The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-21
EVIDENCES OF INTELLECTUAL Gull
TURE.

Among the most reliable indications of
nations intelligence, culture, and growth,
would be complete catalogue of the read
ing matter of the people, and in exact pro-
portion TO the worth of the books and papers
would be the mental condition OF the read
ers. Not only this bat if combined with
that list, could be brief resume of all literary
work emanating from that people the plane
upon which they stood In matters of educa-
ton, social and religious progress and po
litical liberty could be accurately determin-
ed. And recently this has been done in
Germany, and the statistics are neither so
long nor complicated as to be devoid of in
terest In this country, where the German
element Is so largely represented. And it
would be indeed strange if the publications
in Germany, for her people of all grades and
classes are great readers, and it is rare to ind
household without its stock, generally we'll
selected, of books of current topics. They
read the newspapers, the various journals
of the cities and towns, and leading
editorials or papers are as warmly
discussed among the peasants as
in the drawing rooms of Berlin or Leipsic
And the German in the United States who
does not read the daily or weekly papers,
and whose children are not, as far as his
means will allow, supplied with books, is an
exception-not a rule. In his own country
every German artisan can subscribe for
paper devoted to the trade which he repre-
sents. and BARRIERS, carpenters, tailors, tan
'ners and scavengers" can read in their own
journal items of interest and education per
tanning TO the craft. The Leipsic catalogue
for 1877 has been examined by a correspond
ent of the New York Times, and occasional
extracts and statistics given. 1t is there cal
culated that last year Is, 925 works, divided
among 10, 900 authors, are on as many sub
lects as the mind can conceive, from theolo-
gy to fishing, including 1,666 classified
as works of fiction. But of the printed
matter nothing ranks with the
periodical press, which is rapidly usurping
the places of more weighty matter, leaving
to the libraries the circulation OF bound
books. Politics being such an i'm ortant
theme to the people they buy and read
eagerly the papers, which present rapidly
aud carefully every varying phase OF the at
fairs of the empire. There are not less than 40
daily papers which print several editions,
$40 papers which have but one daily issue,
500 that appear three or four times week
$50 twice and 500 weekly, and these have an
aggregate of 1000, 600 subscribers. The prln-
cipal political sheet is the Kolnische lei
tung, which has many readers N England
and thousands In America. 1t has several
editions daily, and is wide-awake and OUT
spoken. The Tageblatt, of Berlin, the Ali
gemeine Zeitung, of Munich, the Morgen
Zeitung, of Breslaria, sell about $4,000
copies each. The Berlin Bazaar, for
women, has 100000 subscribers, and the
Hansfreund has $4,000. SO 1t will be readily
seen that German women read their own
journals. At Stoccard the Sunday Protestant
Review is published, and circulates $1,000
copies. Among humorous papers the Klad-
derdatch, Of Berlin, takes the lead, the
Wasp, with its 10000 subscribers, lacking