The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-01
THE INDIANA IDEA.
Geography from tho Book Jobbcrs' Point

Geography from tho Book Jobbers' Point
of View.
Gov. Wilson, in his message to the
Legislature regarding school books, says
the Indiana books are "as good in every
way as ours" Let us see how this state.
ment will bear the test OF comparison on
the Mitchell's Series Of Biographies
now in use. 1i
TIE Indiana Elementary has hap.
hazard arrangement OF descriptive mat.
ter, commencing with the Dominion OF
Canada, proceeding next to Mexico,
West Indies, Greenland, South America
thence to Europe. Not word is said
about the United States until page sew
enty i5 reached after all the rest OF the
world has been treated. Fifteen pages
are devoted to the United States, West
Virginia is dismissed by coupling it
with Pennsylvania and stating that both
are great coal and iron States" page
seveventy four.
In the Indiana Elementary Geogra-
ply such important typographical, com.
Inercial, and economic features Of the
United States, as Lake Michigan and
Lake Huron, are not once mentioned in
the text. The Ohio River is only men.
toned incidentally, and on only one
page. a
The capital city Of only five OF the sub
divisions OF the United States is men
toned, and it would be interesting to
know why just the five selected were
chosen-they are Massachusetts, Mime.
sofa, Colorado, Montana and Alaska
Only thirty-one towns in the whole
United States are named in the text, and
the same lack Of judgment is displayed
in the selection oil these,-for more than
one.fourth OF those named arc too in
significant TO find place on the map.
while such large and important cities an
Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Sa.
vannah, Birmingham, Dallas, Calves
ton, Kansas City and many Others re-
ceive no mention,
The position OF the various States with
relation to each other is nowhere men.
toned, and there is no requirement in
the book to "bound" any State or coun-
try, or to describe" any river, or to
name or "locate" any capital city either
in the United States or in the world.
The "Indiana Complete Geography ia
a fitting companion for tho Indiana Ele.
mentary.
Among other errors in tho "Indiana
Complete" may be noticed the following:
Page e.. A territorial delegate In Congress "moy
speak on subjects relating TO his territory
H r,s may SPEAK on 0nysubject-U. $. Revised |
T.
Page 20. New England Is said to be the greatest
manufacturing region Of the United Suites:
but the same Is said OF the Middle States on |
Page u. Lake George Is mentioned rs a lake In
Vermont. is entirely In New York.
PASc y. "ln foreign commerce, Boston rontx
mex; to New York and New Orleans" The
foreign commerce OF Boston exceeds that Of |
New Orleans By tweuty.eight million dol. |
lars. .Fs g-gs =, - - wv
Page ID. "In New York City thousands o, peo.
pie are enSaged IN sugar reclining" Sew
York City has only rehncrcs employing
but 81 hands. Brooklyn ls the centric OF this |
business In the United states. 1t has twice
as many refneries which employ four times
as many hands rs New York, but this indus.
try is not mentioned In the description Of
Brooklyn. " IS. e, -
Page, 70. "Thc low coast or tide water belt tot
the Southern stStes) extends inland from 400 |
{; 10 800 miles" Just hall these distances arc
Page. IS. Nashville Is not ut the head OF nayIra.
g tod GU tho Cumberland river. Steamboats,
ascend tho river to Pt Burnside, $50 miles
above Nashville. @ I's-' u -
Page IS. "New Orleans Is the third commercial
city oil the Union" TN page - Boston Is said
10 DO the third In foreign commerce. and II
domestic commerce Is counted. half u dozen
or more cities outiank New Orleans. -.
Page 81. mining receives more attention In
Ohio than In any other Of the Central States,n
both Illinois and MICHIGAN are clnxsed in |
this book as Central States and according 10
tho Nth Census both outrauk Ohio in the
value OF mining products. ~ m Ii-"IS','.
Page 81. missouri produces more lead than ali
other States In the Union" Missouri nro.
duccs 25,oc0 tons annually, all the other
i States S6,009 tons. Colorado alone produ.
ces nearly three times Us much as Missouri.
PaSe y. Kansas slopes gently from the foot
Z. hills OF the Rocky Mountalns."r KauNS il
x fully $50 miles distant from these loot hills
ut the nearest point. t...s "a
Page 50. Dakota Is referred to on pages O., Gs
aud 60, as a territory and on page Sc; Us q
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