New-York tribune., 1885-07-06
TIE DECLINE OF AMERICAN HUMOR
From The Boston 7ranscript.


To the casual observer it might appear that
American humor in a. ourlshing condition az eyer
that, Notwithstanding the heavy drafts Hhch u mas
sustained during the last decade the supply was still
abundant not 10 say nexhaustlbc. But SUCH alas! Is
not the fact be cOnclusvcly shown by the Ire
sentation of statistics carefully prepared at considerable
expense. and which will he gwen IN detail fnrther on
The most serious evidence or the decline IN our
National hnor Is shown In the aucy OF fresh subjects
there having in the first four months OF 1850 but
paporial wit against foryse In the corresponding
four months Of last years and while several topics which
desnefnde and are now heard than II they had
never been also that scores OF bthor avotc
marks for the shafts OF the funny men shown grad
The stoyeppe joke is a notable instance OF tho former
class lust alluded TO- the class which has utterly dsap
peared This mrth excant which In 1873 reached the
elous proportions OF 2764 paragraphs per month";
TO 5 per month"; or $50 during the first four months OF
tine year. while for the corresponding period OF 1883 but
month similar though not 80 excessive falling on Is
shown by many other ola stand, a. bys; notably, the
Mason, and so forth. But VIC have the figures handy
Let us consult them
the subject OF 9s7 paragraphs or articles. whereas the
corresponding OF the present year lOant OF but
and the circus poster 1884, 1854; 1885, "a. Oldest
Mason 1884. sii 1885, 3d. And here are several more
the first figure indicating the number or time, joke
was utilized from January TO April, both inclusive. In
1854. the second figure referring to the number OF
appearances during the first four months OF the present
year: IN, ooo. .... -, -o-
dude. hair In the butter iI23-6 (Which, by
the way six times Inanyl big hat at tho theatre
l2G2-4S game OF poker. l,si2-l35; whiskey drinking
4s9l-3 56O boarding house hash, 3.ll2-l24; strong
butter. 2O76-l11 (OcOmargarine not incndedb; Chi
girls % Of Psaa
976-43; banana iskln slG2l: editor and poet. 3.2GJ-
q 2OO3: green apple, Al mot In seasop); icecrc am
l74s-l 224 rather early for this also); ice 1881
. 6O5; plumber, 9,S7l-6,432; picnic. 4Ol-30 rush
usually comes laer) Niagara hacknan, 776 GA; bent
pin, 767l-243f; umbrella, 7,sll-2,432; watermelon
lOut of season., 1fS -125.
In almost every Instance VIII be seen that there has
been disparity IN the present years agufes as
pared with those of the preceding The ncssen
ger boy II true has very nearly held his own aud
excessively marked falling on Is noticed Ia whiskey
drinking tbcChcagO gils feet The wonderful dverg
which is shown In the figures relating to the dude
pained by the fact that lie Tas novelty In
the photographic field last year; but thank heaven, he
is lived statistics show. and haply
jokes on lOve-making, matrimOny millinery twins
divorce, and kindred accidents insopafahlc from ones
earthly pilgrimage hold their time OnOIcd places They
always have been and always viii be, world without
end therefore, IL has not been thought worth while TO
collect data regarding them. And for other but equally
wittcsms deaths by drowning and other adveniiiJus
means. Neither has account been made OF porDn-
oInasa. PuDning is not joking and a new pun Is we'll
nigh an mpossibility.
From our siatiscs then it will te that there has
been marked decline in almost every department OF
American humor and we have by no means exhausted
the evidence which we have at hand We have only
given few samples of very large invoice, which We
might draw upon almost without limit.
But In this general decline It is pleasant 10 know that
there subject at least which has forward to
partially make up for what has been lost. Need
we refer the roller skate During the first four months
Of 1884 the roller skate the foundation OF but three
paragraphs during the corresponding period OF 1885,