The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-11-06
The Age Of Newspapers.

IN tue era Ol the NdpOlSOllS maiS
that the habit of newspaper read
ing became universal in the mid
die classes of England, and began |
to extend TO the lower social stra-
Ia. 1t was the War of American |
independence that made the
monthly intelligence of the maga-
zines insufficient for the demands
of people who lived outside of
London, and brought the great
city newspapers to a larger range
of readers. Every great crisis
sufficient to produce popular ex-
citement has extended the in
huence of the newspaper, and has
given it a hold which it retained
when the excitement was past.
Our own civil war did this for
American newspapers. 1t gave
opportunities for enterprise in the
public service which were reward
ed, not only by present patronage,
but by permanent influence.
Religious feeling for a time re-
sisted the innovation of newspa-
per reading, although Cowper, the
most trusted and honored among
the religious poets, was the first to
welcome the change and to point
out its significance. 1t is not long
since a good man in Boston ex-
pressed publicly his thankfulness
that he had never read a newspa-
per in his life. 1t is easy to laugh
at such people, but it is well to re-
member John Stuart Mills saying
that while the strongest minds
may be looked for in van of prog
ress, the next strongest are to be
found bringing up the rear. Side
by side with this religious con
servatism stands Henry Thoreau
who for years renowned newspa'
per reading as inconsistent witt
ethical culture. Not until the
Virginians hanged his friend John
Brown did he buy one-a Ne"
York Herald-and when he reaC
it he says he washed his clothes il
water and was unclean until even
ing.
1t is beyond doubt that evei
the better class Of newspapers ma,
be a source of serious injury Il
careless readers who are not gov
erned by strong instincts Of right
The broadly indiscriminate way il
which they depict the daily life o
the world is not calculated TO keeI
the great lines of right and wron.
before the vision of such reader
as these. Eternal and fundaments
distinctions are apt TO be burle
under the mass Of details. Ii
deed, the best and most thought
ful readers need to be on Tia
watch, lest this constant but pas.
i've contact of the mind wit
events which should awaken pit
Indignation, or some other em'
tion, may result in diminishing Il
capacity for such emotions.
Then, again, the sides of Ii
which the newspaper is apt
bring out in the boldest relief a
not those whose contemplation
most wholesome. 1t is the calau
tiles. the rascalities and the ascer
tiles of mankind that find the
way most easily into its pages.
1t is unfortunate also that new
papers tend to foster the spirit
excitement and Of unrest viii
pervades modern society. Th,
competition Is to have the lat
and most extraordinary intel
gence, as this is the best way
reach the popular ear. The {
mate tends TO this restlessness, a
the newspapers stimulate it uu
the quietness and patience that
the strength of wise men threat
utterly to leave large classes
our people.
Yet, when all allowance
been made for the evils VIII
grow out of careless use of
newspaper, the balance remain;
favor of the practice of US
them. The newspaper is the gr
enlarger of our intellectual h
zon, the daily reminder of
bonds to the whole of humanki
the constant admonition against
selfish and narrow construction
life and its duties. 1t does fol
in the space of to-day what
study of history may do for US
regard to the past, by lifting
out of the provincialisms and
limitations to which other purs