Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-01-11
Ntisfellantous 8mding.
NEWSPAPERS AND EDUCATION.


In the United States there is pub
lishpd one paper to every four thou
sand four hundred and thirty-three
inhabitants.
The country in which the proper
tion Of newspapers to the population
is next greatest, is also country
where the people govern themselves
and pay great attention to education.
This country is Switzerland, and it
has one journal to every five thOus-
and and seyenty-three people.
The next country in what may be
called newspaper rank is Denmark,
which has a small population and
free schools. There is one neWspa-
per to every six thousand and twen-
ty-twO people.
Belgium has few people who do
not know how to read, and it has
one paper to every six thousand six
hundred and fifty-nine inhabitants.
The cases of France and of Ger
many present an exception to the
rule, that the newspapers are in pro-
portion to the number of people, rel
atively to the whole population, who
can read. There is one newspaper to
every eight thousand and six hun
dred and forty-two people in France,
and one to every nine thousand four
hundred and seventy-four in Ger
many; but the proportion of litter
atesis, nevertheless, greaterin France
than in Germany, and the Germans
pay much more attention to educa-
tional matters than do the French.
In nearly the whole of Germany all
children are compelled togo to school.
The greater portion Of newspapers
in France is probably due to the
keen interest that most of the people
have in public affairs, and their great
fondness' for reading stories. Near
ly all French newspapers publish a
continued story, generally printed
in short columns across the bottom
of the pages. Many more small and
cheap newspapers are published in
France and Germany.
Great Britain and Ireland come
next on the list, with one journal
for every eleven thousand four hun
dred inhabitants. There are many
illiterates in Ireland and some parts
of England, and the schools are no.
where free, as with us, nor is educa-
cation compulsory. The newspapers,
however, are very widely circulated,
and for the most part, very cheap.
The very largest daily newspapers in
London, which pay great sums every
year for telegraphic dispatches and
other news, are sold throughout the
kingdom for one penny two cents).
We find that Sweden comes next
on the list, with one newspaper for
every thirteen thousand one hundred
and twenty people. Very few Swedes
are unable to read, and primary edu-
cation throughout Sweden and Nor
way is free and compulsory. Per-
haps the fact that intemperance pre-
walls to a most alarming extent in
Sweden and Norway has something
to do with the fact that journals and
reviews circulate to a less extent
there than in other countries where
the standard of popular education
is high.
Austria has one paper for every
fourteen thousand eight hundred and
thirty-two people, and her compan-
ion kingdom of Hungary only one
to every twenty-four thousand three
hundred and forty-three. The diff
ference is easily understood when we
note the fact in Austria proper, eigh-
ty-eight per cent. Of the adults are
able to read and write, and in Hun
gary the newspapers which have the
largest circulation are printed in the
German language.
In Italy the number of people who
are unable to read is very great, and
there is but one paper for every
twenty thousand three hundred and
fifty-siX inhabitants. The peasants
Of Italy are among the poorest in all
Europe. Nearly two-thirds Of the
population over ten years of age are
unable to read, and fifty-nine men
and seventy-eight women out OF
every hundred are unable to sign the
marriage registers.
Russia in Europe is at the bottom
of thevist in the proportion of news
papers taken by the people. There
is but one journal to every one hun
dred and nine thousand six hundred
and eleven people in Russia. This
is easy to understand when we read
that in her general educational sys-
tenn Russia is still behind even such
countries as Japan and Egypt.