The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-23
SOME NEWSPAPER NEWS.
And, Incidental Thereto. some Re-
marks on the Relation ofNewspaper
to Population.

tne On1teu states Branu tOtdi VI ~
SIC publications which go through the
mails at publishers rates, divided up
into 2,Oi6 dailies. 1880 weeklies, 1853
semi-weelSlies, 43 tri-weeklies, 1850
monthlies, 30t semi-mQnthlies, so BIZ
monthles, tri-monthlies, 1859 quar-
terliee. and 159 emi-quarterlies.
"Of course. New York leads" said
the editor. with some local pride, be-
ing a New York man.
I'm point Of number Of publications,
yes, but her total, 1872, doesn't divide
up as largely among her 5,999,S53 peo-
pie as does Nevada's % among her 49,
761 people In other words, my dear
SIR" and the sharp grinned with ghoul-
ish glee, New York will have to null
tirly her list about three times to get
up to the Nevada standard. The Illi-
nois standard, including Chicago, with
1887 publications to 3,S26,951 people, is
higher than that of New York, and so
are several Others"
The editor WINGED at the informa-
tion.
How about dailies?' asked the edi-
tor.
New York has 1T6, which is 20 less
than Pennsylvania ana Il more than IL
linois and Ohio, each of which has 164,
and "a more than Indiana, whose popu-
lation Is 3,S07, ,449 less than New York's.
However, New Yorl: comes to the front
big on monthlies. and her 545 is more
than double the number in any other
state.
How is New Yorks weekly list?" in
quir,d the editor, in doubt.
"She has 1903, which is % greater
than Illinois and 1877 greater than Penn
sylvania. To show how the nearness
of the big cities cuts in on local pub
lications," continued the sharp, II call
your attention TO New Jersey, with a
population OF 1,4Ii,933. having 500 pub
lications, while Minnesota, with 1,301,-
S26 people, or 143, 107 less than New Jer-
sey, has 563 publications. or 217 more.
Still, New Jersey, with 46 dailies, is 10
abe ad of Minnesota's list. The District
of Columbia, with 230, SOP population,
has dailies, while Wyoming, with co.
705 people, has an equal number. The
district, however, with 70 publications,
leads Wyoming. which has but "a.
These two are the lowest in the list OF
dailies. except Alaska, which hasn't
any, and but four of all kinds, three
being weekly and one monthly. Com
pairing a Northern and a Southern
state, we find that Minnesota. with L.
301,S2 people, has 563 publications,
while Mississippi, with l,2S9,630 has 191
papers of all kinds, only ten of them
being dailies. This is the lowest aver
age of dailies to population in the
Union.
"The colored people in that STATE
ought to read the newspapers" sug-
gested the editor.
"They ought to do a good many
things" responded the sharp, "but that
is another story. Most folks wouldn't
believe it, but Maine and Louisiana
have the same number Of publications.
10 and Louisiana leads with II dailies
to IL In the state of Maine. In popula-
tion Louisiana has 1,11S,5S7, to 661, ,O9G
in Maine, which improves the face of
the returns for Maine. Michigan and
Massachusetts, make fair comparison
Of states east and middle west, and
Michigan, with 2,093,SS9 people, has 762
publications, to Massachusetts 61S for
2, 1885, In dailies Massachusetts,
with 70, leads by IA
Il wouldn't have thought Michigan
could make so good a showing" OBJ
| served the editor
That's because you don't know
| how do you think Texas would COM
pare with Massachusetts"
"Oh, not at ALL" exclaimed the edi-
| tor, in horrined tones.
And 1t doesn't grinned the sharp.
Texas, with 3,400 less population, has
| 73 more publications than the old Bay
state, with its century or two start.
And there's Indiana, where the Hoosi-
ers come from that the Bostonians
turn up Heir noses at--Indiana, with
| nearly $4,000 people less than Massa-
| chusetts, has 202 more publications,
and beats her in dailies the difference
| between 142 and 70. Now, how are you
| going to explain that?"
The editor shook his head sadly. He
had been proud of Massachusetts.
Now, there's Idaho" continued the
sharp, "a state where the wild and the
wolly chew each others necks and
shoot the atmosphere full of holes.
Idaho has S4,3S5 people and 67 publica-
tions, 8 of them daily, while Delaware,
| in the midst of the effete east, with a
| population of nearly double Q66,4 ,493),
has only about half as many (3S), of
them daily. How are you going to get
| over that?"
The editor shook his head again, but
not so sadly. He never thought much
| of the reading taste in a state where
| whipping posts grew without irriga =
| tion, anyhow.
| "New Mexico shows the character
of her people by having only so publ
cations to 1883 people, which shows
that the greaser is not a voracious
reader. OF the southern states Geor-
| gia leads with 334 publications, 2S of
| them daily. Kentucky, with 21 900
| more people, has but 293 publications,
| "a of them daily. She has 21S weeklies
| to 237 in Georgia. Iowa makes a good
showing with 1,911,S people and 1,O6S
| publications, 67 daily and SIT weekly
while Kansas, with 1427,096 people,
has but $50 in all, with As daily and 572
weekly. California is fine, too, with
1,20S13O people and GIG publications,
10S daily and 460 weekly. This is large
ly due to her remoteness."
That's where the circulation edi-
tors grow, isn't it," asked the editor
with a wan smile,
"Um-er," hesitated the sharp. But
as l was saying, it will no doubt break
the heart of Rhode Island, which for
SO many years has sat under the in
tellectual drippings of Boston, to be
compared with Oklahoma, where even
at this moment nothing may be drip
ping save gore in gobs, but l shall
make the comparison, and the figures
show us that Oklahoma, with 6l,S34
people, has 1O1 publications in all, II
daily and 70 weekly, while Rhode Is
land, with over five times the popula-
tion GAS, has but 67 publications
II daily and 36 weekly. Now, let the