The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-03-01
A PLEA FOR ALMANAcS.
The Almanac OF the Old Settlers
Suggestion for Publishers to Con
slider.

(Chicago Times.1
One OF the first publications in this
country that attracted great attention
ct home and abroad was poor Rich
ards Almanac" which was compiled
and published by Benjamin Franklin
The wise maxims contained in
this publication became house
hold words" in almost every
family in the land. They ranked
next to the proverbs of Solomon. I'm
doubtedly they contributed much to the
thrift of the early settlers of the coun-
try. Books were scarce and news
papers almost unknown outside of
large towns. The almanac was the
book for daily reference. 1t was
studied almost as critically as the
bible. Before the year had ended, al
most every member of the family had
committed its contents to memory
Old almanacs were carefully filed away
for the benefit of future generations.
Not unfrequently they were bound and
placed in the library.
The almanac of Poor Richard" was
succeeded by others of almost equal
value, which contained large amount
of useful information. Besides the cal
endar of each month, there were the
names of the officers of the nation and
and state, the times of holding court,
the fees of various officials, college reg
listers, business forms, interest tables,
an abstract of the postal laws, the time
Of the occurrence of eclipses, and
various other things of timely impor-
tance. It was thought necessary for
every well-regulated family to have an
almanac before the commencement of
the new year.
The decline in reliable almanacs in
this country dates from the advent of
patent medicines. The enterprising
proprietors OF these nostrums published
enormous editions of so-called medical
almanacs, heaped the counters of gro
ceries and drug stores with them, and
caused them to be distributed from
house to house. In many cases they is
sued editions in various languages, and
gave them away, and the free almanacs
thus destroyed the market for those
that were only disposed of for price.
The free almanacs, however, were very
dear in the end, for they induced peo-
pie to purchase millions of dollars
worth of useless if not harmful nos
trums.
1t is time to revive the publication
of almanacs of the better sort. Their
publication has never been discontinued
in Great Britain and the countries on
the continent of Europe. A journal in
the former country devotes two columns
to review of the almanacs issued for
the present year. Some of them ap-
pear to be volumes Of considerable size
and to contain vast amount of in
formation. A few are largely devoted
to the wants of special classes, as ship
pers, miners, teachers. merchants and
scholars. One is chiefly given to the
| discussion of domestic problems as ap-
piled to everyday life. Another is de-
signed for the dissemination of free
trade principles.
The family almanac, as means oi
doing good in various ways, has not re-
Gently been appreciated in this country
The Humane society could hardly make
better use of part of it's funds than
by publishing an almanac that would
be put into the hands of persons who
have the care of animals and birds. The
manufacturers and venders of quack
medicines, fertilizers and dime novels
should not be allowed to monopolize
the publication of class of reading
matter that goes into every family liv
ing outside of the large cities, and
which is attentiyely and carefully
| studied The Influenza of the family
almanac can hardly be overestimated.