Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-10-16
The Newspaper Communication as a Fac

The Newspaper Communication As n Fac
tor in Formation OF Public Opinion.
To ne Editor Of tie Register:
In your editorial this morning October
~ in which you berate the lnteiigencer
for It's ludicrous comparison of "our young
Mayer" with such Notable characters as
Napoleon, Alexander and Pitt, do you not
under-Is.e the legitimate, or what shonld
be tie legitimate force Of newspaper COM
municatious? TGsse latter are, as a rule,
, called out by existing controversies con-
cernirg matters If moment TO the public:
Seriously studied and carefu ly prepared,
are they net entitled TO as much weight ss
the hastily wr item editorials on the s me
: subiect?
They do not represent, nor are tiey In
tended CT expected 10 represent, the news
of the Journal that publishes them-snd
vet. no journal of advanced aspirations
ever refuses lis columns to decent and
we'll considered communications upon
living subjects.
We claim thata Notwithstanding
being equal, that is to cay, style, language
and thought lis entitled to as much con-
sideration as an editorial.
The fact is, that editors themselves are
too much given to the habit of Ignoring
Notwithstanding them as the
egotistical vsporings Of men anxious to
see themselves in print.
Thinking men do no: write for the mere
sake of writing. Believing, or rather
knowing, as they do. that the press is the
greatest lever power Of public opinion.
thew seek 10 communicate, through 1t,
such ideas upon living subjects as to them
seem correct and torciole.
The average newspaper reader Of to day
pursues the following order in reading his
morning paper:
First-ae deyours with avidity every
item Of local news.
SeconG-He scans the t~elegrsphic col
umns with more or less interest.
Third-He curiously examines The com
munications and, if he finds one bearing
upon q subject OF peculiar interest 10 him
self, carefully reads it through.
Fourih-He lszily looks over the new
advertisements.
Fifh-If time is left him, he turns at
last 10 what be regards ss the heavy mat
ter of his paper, to-Sit: the lesding edi-
torials,-the opinions and reflections OF the
editor@in-Chief. .
If we are correct in our classification Of
The order in which q newspaper IS read
il would seem that contributed communica-
lions take precedent over leading editor
ials.
Il is easy 10 account for this. Far
from being a slight to, or q reflection up,
on the editor or bis writings, it is merely
the natural desire TO find something new
the editorial being q common every day
thing, while the communication emanstes
from o new source.
We concur with the REGISTER in re-
gsrdiug the last sulogy Of the lnteligen-
Ger. upon our Mayor ss prePosterously II
diculous, but we deny that it is any more
or less so because called forth by a COM
municstIon.
And, yet, after all, there is some com
comparison between the public life OF
Mayor Grub aud that of the great Ma
poleon.
Ii il to be found in the lstter's course
towards the Italian provinces In enter
ing Italy, be declared that he zane as q
friend Of its oppressed people to restore
liberty and free iustituiiors to its prov
incss. They believed him and gave
him their moral support. No
sooner, however, were the Austriaus driven
out and Nspoleon's legions victorious than
the great General, forgetfOl Of bis honey.
led promises, ou.-AusIised Austria in his
oppression Of the Italians.
Mayor Grub, when q candidate against
Mr.. Pollocs, through his friends and can
vsssers assured the sporting members OF
! the Democratic party. including the game
sters and ~saloonists, that he was q young
man of liberal ideas, Tot opposed TO shttle
fun now and then, and that their interests
would be safer in his hands than in those
of Mr.. Pollock. And so it Was; hundreds
of our Democratic sporting men scratched
their ticket on the Msyorslty-substitutipg
Grub for Pollock-thereby elsetipg the
former BY a handsome and unprecedented
majority.
Once etecttu aou III OAINCf NC INV
assurances OF bis friends The result is
known to all. A few photographic edito-
rails OF the Inteligencer pointed out what
then appeared a rosy path 10 his aspiring
ambition. BE commenced q fierce war on
the yery men who had been deceived by
false promises to desert their party for his
exaltation.
In this, and in this only, can we discern
any striking resemblance between the
youthful Grub and the youtbfuENspoleon