Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-11
NEWSPAPERS IN INDIA
The Native Publications Are Often Liter
airy Curiosities.
Rely on English Journals for Their
Reading Matter-FuIl of Ex-
travagant Expressions.

From Parsons Weekly. =
The Indian press is of ancient origin.
Ages before the European conquest every
court had its weekly-in some cases its
daily-journal which sent out to the
principal towns and attentively read by no.
bles, wealthy people and officials. These
journals contained proclamations and de-
crees and chronicled the movements OF the
court and all things likely to be of interest
to the faithful subjects of the rulers OF the
various principalties.
Newspapers. in our meaning of the word.
were first published in 1918. But these were
in English; the first native newspaper was
not issued until the middle of the century.
The native press of the present day may be
divided into two classes: papers edited and
published by natives, the mater being gen
orally half in English and half in native
language, and those journals Whlcn are
published entirely in native language, this
class being much more numerous
As rule, these last are small, very poor
ly printed on cheap paper, often on only
one side of the sheet, and not intreQuently
the same journal varies greatly in size, ac-
cording to the amount of news obtainabe
and the personal circumstances and con-
venienCe of the editor.
Generally speaking, the native is very
anxious to acquire knowledge of English.
1t not only opens the way to appointments
in the government service. but also makes
district, as comparatively few of the mil
lions of natives read English or even under
stand 1t when spo.-en. A working knoWl-
edge of our tongue is Indispensable to ma
tive editor, because all the important news
is first published in the Anglo-Indian news
papers.
The native writer is fond of extravagant
expressions, and makes use, wherever he
can, OF quotations from Shakespeare or
Milton and the religious phrases he has
seen IN missionary literature. In the use Of
metaphors he often gets much mixed up
The editorial page of the Indian country
paper is literary curiosity. For instance
the reader is assured. in an article on
political crisis. that ''ali the crowned heads
OF Europe are shaking in their shoes
sometimes We reau that the editor eX-
poets, with divine help to have more read
ing suited to the intelligence of his sub
ScriberS in the next issue
But the editor is seen at his best in his
own announcements. His whole vocabulary
IS brought into play to impress the readers
Sometimes the announcement takes the
tone OF apology, as in the case of the editor
who innocently declared: This is only the
beginning of our paper. We were not sure
now much matter was required to fill it
up and, thinking We had sufficient we did
not exert ourself much to get any more
We, therefore, beg that our readers will
excuse US this time for the space left blank
and promise to do better and get more in
the future"
Still more curious was the announcement
OF a paper which came out for the first time
with two columns blank, the editor making
the bold announcement that "a largo man
llty OF exceedingly interesting matter had
been left out for want OF space"
When the native editor wants a holiday.
he suspends publication until it is con-
Venlent to resume and. taking his readers
INTO his confidence, informs them plainly
why the paper was not issued on the ex-
pected dates: with the consent of our
readers, we now propose to take our annual
holiday. We are sure none of them will
DeSrudSe US our relaxation"
If 1t were not for the English newspapers
Pubhshed IN Calcutta, Bombay and other
large cities, which are edited by cultured
Engilshmen and AngloIndians the native
Journals would be very poor productions as
nearly all the news and much of.the other
fill them. ~