The morning call., 1891-11-23
THE HISTORY OF NEWSPAPERS.

The census-takers have not yet got round
to the subject of newspapers. When they
do the public may expect some interesting
revelations of branch of human industry
which is always worth observation. To the
average American newspaper is as neces-
sary as his break fast, and it is so to the
Frenchman likewise. Every one remem-
bers the tale Of the smart Frenchman who
bought up all the printing paper in Paris
before the outbreak of the revolution be-
cause he fOresaw that the impending politi-
cal convulsion would cause an eruption of
periodical literature. The English and Ger
mans get along with fewer newspapers Than
we or the French do.
In anticipation of the census few figures
of the growth of journalism in the leading
city OF this country may be worth noting.
In 1850, the year before the war, there were
published in New York 10 daily papers, be-
sides a. week lies, Sem-weeklieS and monthly
periodicals. Twenty-Five years afterward
there were 40 daily newspapers and the
number of weeklies and monthlies had in
creased to over 800. The total number of
periodical publications had more than
doubled in a quarter of n century, and the
increase of periodicals outside OF New York
had increased in about the same ratio. But
while publications lad increased more
rapidly than population, newspapers proper,
that is 10 say periodical sheets containing
the news of the day and general informa-
ton, diG not Increase pTGportiOnately rs fast
as class journals which did not belong TO
the order of newspapers proper In 1860 the
newspapers proper numbered 81, while in
1885 they numbered 115, a much smaller
percentage of the whole. The chief increase
was in publications devoted to science,
trade. letters, religion and education. The
twenty years preceding 1885 were, on the
whole, years of prosperity. 1t may there
fore be inferred that in those years each
reader took one general newspaper, or per-
haps two at most. and spent the rest of the
fund appropriated for reading on class jour
mails specially concerned about his own call
ing.
During the twenty-five years ending with
1885 1891 new papers were started in New
York. including 60 dailies and 611 weeklies.
OF these papers 1105 died before the end of
the twenty-five years. leaving percentage
of about So per cent surviving. This is a
remarkably heavy mortality. 1t affords
fresh proof of the difficulty of weaving
readers from a newspaper to which they
have got accustomed. Among the weeklies
400 died, most of them after a very brief
career. 1t is melancholy to obs rye that 30
|, of them lived less than a year, 105 less than
two years, 81 less than three ana % less than
four As with children the nfantie stage
Is the one most to be dreaded by news
papers. When they get over that they have
a fair chance of reaching an adult age.
The temptation among young men OF lit
erary tastes, who can command sum of
money. to start a weekly paper must be
very strong, Tor the supply of such sheets
always seems TO be ineXhaustible. 1t arises,
no doubt mainly from the wish to see ones
compositions in print. Every ones notion
OF his own ability to write is high; and many
fancy that the public only need an oppor-
tunity to show that they share the opinion.
Hence the appearance, at regular intervals,
Of weekly papers which really have no ex-
cuse for existence. They aim TO seize a
field which is occupied already by estab-
lished journals. and they generally fail
The event would be of no consequence to
the world at large but for the chagrn and
annoyance which it causes to persons who
are really well meaning and full of honor
able purpose. But it is sad to see enter
prises started which have not one chance
out of hundred of yielding to their authors
reward equal 10 the wages OF the foreman
Of the printing office.
The observer will note with interest the
fluctuations in public taste which are re-
yealed by the fortunes of newspapers. For
thirty years or more the brightest men in
! New I ork endeavored yainly to establish a
humorous paper which could compare with
| The London Punch or the French CHdrirari,
or the Journal -hmuSdHt, CT the German
! FliegeRde BlQtter. The task seemed i'm
possible, and the theory was started that
Americans had no appreciation Of humor
But all at once men turned IN who solved
the problem, and now we have two comic
papers-Pucb and LUe-which are both SUI
perior TO any publication of the kind that
appears in Europe. We long ago distanced
| the world in magazineS-indeed, the En-
| glish-reading public now consume Harper
and the Century in preference to their own
mOnthlies. But We have never been able to
produce a review that will compare with
the Fortnightly, or the Contemporary, or the
NmeteenA Century. or the Revue deS Deur
| 1foudoS