The Van Buren press., 1874-03-24
Your County Paper.


ordinary topics of the day, and strange
to say that, in q great number OF in
stances, tlis want Of proper ideas and in |
formation does not arise from an inability
to read, bat it seems that it is more from |
habit aud caryleSsnEs than anything else.
A great many persons depend upon
others for their enlightenment and in.
formation, rather than put themselves to
the small trouble of informing themselves
and great II any depend upon reading
other peoples books and newspapers
This is all wsong. Every citizen should
inform himself so as to be able to con
verse with intelligence and ease upon
general subjects of public agitation and
interest 1t is from this very cause,
(the want of accurate and solid informa
tien), that great many evils, that now
afllict the county, arise. Our citizens
generally, instead Of informing them
selves upon the elementary and funda
mental principles of the State and Ma.
tional governments, have been in the
habit of leaving all their public affairs in
the hands and control Of corrupt and
unprincpled men, and they have betrayed
the great trust reposed in them by agen
erous and conliding people There is no
| al, 4 l.l ;,f
ton can be obtained so easily aud at
such small cost, as through the means Of
a well conducted newspaper. Here you
have tn entire world spread out before
you in miniature. AT glance you can
see its wants, workings, contentious,
revolutions its social and political status
and relations, its great and varied com
mcrcial interests. and above all you can
see the great and paramount necessity
for your own instruction No man who
has family does justice to that family,
who does not place newspaper within
its reach The children Of those who
read newspapers are ALWAYS more mteli.
gent and entertaining than those who do
not. and the -voiler has frequently no.
ticed this fact Newspapers are the very
cheapest channels through which neoes
sary and valuable Information can be Oh
tanned. The great, good and learned
DR.. Johnson Of England, remarked that
he had llsver looked over a newspaper
without having learned something that
he would have greatly regretted not tn
have learned. The principles of popular
education are making such rapid strides
in this age of the world, that no man
who has his own interest to guard and
protect, can safely afford to he without a
newspaper. A certain kind Of iniorma
ton is often Of primary and indispensable
Importance to the farmer, in the most
advantageous sale of the products of his
labor Never leave this important mat
tiers to others; it is a solemn duty that
you owe yourself and those dependent
upon you, to properly inform yourself
and you cannot possibly do this so well
and expedilousy as through the columns
of your County newspaper. Corrupt and
designing men will take advantage Of
you, if you give them the least intimalion
that you are not competent 10 act and
Judge for yoursdF,. and that too in an
elevated and busiRcss like manner Tn
scrupulous persons are always watching
for mental incompctcncy and want of
correct information, in order to take ad
vantage Of their victims, and for the ac
comphshment of their nefarious pur
poses. 1t should be matter o' County
pride and generous rivalry and emulation
to sustain and encourage your local and
County paper. Comparatively few Coun-
ties in Arkansas can support paper, at
any rate it is not done, and it certainly
is distinguishing mark Of enterprise
and intelligence to see County support
a newspaper It1augmenrs and improves
the value Of your property it attracts to
your section an elevated and desirable
class Of emigration; it is the means Of
ditfusing much valuable information
among your own citizens With proper
encouragement and effort your County
paper can be made as good and as desir
able as any paper published abroad. The
time has arrived when every citizen is ey
pected to be informed upon certain sub
jects. and his social and moral relations
will suffer il he does not so inform him
self You cannot safely put this matter
off any longers2rAe world is now ruled
by intelligence. and yon will soon he left
far behind, it you do not make more and
persistent effort towards mental improve
ment. Your children will bitterly re
proach you when you are in your grave,
for not providing them with the means
of information in the way of newspapers
Every man in the County could take his
local paper and not feel the slightest in
convenience. And what a field is opened
up here for the employment Of spare
hours. You have no idea how much
you can improve yourselves in the course
Of year, and YOU thus bestow an ines
hmahc source Of enjoyment and moral
elevation upon your children. IL YOU
cannot read yonr paper, get some one to
| read it To you; you will always find per
sons who are willing to do this for YOU,
1t certainly does seem that it is vastly
more important for the farmer to know
that phosporjc acid lime, potash, carbon
and magnesia, are of great value in the
growth and propagation of plants, than
it is for him to know that Il certain rifle
will hold up" exactly on line just two
hundred yards, one foot and two and one
half inches, no more and no less. bv the
tape line The one kind of information
is of great practical use and benefit to
him, while the other can do him no good