The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-12-31
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.

CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.
The weather-vesseIs In Port-Lake
Disasters-WheRt In store-TrRde
and Currenoy-ConstitutiOnaI Cone
~vention-City and County AGairs-
Chicago NewspaPers-Tho chicago
Daily Trlbune-The Weekly Tri-
observation-disclosures
CHICAGO, Dec. 20, 1s69.-After a week Of
mild weather, winter has come again in good
earnest. Navigation has been partially closed
for two or three weeks, though the river and
harbor are vet free from ico. The steamer
Truesdell, OF tho Goodrich line, will run all
winter 10 Grand Haven and back, and tho
schooner Len Highly will ply between this
port and Sheboygan, as sho did last winter.
VESSELS LAID UP.
There are nearly five hundred vessels laid
up for winter In this port, OF which some
fifty are tugs, and about forty large propel-
lers.
LAKE DISASTERS.
The past season has been disastrous to
shipping on the lakes; the number Of disas-
ters amounting TO 1 ,9t4-750 moro than last
year, and the damage estimated at 81, 100, 900
81 GAG, 900 more than in 1868. The loss Of
life has been 200, against 321 last year. There
were 1876 vessels totally lost, with q tonnage
Of 1892, valued at S1,414, 200-being an in
crease in losses of twcnty-one vessels, 4,451
tonnage, and $4,000 600.
WHEAT IN STORE.
Grain receipts arc light and shipments
nominal, while there are In store here almost
two and a half million bushels OF wheat, a
half a million each of corn and oats, $50, 600
bushels Of rye, and 375,0 900 bushels OF bar.
ley, being an aggregate OF about 1,SS3,000
bushels ,more in Istore Of all kinds than
Of last year at this time.
TRADE,
except in holiday goods, is very dull. Col
leotions are becoming moro difficult, and
money more stringent. Tho banks have
more than they can do to furnish funds for
beet and pork packers, and deposits run ex-
ceedingly low. Congress-, toe, Is in session,
with its thousand aud one plans for doctor
ing the finances and tinkoring the currency,
and this has a disturbing effect upon enter
prise. II is not 80 much present evil a. fear
Of evil in the future which makes capitalists
timid aud purchasers cautious.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION,
after a three day' session at Springfield, has
got itself organized, by the election II an in
dependent-one ofthe Chicago citizens mem
bers named Hitchcock as President. The
democrats, II Is col ceued, have control OF the
convention, but as their work has TO pass the
ordeal Of a state vote hitherto decidedly re-
publican, this fact will have a tendency to
moderate their partizanshiP. The officers
have been equally divided between the par
tltHs IL ~ very uCtlfaOLe tnaL the Olu Consul
tuition should be revised and improved In
many respects, and / believe this IL the con.
yiction Of the great majority Of the people,
irrespec i've OF party. II the constitution
framed Is not acceptable to the majority, 1t
will be voted down.
THE CITY AND ooENTY OFFICERS,
now that they are fairly installed in their
places, manifest no disposition to reform
their salaries by reduction. The County
Clerk threw back the resolution Of the Coun-
ty Supervisors, asking him to be content
with 50, 200 salary, into their faces with very
little ceremony, and l expect the other Off.
Gers will follow his example. The reform
they were chiefly interested In was TO re.
form their predecessors out Of Office, and re-
form themselves into their vacated places.
That is the usual reform measure OF poll
ticians.
CHICAGO NEWSPAPERS.
Chicago is as noted for It's newspapers, as
for ITS manufacturing, cOmmelc ial and mer.
camille prosperity. Indeed, it, newspapers
are the indices and promoters gifts progress,
and lead in all enterprises affecting its ma
terial and moral well,beins. They are tho
representatives Of its growing greatness, and
play a most important part in its social, NOR
al and political life. Aud as Chicago is the
business center Of the Northwest, her papers
partake of her cosmopolitan character, aud
not only furnish the fullest and most complete
general news, but they often give better re
ports Of the LegislativO proceedings OF sur
rounding States, and earlier news from the
prominent points in those States, than their
home papers. And as Chicago, through her
complete network Of railroads, is accessible to
almOsta all points In the Northwest, the FARM
or. the merchant and the mechanic find II tho
best source OF supply for the earliest and
cDmpletest news, not only ofgeneral interest,
but Of whatever pertains to his particular
business. Supplying q large field, and on.
joying a large patronage, the publishers can
furnish a better paper, for the same price,
than the publishers in less favored localities.
And rs this is the season for renewing sub
scriptions and forming clubs for another
year, a few suggestions as 10 the character Of
papers 1t il most desirable and profitable 10
lake may not be out OF place.
The first characteristic OF a good Newspaper
ls promptnoss ia furnishing the earliest aud
completest news. And though, as a general
rule, readers will prefer a paper Of their own
political views, yet 1t is better to take a good
newspaper OF opposite p%olitics, than a poor
one Of ones Own political faith. And espe-
cially is 1t wise 70 take a paper Of decided
political convictions, fearlessly and candidly
expressed, than one of no convictions, or
afraid to express any, lest 1t might offend
some OF it's readers.
A good newspaper viii supply it's readers
with news on all topics Of human interopt.
It's correspondents should know what they
are writing about, and be able to express their
thoughts In q clear, concise and readable
style. It's editorials should be terse, argu.
mentatiye, exhaustive, gong 10 the marrow
Of tho subject, bold, manly, courteous, eleva-
ting, and peryaded with the spirit Of pro-
gross and the love Of humanity. Every lice
newspaper must have Il s0ua In II, and that
soul, sooner or later, will carry with 1t the
eouls Of its readers. A complete newspaper
il a map OF the human race, revised day by
day and week by week to represent the end
lgga ph0ana Of tho human anaaiaa In oil fhatp
occupations and pursuits, in their pleasures
and pastimes, in Joy and in sorrow, in health
and in sickness, in life and i'm death. IL il
the best and truest type Of Man. / do not
say that such a newspaper in perfection ia to
be found: But the nearest approximation TO
II in the Northwest is
THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE.
which, for f~ullness aud variety of miscellane-
Gus, political and commercial news; complete
market reports; liberal use OF the telegraph;
the number and intelligence OF its CORES
pondents, at home and abroad; the value of
rs Agricultural and Literary departments;
the breadth, yigor, originality, in
discussions; and its bOldness in taking the
initiative on important public questions, has
no western rival, and challenges comparison
with the best eastern journals The circHla-
ton OF the daily is so great, and tho charac-
ter of its subscribers 10 such, that an adyer-
tisement in 1t is worth more to the advertiser
than In all tho other city daiiies combined.
Its editorial policy Ia liberal and progressive,
representing the advanced public sentiment
OF the northwest. 1t advocates free banking
under proper legal safeguards; tho imprO re-
ment Of the national credit and the refunding
OF the bonded debt at a lower rate Of interest;
a return TO specie payments at the earliest
practicable period; q tariff for revenue solely,
and a material and speedy reduction of tho
present rate Of taxation.
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE
has been greatly improved, especially in it's
literary and agricultural departments. 1t IL
carefully edited, and considerable new mat
ter, not appearing in the Daily, is prepared
especially for the Weekly. In addition TO the
e~Xcellenf ~nrilclea Of 'Rnral.n ono of the hcat