Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-18
ny d. W. WILDER.

The Press Of Kansas
ny d. W. WILDER.
That SAYING of Governor Berkeley has
been worn threadbare by quotation, be-
cause it shows the spirit of u people. In
ll67l, long after books had been printed in
Catholic Mexico and Protestant New Eng
land, the governor of Virginia said: Il
thank God we have not tree schools nor
printine, and hope we shall not have
these hundred years." Virginia has 255
newspapers now, and Kansas GIT. Her
Is,ns brought revolvers to Kansas; the re-
lyolving Cylinders brought here by Yam
Ices carried the lead on the outside, in an
Impressive way, and were long-distance,
IIaper.wad shooters. 900 an hour at the
|siowest. We made the other kind, too,
land Calling himself matured his inven-
Ition in Doniphan county, Kansas.
| In IT'S, the thirteen American colonies
had thirty-seven newspapers. Imperial
New New had four-about the number
they now have in Dodge City. The aver
age circulation of these three dozen colo
NAL sheets was 900, or the same as that
of the Kansas papers of to-day, including
the patents, or cooperative and auxil-
iary papers.
In 1874, 102 years ago, the first daily
newspaper appeared, the american Daily
Advertiser, of Philadelphia. There were
only four dailies in the country in 1898.
Kansas now has thirty-two. In 1900. the
whole union had $50 papers; in 1910, $50.
In 1924, when the republic was half CEN
fury old, the whole country had no more
/ hoe
Jet they say we are boast
full people. Why, SO much modesty
and 80 much progress never met be-
fore to boom a state. Modesty's ..no name
for it." as the saying goes. No young
state has ever equalled Kansas in the num-
Der of its papers; none in preserving its
history. Every issue of every paper in
Kansas is bound and preserved by the state
historical society.
Prof. North says the American press
is the freest, the most self-reliant, the
most loyal to home and vicinity interest
in the world" and these traits our papers
lave in the superlative degree-for we
lave the most of them, taking in all vicin-
tiles. Newspapers are not to be speered
at by presidents. politicians or moralists.
The reading matter in one issue of all the
papers and periodicals published in the
! United States is equal to the contents
of library of 1.500 octave volumes, of 500
pages each. All Kansas families have ii
library. In 1880, the mail matter passing
| through all the offices in the United States
was counted, and Kansas led the twenty
three states.
In 1885, last year, twenty-eight states
| rad less newspapers than Kansas; We are
the tenth in the list headed by such states
Is New York. Penis ylyania, Massachu-
>ctts. Ohio and Illinois, but we have gone
aigher in the list every wear; twenty-eight
-tates passed in twenty-five years, include
ng the state founded nearly three CEN
nries ago. The central state will "get
here"
In 1860 Kansas had q papers; in
$50, 81; in 1880, 347; in 1885, 6l7.
t.. 1880 we had 20 dailies; in
1885, 80. There are now eighty-six orga-
nized counties, and papers probably in
hundred. Before the courier could reach
he capital with the returns, one or two
more papers would be started. Do you
say that these papers are ephemeral and
transient? Oh. no! papers die, but others
re born, and the number is doubled ev-
Fry decade When the fever and strife of
immi grafton and early settlement have
passed away, and every county has a sta
Die population, say in about 1900, the pa
gain in size and quality. They are now
telling the world where to come: that part
Of our mission will soon be ended. The
true pioneer looks forward to that day of
a finished state with sad sigh. 1t is such
fun to start new papers, to see them.
and to read them. We have
got used to it-like the miner who couldn't
go to sleep with any satisfaction unless
there was roaring row in the next room.
Every day | look for new papers.
The Cheyenne County Rustler is 6
months old; the county Is not yet organ
lied.
The Sod House is doing duty, in snug
quarters. on the Cimarron, in Ford county
playing game of freeze out" as it
were.
The Border Ru6ian, a term originated
by pro-slavery man who still lives, is the
name of a paper. now for the first time,
in the unorganized county of Hamilton.
The Thomas Cat, at Colby, preceded by
about year the organization of Thomas
county. The New York Sun has an office
cat; our Cat has the office. 1t is "a fight
er from way back" and ''whoops it up"
in the most lively manner.
The Buffalo Chip was burned - some
years ago.
The newspaper starter and the killer
they are one-is cheerful person. He is
a rustler. and keeps up the fun as long as
he can pay for coal and rent; and when he
dies his last words are as clipper as the
first. He don't use ''salutatory" or'vale-
dictory" when he steps on to the platform
or when be is dropped of, but plain
United States words-"Here We are"
"Will see you later" and captions of that
Sort And he has no notion that the
world is going to stop. or he himself cease
to bob up serenelv," because his sub
scribers in Rainbelt or Greeley Center did !
not come down with the dust.
The pioneer free state press of Kansas
showed what it was by the enemies i. |
made. The ruffians destroyed the presses |
Delahay's at Leavenworth. two at |
aud all again at Lawrence when |
Quantrlll's assassins came in. The Park |
vile Luminary, a Kansas paper on the
~ ho- 10 IS <ha .;x,. Ia 1900, oS l.. |