New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-09-02
The Decline of American HnmOr
From the Boston Transcript.
To the casual observer it might ap-

To the casual observer it might APP
pear that American hun1or was In as
Ihourishing condition as ever; that,
notwithstanding the heavy drafts
which it has sustained during the last
decade, the supply was still abundant,
not to say inexhaustible. But such,
alas! is not the fact, as can be con-
clusively shown by the presentation OF
statistics carefully prepared, at con
siderable expense, and which will be
given in detail further on.
! The most serious evidence of the de
cline in our national humor is shown
in the paucity of fresh subjects, there
having been in the first four months OF
1885 but eleven new subjects used IN
the construction of newspaporial wit,
against forty-seve in the correspond
ing four months of last year; and while
several topics which were once under
constant treatment have sunk into
desuetude and are now no more heard
than if they had never been, it is also
true that scores of other favorite
marks for the shafts of the funny men
have shown a gradual-falling off in
pdfdSIdpulC laVOr.
The stovepipe joke is a notable in
stance of the former class just alluded
to, the class which has utterly disap-
peared. This mirth excitant, which
in 1875 reached the marvellous pro-
protions of 2,764 paragraphs per
month, or 33,168 during the entire
year, had fallen off in 1854 to 95 per
month, or $50 during the first four
months of the year, while for the cor
responding period Of 1885 but IT cas-
es have been recorded, an average OF
only 4 IA per month. A similar,
though not so excessive, falling off is
shown by many other stand-bys; not
ably, the mother-in law, the cake OF
soap on the stairs, the oldest mason,
and so forth. But we have the figures
handy. Let us consult them.
During the first third of 1854 the
mother-in-law formed the subject OF
1887 paragraphs or articles, whereas
the corresponding term of the present
year can boast of but 215, and 214
OF these are essentially repetitions.
Goat and the circus poster, 1884, s.
S64; 1885, "a. Oldest mason, 1854,
841; 1885, SO. And here are several
more, the first figure indicating the
number of times a joke was utilized
from January to April, both inclusive,
in 1884, and the second figure refer
ring to the number of appearances dur
ing the first four months of the present
year:
Messenger boy, 4, 231-4 200; oyster,
1,774-797; dude, 5,649-34; hair in
the butter, 1896 (Which, by the
way, IS SIX times to many; big hat at
the theatre,1, 262-48;game Of poker,
1,812-l25; whisky drinking, 4,s3l-
$3.50; boarding house hash, 3,112-
l24; strong butter, 2,O76-11l (oleo-
margarine not excluded) Chicago girls
over-nutrition of pedal extremities
zoos; cake of soap on stairs;
4S8-2l; coal hole cover, 976-43;
banana skin, 816-2l; editor and
poet, 3,265-2,OO3; green apple, Al
mot in season); ice cream, l, 743-
l,224 (rather early for this also); ice
man, 4,9Sl-2,6 sos; plumber, 9,S71-
6,432; picnic, 4O1-3O (rush usually
comes later; Niagara hackman, 776-
GA; bent pin, 1912, 34;umbrella.
7,841-2,423; watermelon tout OF
season), 148-125.
In almost every instance it will be
seen that there has been great dis
parity in the present years figures as
compared with those Of the year pre-.
ceding
From our statistics, then, it will be
seen that there has been marked dc.
cline in almost every department Of
American humor; and we have by nc
means exhausted the evidence which
we have at hand. We have only given
a few samples of a large invoice, which
we might draw upon almost without
limit.
Finally, then, while deploring the de.
cline Of American humor in general
let us thank heaven and take courage
in view of the marvellous possibilities
presented by the roller skates, and let
us pray. that this last bulwark OF our
nations wit may forever withstand
the wear and tear of time and the
strain of constant use.