Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-02-25

questionable business. Six so-called
family papers, selling on the stands for
six cents each, or by mail for three
dollars year, have an average circula-
ton OF 500, 600. IL we add TO these the
boys papers, and feeble lmitators OF
the same class, we shall have total OF
!, 200, 600 weekly. These papers are
taken by poor people. wage earners,
and IL Is safe to say that each copy is
read by at least five people, and these
people all of an age when the imaglna-
ton Is easily excited and the character
easily influenced, so that the
lowest estimate 6,OO0, 900, or about one
in eleven OF our population are being
affected for good or evil, by periodicals.
OF the existence OF which the educated
classes are in profound Ignorance, and
to which our legislators never give a
thought.
"These family papers are taken up
principally with continued stories, short
sketches of love and adventure, and
verses that come as near % being
poetry as the serials dosto being litera-
ture. These stories are sensational TO
the last degree, indeed they cannot be
too sensational to satisfy the publisher
or TO crafty the morbid tastes OF the
readers, who, as time goes on, yearns
like an opium eater, for stronger and
more frequent doses. 10 these stories
art Is Ignored, probabilities are regarded
as all too weak, and the impossible is
presented In the mask OF reality.
AS rule these stories are not
directly obscene, but they are far more
dangerous 10 their dangerous sugges-
tiveness; and their effect on the charac-
ter Of the young, and particularly young
girls. cannot DO over estimated. Nearly
all the writers for these papers are
women, men are entirely too tame, too
clean minded, too decent, 10 may be 10
suit the tastes Of our readers. Men
write stories Of adventure, or II may be
of impossible detectives; | know Of such
a man who has q knack for .his sort Of
detective work. and for nothing else,
for be is nnedcated, who makes SIS, 600
a year A majority OF the men writer's.
however, are satisfied with $500 for a
story OF Is, 900 words. As reader and
editor, have to reject hundreds OF eK-
eeIent manuscripts because they were
too good, written Ia too high a key 10
suit our clientele. One woman who
writes for these papers makes not less
than $40, 600 a year from her stories ia
serial and cheap book form, aud there
Is no estimating the influence VI her
work on the character OF young women.
I must express. IL was 70 me painful
revelation 70 ind that the writer's who
excite and cater 70 the worst passions,
the writer's who impress one with the
belief that they are restrained from
coming out openly, bY fear Of the law
rather than their own inclinations, are
women. This Is startling 20 a man who
Is inclined 70 regard with chiyslric re-
spect the memory OF his mother.
publishers OF these papers are max
Ing larger incomes than reu tines .helr
number Of brewers aud distllers; and
do not hesitate TO say that they are do
ing quite as much harm as all the
brewers and dlstillers combined. You
ask II Il Is not possible for the Govern
ment 10 exercise q supervision 10 this
matter, and I say yes Il is possible for
the Government 70 do macy things
which Il neglects. There Il 10 law 10
prevent specimen copies Of these sheets,
with the frst Insteiment OF al exciting
story, from being fang into q decent
mans doorway. II it 10 rejecfsd by
the head Of the house, Il may
gradually work rs way DOWN
to The Kitchen. but II any event, II r.
sticks ths result IS disastrous. The