper in the United
States, possessing but very small share Of the
literary merits and political knowledge Of the
London Times, is of far more value to its readers
than this Wanted and vaunting paper; that the
reader Of the American paper finds more in il to
be turned TO his personal advantage than does
the reader Of the London Times.
IL is certainly desirable that our papers should
possess the merit of style and the learning Of tn,
London Times; but they would be dearly pur
chased by the loss Of the practical information
with which the American paper abounds.
There is an immense amount Of ability con
nected with the American press, and much dig
nifty too, eommngled with much ignorance anC
coarseness.
In point Of practical utility in diffusing usefu
knowledge, in stimulating inventions and i'm
provements, press in the world can hold AM
comparison with the American press.
The people are mere communicative; theJ
commingle more; they move about more; they
are individually far more aspiring than are am
other people. In Europe, until lately, nearly
the whole population was born, lived and dice
on the same spot In America, TO do so is the ex
cePtion; few die where they are born, ofthose who
reach maturity. The extraordinary facility anC
readiness with which Americans adopt improve