The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-24
WHAT TIE CENSUS VIII SHOW
-FTRST CONGRESSIONAL DIS
TRICT -

WHAT TIE CENSUS WILL oHO"
FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DIS
TRICT =
East Teunesaeans are looked upon !
by The outside world as little better
than barbarians. It is sometimes
sneeringly said of the people of this
section.that we have nothing to cell
except coon skins and dried apples.
We shall look for the returns of the
coming census with a good degree OF
interest. That document. we think.
will show this mountain region to be
a much more prosperous and desir>
able county than it has been here
tofore supposed. Those who live
here know that while We are not adj
vancing as rapidly as We should like
to do, still we are, year by year,
gaining ground. building up and i'm
proving in all things that make Is
people intelligent. prosperous and
happy. Our schools are doing reas-
onably we'll. The class of teachers
is better than formerly. The num-
Der of scholars attending their
schools is rapidly increasing, and it
is nothing but fair TO say that no
child of the present generation will
grow up unable to read and write,
| Oar farmers are busy, They fud
cash markets for all the animals and
all the grain they can raise. Their
| lands are getting in better condi'
ton; they are making good fences
building new and superior houses.
barns and stables, and in a word, are
showing signs Of improvement in
every direction.
| AS to the ignorance of the PEG
| pie Of East Tennessee, our people
have never cared much for being
sueered at in that direction. We
have always had it in our power to
point to our public men-politicians
preachers, teachers, writers-and
say to our defamers. these are our
leaders, excel them for wisdom
learning. eloquence, piety or patriot
ism if you can. There are more
newspapers printed and published
in East Tennessee at the present
time than in any other country OF
equal extent and population. In the
First Congressional district alone,
there are fifteen printing offices,
each one sending out journal filed
with intelligence every week. From
Bristol there are 2; BlOuntville {;
Elizabethton /; Jonesborough q
lGreeneville 2; Rogersville 2; Nor
ristown 2; Newport 2; Tusculum
l. If these papers have an aver
age circulation of 500 copies it gives
US a total of 1900 fresh, home
made, local newspapers, circulating
among our people every week. In
addition to this there are large mum.
bers of papers--political, religious
and literary-coming in by every
mail; all of which are eagerly read
by thousands Of families.
These homemade papers are not.
perhaps, frst-cIass journals. They
are not to be compared to the great
papers issuing from the centres of
wealth, commerce and intellect. But
iu their sphere and in their humble
way they are doing an excellent
work. They are reaching class
of people and going into a large
number of humble homes where
such sheets as Harper's Weekly and
the Herald are never seen or heard
Of. Nearly all these village papers
are edited by honest, earnest men !;
men trying to do their duty to their
felIow-creatures-; trying to dissemin
ate the principles which they believe
will tend to the elevation Of the
races. The influence of these fifteen
papers, working week by week up
on the public mind, is immense.
Only those who watch the ebb aud
and fow of public opinion closely
have any idea of the tremendous
power of the press, 1t works silent
", but it works all the time. The
minds of hundreds of men receive
its teachings at the same time, and
often great results are brought about
by the press for which its conduc Ors
get no credit.