Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1884-02-08

ner, an reckon I'm fggerin' on the future
purity near right"
THE HUMOROUS PARAGRAPH.
II cannot see how such slush 10 tolerated, }"
was the remark TRIBUNE representative heard
in the Office Of hotel yesterday. The contin-
uation of his remarks led the reporter to believe
that the humorous column of paper was the
"slush'' the speaker referred to.
If moral physician should be called in to
treat that man for asainine stupidity, he would
diagnose the case and inform the friends of the
patient that the disease was too far advanced
and he could afford no relief. The pointed,
humorous paragraph has becomes prominent
feature of American journalism, and is fast
driving the long. dull and prosy editorial from
the field. Ridicule will accomplish more than
argument, and satire will down an enemy whose
sensibilities will shed the darts of logic as the
adamantine rock will shed the drops of 3 sum.
mer shower. The powerful lion will boldly
meet and vanquish any beast, even Of greater
size, that may cross its path, yet q swarm of
diminutive but pointed bees will drive the king
of beasts in terror aad pain to the sheltering
darkness of his lair. 1t is with the keen, we'll
turned paragraph. 1t can be found in swarms
wherever you may turn, aiming its stings at the
.rivoities of the day, the rascaty of the states
man, the dishonesty of the official, the ways that
are dark of corporations and monopolies aud
la:~ &c md fko
annoying stings cut deep and bring about re-
forms which the heavy editorial could never ac
complish. Turn the laugh on a man or cause
the finger Of ridicule to be pointed at him and
he is vanquished, when the thunderings of a two
column La !er would but cause him to elevate
his head, walk with prouder step and feel an ir-
creased pride that he was of Importance enough
to call it forth. Hit public man with keen,
cutting and pointed witticism and he will vince
and crouch away from it. Cause the people to
laugh at any decree of fashion or society and it
will disappear from sight, stuug to death by the
barbed darts which the paragrapher knows we'll
when, where and how to hurl. Take for an example
the case of Oscar Wilde, the aesthetic ass whose
coming to our shores excited such general inter-
est. He landed as mighty conqueror. He was
'toadied to by men and petted by women, and his
idiotic ideas became all the rage. The humorous
para graphers Of the land studied him well and
then aimed their darts at him and his absurd
notions, until now his name Is mentioned but
with pitiable contempt by the masses of our in
telligent people. This instance is but one of
thousands which could be enumerated, and in
nearly every instance the paragraph has accom-
plished tasks from which the editorial sermon
| has turned in despair. Josh Billings once
remarked that one hornet, when it was feeling
we'll, could break up whole camp meeting, and
it may truly be added that one Of these bright
and active little hornets of the press can rout a
| multitude which would laugh at cold, dull argu-
| ment.
Another benefit of the humorous paragraph
| hes in the manner in which it makes known the
town or city from which it emanates. Can you
pick up prominent paper today, dear reader,
| in which you do not find a string of these
brigh, reformers credited to the papers in which
they were given birth? Do you not daily see
the names of papers and the towns or cities in
| which they are published, which you would never
have noticed were it not for the fact that they
are continually springing within your vision
The TRIBUNE should not be accused of self
attery when it asserts that it is daily attracting
the attention of people in every state and terri
tory Of the Union toward Bismarck. 1t is large
| ly quoted by the leading papers of the east and
south-in fact, it is seldom that an exchange
reaches cur sanctum in which the name of the
paper does not appear once or several times.
! Other papers almost without number which we
never see, copy the same paragraphs from those
papers with winch We exchange, until now these
same unobtrusive and diminutive looking para
graphs have made the name Bismarck TR1-
BUNE" known from Maine to California, and
from the Canadian line to the gulf. And what
is the result? BY constantly seeing the name
the people begin to think of it and wonder what
sort of q paper it is. Finally they send for a
sample COPY, and in that same copy they find
editorial or local articles setting forth the ad-
vantages of our great and unsurpassed territory
This again sets their thoughts to work and they
,eek for further information, and eventually
awell the tide of immigration toward our favored
land, and add to our wealth, population and
prosperity. And even yetsome persons "cannot
see how such slush is tolerated."
| WHAT L THOUGHT.
I thought she would come to my side,
In dress of simplicity rare,
With soft and angelic glide,
! And a rosebud twined in her hair,
But she came with trail like comets TALL
And hustle as big as cotton bale.
| I thought she would whisper my name,
! Like an angels breath in my ear,
| And fan in my heart the bright flame