The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-02-20

very fond Of news. Luke tells us that g all the
Athenians and strangers that were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or
to hear some new thing. I" The gate of the city
has now disappeared from view and t was in
the Areopagus, or field of Mars, they assem-
bled to hear the babbler, Paul. as they es-
teemed him. Passing rapidly down the stream
Of time to the England Of two hundred years
ago, we find the coffee houses In high esteem /;
here the politicians and scholars gathered
from day to day to compare notes and CLEAN
the latest items. About the same time writ
ing news letters became business Of mpor-
lance. Men devoted themselves specially to
this calling they spent the busy hours of the
day passing rapidly around London, from the
house, or the marts of trade, and employed
their leisure hours In committing tho results
of their ramblings 70 paper. Thus tclicrs
were weekly dispatched to various parts of
the country where they passed rapidly from
family to family, and served as harbingcrs of
the modern newspapers There were few
papers published at this time in London, but
under great disadvantages. They appeared
but twice in the week their size was pitiful
but two small pages, so that their contents
for year were but little greater than those
of two numbers of the London Times as it
now appears. The restrictions imposed upon
them were tyrannical the editors might pub
fish nothing which the king disapproved un-
der penalty of heavy fine and Imprisonment,
aud the most important matters were there
fore frequently left unnoticed. while their col
unlns were filed with chaff and trash From
that time forward the newspaper gradually
broke its shackles, grew in size, improved in
quality until the full maturity of the nine
teenth century has succeed the infancy of the
restoration.
In our own country the progress of the
press has in most respects been the same as in
England, with the exception that here the
bonds of tyranny were not felt so severely
In other countries the history of the news
paper is doubtless very similar, but have not
the means of tracing its various stages at my
disposal.
1t would be an inexcusable omission to neg
lect to mention the village store when treat
ing of the science of news-teling. Here be-
hold the rustic substitute for the coffee house
of London, the cafe of Paris, and the market
place of Athens Everybody knows that
there is news of great Importance which fails
to find its way to the columns of the county
papers here it may be learned in all its spicy
variety, and oftimes in various stages of
growth that are quite appalling Were in
old Virginia should have to make honorable
mention of the all-important court-day once
in every month this notable era arrives, and
the whole county, white and black, throng to
the seat where justice presides, and discuss
and rediscuss the politics of the day, and the
events of the month. wish could truth
fully omit the churches from this catalogue of
s.telling--but it is unfortunately a fact
that the state of the weather. the condition
of the crops and the health of the hogs and
poultry are more faithfully discussed both be-
fore and after service than the sermon of the
preacher
THE MODERN NEWSPAPER.
The modem newspaper is one of the dis
tinguishing characteristics of the nineteenth
century. 1t may be doubted whether the
speed of travelling, the progress Of manufac-
lures, or the advance of science mark it more
decidedly than the facility for obtaining news
Every department of thought has its own
publications. Science commands the support
of monthly and weekly notaries that faithful
ly sketch the footsteps of progress. Litera-
ture abounds with periodical helps that quick
ly stamp in black and white the scintilations
of genius and flashes Of talent Religion
makes free use of the types in weekly and
monthly visits to the firesdes of the faithful.
Music, art, medicine, amusement, fashion, So
ciety, business, all have their advocates that
fly on the wings of the mailbag and reach
the uttermost corners of our land. Even the
dealer in tea and coffee puts forth his modest
claims in print that tells how his patron may
enjoy the lovely tints of the chrome with the
aroma of his coffee. In such a rich profusion
of papers we must select for our observation
the one whose one main object Is to tell the
news--the daily newspaper.
The best representatives of the daily press
in this country hail from New York Papers
well-conducted and ably edited may be
found in all our larger cities, but in this
age of steam and electricity the noblest spec
linens can only be found in the great ihetrop-
oils Business and news telling alike love the
hustle, noise and smoke of the commercial
centre Of America The facilities for gather
ing news, and for sending the papers far and
wide through the land, are greater here than
in any other city. Another great attraction
in New York is the advertising patronage
Many of the daily papers depend on this
mainly for their support, and fix the subscrip.
tion price at but little above the actual cost
of paper and printing.
| know of no business that requires more
talent, administrative ability, energy, indus
try and quicxncss Of perception than the man
agement of such paper as the N. Y. World
Herald, or Tribune. Its employees in mum
Der resemble little army. Some are assign
ed to the duty of writing editorials-these 70
qure the constant supervision Of the manag-
ing editor. He must select the topics, mott
the general line of arguments and space L