New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-11
NEWSPAPER READING.


The contrast between the "typica
Southern editor" who ignores all ex
cept politics., and the journals of latel
period is very striking. We take up &
New Orleans paper. 1t contains highly
peppered partisan leader. 1t harps upon
the exclusive right of certain residents tc
hold Office in exclusion of others. II
seems to US we have read this article be-
fore. 1t is, in fact, one of an infinitely
recurring series so exactly similar in tone,
so little variant in terms that if, like the
clergyman in the story, the editor should
fill barrel full of them and annually
turn it upside down, and republish
| those articles in reverse order, nobody
would ever note anything peculiar
in any of them. The leader having been
addressed to the ancestral prejudices of
the people, we take look at the rest of
the journal. A special reporter has been
deputed to attend on Senator Pinchback.
He reports the diary of that gentleman's
movements under the heading "Poor
Pinch" There is then several columns
culled from the slews of Burgundy street,
with the daily DRINKS and cuttings and
drownings and fires. These are expanded
in the most facetious manner and COM
pose, perhaps, the most insipid twaddle
ever spun out of such revolving materials.
The rest of the journal is filed with
plaudits of everything popular, with no.
tees of departure or return Of host of
most devoted friends from visits to New
York, restored, rejuvenated and rejoicing.
We contrast the journal thus conducted
by ''the typical Southern editor" with an
average newspaper printed in st. Louis,
Chicago, or New York. These last con-
tain discussions of municipal questions,
reports of proceeding and speeches on re-
ligious, charitable, financial, commercial or |
agricultural subjects, comments on pend
ing federal legislation, correspondence
from foreign countries, with communica-
tons on scientific or literary questions.
The typical Southern editor of the old
school, has cooked a dish to excite the
faded appetite of the battered old political
reprobate 1t is roasted Yankee on the
half-shell, or the deviled bone of car
pet-bagger. 1t is the omelette sout'ee of
latulent adulation, or made pungent with
he game flavor of personal abuse against
some political antagonist.
There is very large and respectable
portion of the public that does not like
his style of literature. 1t is behind the
ge. 1t teaches nothing, and ladies and
hildren turn to the many periodicals
which attract Or instruct them.
More than this, many merchants and
more interested in the business
nd rents Of the city than in its politics,
an not see how the city can obtain what it
SKIS at the hands of Congress when their
publications. are advocated by such can
press.
Widh this WEAKNESS and discomfort of
le reader, it is not surprising that the ,
TYPICAL sink every craft that they board. I
must have an end. People demand t
better. 1t is to be supposed
lat before the close Of the century "the +
7pical Southern editor Of the old school 6
i'll either die out or be thrust out by the !
nmense mischief which the system in f
cts. and the great good which it pre- /
,nts being done. Mr.. Forsyth, who was b
he of that school, has made the discovery 6
at it is the subject of laughter and con- I
mpt, and has abandoned it, and we may I.
fely predict that he will have many con-
ituents who applaud his convictions
ID commend them to others.