The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-04
The Morning Star.

POAAA~ Va OPouAuBS Wo WOulO CdA1 Tue &Jt0n.
ton Of our community to the advantages
of patronizing local Catholic paper. We
take for granted that all Catholics consider
an organ Of some kind in the way of q
newspaper, necessary in q large city like
New Orleans. 1t is the natural medium
OF communicating much local information
that might be looked for in vain in other
papers, and it serves the purpose of check
upon the unfriendly tendency of secular
press which is always prone to find vent in
bitterness and falsehood 1t is not necessary
that any special talent should be exhibited
to effect this latter result, because even
where reprimand does not perhaps bring
conviction, it may at least suggest pru-
dence.
The principal purpose of such paper, is
however to circulate general Catholic news
end sound Catholic opinion. The whole of
the warfare against the Church is based on
falsehood-or perversion of facts. The
secular press is one of The principal agents
of this system, not Intentionally, perh APPS,
but rather through dint of habit. Its
publications are colored with the tints of
prejudice, and its views on Catholic ques-
tions are based upon errors in fact, persist
emily taken for granted. It is true that an
intelligent Catholic will generally pass by
such illusions or statements with quiet
contempt, but even quite intelligent ones
sometimes find themselves getting confused
and little influenced by the constant reit
Grafton of the same calumnies in thousand
forms, varying from ndicule to grave de-
nunciations. They see these things per-
petually in their favorite literary or politi-
cal journal and in all the others which
they casually pick up, and it is not to be
wondered at if occasionally they require to-
be reminded of the truth in order to re-
member it. Some very good Catholics
have kind of secret suspicion that all
Italians are lazzaroni, all Spaniards cut
throats, and all Parisians 1icentious liber-
tines, that the Inquisition was dreadful
blunder of the Church and the Sicilian Yes
pers bona fde Catholic institution. They
have become little muddled.
Now, if this is the way with heads of
families who know by experience the
/ falsehood of the world, what impression
shall we expect to find made upon the
minds of their children by the constant
pernsal of such things7 And who is to
blame for this unfortunate perversion of
opinionf Of course he who wilfully puts
himself and others in the way of being
poisoned without providing an antidote.
We cannot recommend the exclusion of
secular papers the Office and the home circle,
but we say, emphatically, that Catholic
| ri, 70 no %hor al TO
protest against Islander and a persistent re-
hinder of the truth. Any Catholic family
able to provide itself with secular paper,
has no excuse whatever for not taking a
Catholic one. 1t would be q grave omission
of duty not to do 80, and yet how many
such families are there not, here in our
own cityf Now that new commercial
year, is commencing, with it, calculations for
ontlays and expenses, we would recon-
been on our list to put down a subscription
to the MORNING STAR as one item. They
will never regret the investment.
Then as to advertisements. We can not
really scold m UGH on that point, consider
ing the liberal patronage we have received
during the past year. We shall not praise
our advertisers much, either, for they know
we'll that the MORNING SRAR has an i'm
mense number of readers, and among
them many who do not care to see any
other journal. AS has been often said, q
weekly paper has the decided advantage
over a daily, as an advertising medium, from
l the fact of it's having SO many more readers
in proportion to the number of copies
published. 1t circulates from hand to HAND
during the whole week, while the daily il
> torn up by next morning.
Our circulation being SO widely diffusei
4 throughout the country gives another i'm
: portant advantage to advertisers. Many
!, of our country subscribers visit tn
: city to make purchases, and not having
+ much time to lose, of course, address them
g selves to those houses which have become
: familiar to them through our columns.
:. may not be with any more serious intention
r that they &e than that of examining tn
{ stock, but our part is done in sending then
there to the store, it is for the merchant. t.
= keep them there. We would remark, how
!, ever, to advertisers, that the earlier the.
q send their communications the more leisur
there will be in the office to give q goo