The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-06-05
The Country Newspapers of the United
States.

had much to do in the diffusion of general in
selligence, when it would have been impossible
10 circulate so widely the city journals. The
effect upon the general welfare of the country,
by this wide extended dissemination of popular
ideas and the enlightened advocacy of liberal
measures for our advancement as people,
cannot be properly estimated by one connected
for long series of years with the means en-
ployed. Hence, we leave it to others capable
cf rendering justice to the oyer-worked and
poorly y-compensatea class known as country
publishers. But we clearly appreciate the in
Justice and lack of foresight evinced by Con-
gress in altering the postal laws so as to require
postage upon newspapers in the counties where
published and claim that we reach this con-
c;usion unbiased by prejudice in favor Of our
calling.
Every well-informed journalist in the land
knows the difficulties encountered in securing
general subscription list among an agricultu-
rnl people, for instance and that the growth
and success of country newspapers, whenever
they survive the numerous obstacles in their
pathway, are marked by gradual, steady pro-
gression towards permanency. Here and there
are always to be found men of intelligence and
enterprise, who are ready to welcome the inau-
g,lration of journalism in their midst, knowing
that it is the handmade of education and reli-
gion, and when properly conducted adds to the
enlightenment and virtue of a people. But
the masses are totally Indifferent, where they
have not enjoyed the benefits and witnessed the
advantages of having local mediums of thought
and intelligence in their midst. Struggling
with these difficulties, and surmounting the
prejudices naturally arising before them, the
country newspapers become the pioneers of
popular education, and blaze the way for their
more pretentious contemporaries of the city
press, whether political, religious, literary or
scientific. Statistics will prove that the larger
and more ably conducted journals of the coun-
try enjoy greater circulations in those commu-
mites where the local organ is more generally
circulated, for the reason that the taste for
reading newspapers has been more highly cul-
tivated in such localities.
If these be truths, known and admitted by
all intelligent men, is there not good and suf-
ficient reason for government, founded upon
the theory of "the greatest good to the greatest
number" to encourage whatever will assist in
the wider diffusion of general intelligence
among the masses? The recognized policy of
the government heretofore, in its postal regula-
ticns, has been to foster and help forward the
country newspapers, by exempting their pub
lications from postage in their immediate local
tiles. This exemption has done much towards
multiplying local newspapers throughout the
United States, and as mode of stimulating
the popular mind and diffusing intelligence
among the masses, has fully justified the small
concessions made by the government, in favor
of country newspapers. But the mode has
been changed, and we doubt not that a reaction
ary movement, detrimental to the country
newspapers and correspondingly depressing in
its general influence upon society, will at once
take place. Congress has seen fit to require
the patrons of all newspapers, regardless of
location and unmindful of the benefits con-
ferred, to advance the postage quarterly, accord
ing to established rates.
Under these circumstances, we have deter
mined to make suggestion to our brethren of
the country press throughout the United States,
looking to the repeal of this particular clause
in the postal regulations Our suggestion is
simply to forward petition to Congress, asking
for its repeal, which petition is to be signed by
eve-y publisher and proprietor in the United
Stales, who believes the law is unwise and i'm
polite. With proper representations as to the
Justice of this demand, we believe that the
next Congress will undo the work of its prede-
cessor, and once again lend the encouragement
of the government to the establishment and
success of country journals.
1t is said that the last Congress was induced
to enact the present regulation, because the
newspapers demanded the repeal of the frank
ing privilege If Congressman are actuated by
selfish motives perhaps the present members
might be stimulated to repeal the law in ques-
ton, by considering the fact that their prospects
for reelection are somewhat dependent upon
the support of the newspaper press in their re-
spective localities. But we would put the de-
mand upon higher grounds, and claim the re-
peal as matter of general utility, which will
be widely endorsed by the constituents of the
members. We invoke the attention of the
Amsrican Newspaper Reporter, always the
friend of the country newspapers, to the pur-
port of this suggestion, and would be glad to
have an expression of its views upon the sub
ject.
Nr.-J,., l,,. ,.,, tlo J11o,t ,o1 oJo,, ~,