Litchfield enquirer., 1873-08-14

tance. It is specially favored by the New York journals because the law as it now exists charges only the same postage on their large sheets, sent all over the coun- try, that it does on the local paper only going few miles in the mail bags. Their own county circulation goes mainly through the news offices so that the change does not affect them, while it adds in effect ten per cent to the subscription price of the local paper. While we do not claim that our papers have right to free county circulation, we do say that we have right to transmission at rate greatly reduced from that charged the New York weekly, with its large size and extensive circulation. The argument of decentralization advanced by the Old & New in favor of the country weekly, is certainly strong one. The immense power for evil, as we'll as good, possessed by the New York journal, can only be counteracted by able and independent State and local papers. This is fact that ought to come home to Republicans with peculiar force.
 Within ten years, both the great New York Republican dailies have, from. per sonal reasons, undertaken in turn to over- throw the party on whose patronage they had risen to prosperity. In 1866 the Times followed Andrew Johnson into op- position under the leadership of MT. Ray mond, then the leader of the Johnson par ty in the House of Representatives. In 1872, MT. Greeley, having become person. ally dissatisfied with Pres. Grant, led the Tribune off into Liberal Republication. Indeed, it is the personal prejudice, or personal interest of the man at the head of the great city daily that not only dic- tates its opinions but changes it's politics at will. The personal Views of MT. White law Reid of the Tribune, or of MT. Jones of the Times, are of no weight with the public, yet the papers they control fur nish half the Republicans living within g radius of five hundred miles of New York with the bulk of their newspaper reading, highly colored with their pecul- jar opinions. Nor is this all. The great city newspaper is growing more and more ''impersonal. MT. Greeley no longer controls the Tribune; MT. Raymond, the Times; nor MT. Hilton, the Independent. The capitalists who own the stock of the great city papers are those whose interest the impersonal journalist is primarily bound to consult. His relation to the outside world is growing to resemble that of the railway president, who thinks first of dividends; next Gf at alD, of what the company owes the public. In Connecti- cut the large papers are very rapidly be- coming exceedingly ''impersonal." MT. Bromley no longer gives personality tc the Post, nor Mir. Train to the Palladium The Courant yet retains it's personality, and gains greatly and justly in influence thereby. The impersonal journalist is often if not generally a Bohemian, hired by the wealthy individual or corporation to run up large subscription list; or te play into the hands of a certain politica clique; or to do both. Republican news paper offices are full of Democrats who
 swrite up" Republicanism; Democratic newspaper offices, of Republicans who "write up" Democracy, with equal facility To know what course the Hartford Hun Drum or the New Haven Boomerangislike ly to take, no one enquiries who edits bu who owns them. With some advantages VI cannot but think that ''impersonalitY' brings more disadvantages to journalism We miss the flavor of individualism ant above all the stamp of sincerity, such a Horace Greeley impressed on his Tri bune.
 Personal journalism, rapidly disappear ing from the city, is being rapidly driver out of the county by the neutral loca paper; description of journal the Coul ant denounces perhaps too severely. Tn
 plan of this paper is easily described Starting with ''patent outside" in vii lage of some business importance, it sim
 ply aims to be what is termed in the cul rent slang of the art, ''newsy." It pick
 up or invents columns of local items; yer
 lures no opinions on any subject of in
 portance, for it must draw itssupport fror
 all parties and all sects; puffs everythin
 and everybody in its vicinity; accumulate
 free railroad passes; does a limited io
 business; and thrives, after fashion. o few hundred subscribers. Such is tl
 s'impersonalism" of the country pres
 It is not without it's uses, or it's popular
 ty, but it's editors have no opinions l,
 value on subjects of general interest.
 We think the Courant attributes abiit
 and influence to the country jou
 nal more generously than it d
 serves. The country editor is not ofte
 first class writer. His pay is not hig
 enough to warrant that expectation; bt
 the fact that his paper is taken largely c
 it's merits as vehicle of local news, givt
 it an independence in the expression {
 opinion city journals are afraid to assum' l The country journals are, or ought to b.
 the free spoken democracy of the pres
 They are not tempted with the prospe,
 of offce. They dictate to no one. The express opinions of persons outside of | cial and party rings. Welding no grel