The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-06-28

| The smallest Item seems to be written with
as much care as the largest and most i'm,
por.aut. From the style In which THU
writing is done, as we'll as from the breadth
Of information .diaplayed, 1t Ia easy to SET
tina. the principal writer's Of the Englist
press are equally distinguished for eoholar'
ship and for good taste. Some one hal
said that daily perusal for few years o.
Of the editorials OF 6rstclass London
newspaper would be almost equivalent to q
course in college. We may hesitate to be.
lievs this, but certainly no one can read
these articles without being broadened and
cultivated by them.
NOT LEADERS IN REFORM.
We often, again, hear it charged that the
English prees Is lacking in the spirit OF In.
dependence. In one sense the allegation
lie true. The editors there lead public
opinion LEES than they follow 1t, and, in.
deed, very often they are sadly backward
in falling into line even when popular
clamor has clearly blazed out the track. It
would be difficult to point to single i'm.
por.ant reform that has originated in the
newspapers there, while 1t is notorious
fact that some Of the most vigorous and
popular movements Of the present day find
in the press Of that country their most in
tluentisi and persistent foe. All this is, Of
course, to be regretted. But no one will
regret that the English press is lacking in
the independence leo called) which pa.
rajes surnises as facts, which is reckless OF
private character, and which looks upon
all public officials IS legitimate subjects for
Systematic and relentless defamation. It
can trutbfuily be aaid that the English
daily press, considered IS whole, never
stoops 10 any form Of personality that is
either bemssning to the assailant or unfair
and damaging to the individual attacked.
With the society papers, Of course, it IL DIFF
feIent. But even these, with one or two
exceptions, maintain an attitude in refer.
ence 10 private matters Of the eraver sort
far above that Of the majority Of the Ameri.
can newspapers. 9st0'e
In regard to moral tone, am far from
looking upon the ,Euelish press as the EN-.
bodiment Of all the projections, OF as being
much. if any, superior to our own. The
London papers have keen sense for the
scaudalous particulars Of divorce cases, and
several Of them maintain tho personal COL
umn, that modern determination, in its
worst form. II if be heard in e1tenuatiou
tha! the English press is favorable to re-
liglon and always stands up for the Church,
totbis. ! reply that the English people com.
pei their newspapers to this course, for in
their attachment 10 the forms OF religion
these English are among the most de.
won't people on earth. II it be further said
that the E.slish press are cleaner than
ou's in being 30 largely free from disgust
ting details from crime, I reply, again, that
this is obviously lees matter Of conscience
than Of convenience with the papers. Their
policy is to give as few particulars az DOS.
sibls Of anything excepting the greatest
aiiairs OF State-to make news OF all kinds
subscrvient to opinions. Occasionally.
however, they depart from this policy, and
from the way in which most of Them dish
up scandal in these exceptional instances,
It ia clearly evident that were their policy
similar to that of the American pauera
their conduct and moral tone would be the
same. al,.-. K 4
CIRCULATION.
In this connection few facts in regard
to the circulation OF nawapapers will nd
doubt be interesting. Hubbard's News.
paper and Bank Directory, published some
time ago, estimates the number of periodi-
calls OF oil SORTS issued throughout the
world Of about 10000. One.hali Of these
are printed in the English language, OF
this $4,000 the United States in round
numbers c, l00-practically one.third Of the
number ia issued by Great Britain and Ire.
land being about 3.000 Germany puts ont
5000, and France $500, ], 200 of the latter
being published in Paris. It is worthy of
note in passing that Paris, with half the
population, issues as many different peri
oaicals as London. In regard to compara.
tive calculations in Great Britain and
America, the work quoted from states that
tho cities Of London, LIVERPOOL.
Manchester, Edinburg, Glasgow and
Dublin, with tn. an aggregate popula-
ton OF 100000, and with fifty
daily newspapers, demand one million
nine hundred and ninoty-four thousand
copies day, being at the rate Of one hun.
dred and three papers per annum, estimat-
ing three hundred and eleven, publishing
days in the year, for each individual. or
the other hand the cities OF New YORK.
Brooklyn, jersey City, Newark, Phiiadel'
phis, Boston and Chicago. with an spgre-
gate population Of three million seven
hundred and fifty thousand, and with
c:ghty.four daily newspapers, issue an 90.
gresate edition Of one million air hnndrsd
and ninety.three thousand copies, being at
the rate Of one hundred and forty COPIES
per annum for esch person in those places.
or thirty.ssven copies per annum lover
three per month"; more than are issued for
each individual in the British cities named.
h a COMPARISON. FL
4 1t will thus DO seen that in the reading
Of the daily paper We are ahead OF the Eng.
lish, but in their more extensive patrol.
age Of periodicals. Issued LEES freouentlv
our British cousins 60 nearly make mn this
deficiency that in tho total result neither
can crow over the other. According 10 the
tables before me the 2,02S newspapers mag.
Fzines and quarterlies, OF the United States
have an aggregate circulation per issue Of
p. o5S 600, and an average circulation ner
issue for each Journal or periodical Of : e(,o
he total number Of copies or ali
hese classes Of publications Issued
Turing tho year being estimated
1t 1854 S4l,956. On the other hand eight
hundred and eleven newspapers and maya.
lines published In the United States and
Canada, whose circulation is given, mt
,pt an aggregate per single Issue Of twenty
Millions Elk hundred and seventy-seyen
houfand avo hundred and thirty.ejpbt
copies. tho average circulation of each
ournal being two thousand and iorty.one
.gairet an average circulation Of seven
hsnannd nix hnndrGd and .f,,,o- Al I.L