The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-06-14
Only a Country Weekly.

It is only a country weekly! Yes
that is all. But do those who allude
to it with an intentional sheer ever
reflect upon the duties and mission
performed by the poor, obscure coun,
try weekly, which is as much, nay,
more, to its few hundred readers in
the country, as is the great metro
politan daily to its thousands ofread.
ers in the city? Oh, no; they never
think ofplacing any estimation upon
the worth of a country paper; it has
none within the narrow limits of
their superficial and contracted
brains. They will not admit of the
utility of any form of a newspaper
save one which is crammed full of
Geographic dispatches, giving the
minute details of some revolving and
nauseating social scandal; the hour
at which the chamberlain of the i'm
perial palace at Ispahan put his most
serene and mighty highness the
shah to bed; that the savage Gallas
of Abyssinia had abjured the tenets
Of the Coptic faith, and had bowed
down in alteration at the shrine of
Mecca's prophet; that the poor, I'M
offending Papuans of the Celebes
were being slaughtered by the Dutch
invaders from the neighboring isle
Of Macassar, and so on, in an infinite
variety of detail, all Of which is read
with an avidity that betokens the
Importance of these things to a city
gentleman. But the financial, COM
mercial, agricultural, religious and
social condition of the millions of his
fellow citizens residing without the
environs of his mighty empire of /,
few miles in area is sealed book he
has never opened its pages to in
quire within; he knows nothing of
it; put him to the test and you will
find he knows more about the condi-
ton Of the Berbers of Northern Afri
ca than he does about the people in
the neighboring county. We turn
from the contemplation Of this
human superficiality to the practical
and common-sense man, who wishes
to be informed as to the pursuits,
condition, and prospects Of the peo-
pie Of his own immediate State and
county. He finds in the rural paper
the information he seeks. The coun-
try organ is to him the camera lucida
which faithfully portrays all that oc-
ours; it is in a great measure the re-
aex of the character Of the people
comprising the country wherein it is
published. But what is the interest
which even he derives from it, com
pared to that which is felt and enter
tanned by the country people them
selves? 1t is everything to them. In
it is found news which they alone,
probably, can appreciate and under
stand, information regarding their
friends and neighbors, the condition
of the crops and market quotations,
which to the farmer and tradesman
in the country is of primary impor-
lance; matters of local consideration
wherein they are interested, and a
hundred and one different things
which affect and interest them, both
privately and publicly. The country
organ performs another function
which can only be efiectually done
by it. AS medium for advertising
it offers facilities which are unsur
passed. By it the farmer, the labor
er, and the mechanic become &C
qualnted with the goods and wares
of the tradesman, they learn where
they can purchase what they desire
and at the lowest prices. The coun
ty newspaper is to a county wha
nutritious food is to a convalescent
it helps to build it up and develop
all that is good in it. The count.
that is without one is like a vast
plain without elevation, from which
a person desiring to examine tn
surroundings can make no observa
tion.-- Exchange.
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