miscellany of all sorts. There was more excuse for the insertion
of such matter, for the magazines had not yet come into their
own and books were still too expensive for purchase by any save
the rich. In almost every newspaper, regardless of party affilia-
tion, there was a column or more for original verse through
which local poets rode wild-shod, for poets and politicians were
great seekers, then, as now, for publicity. Incidentally, it may
be remarked that much of the poetry of the day dealt with
political topics, so that subscribers might get good measure in
political matters. The most interesting reading, even in some
of the most important papers, was found in the letters of old
inhabitants who had left to seek their fortunes beyond the Alle-
ghanies and then had written about the new settlements of the
West. Letters were expensive because of the high rate of pos-
tage; consequently their writers boiled down the news. Not
yet had editors realized the real news value of local happenings.
FIRST HIGH TARIFF PAPERS
In spite of the fact that the press of the period was bitterly partisan in character, independent papers began to spring up in various sections of the country, chiefly in New England. Here, professing absolute neutrality in politics, they became the advocates of a strong protective policy for American indus- tries. Especially important was The Manufacturers' and Far- mers' Journal and Providence and Pawtucket Advertiser, which first issued from the printing-office of Miller and Hutchins in the Old Coffee-House in Providence on January 3, 1820. In- stead of being a party organ, it was the official spokesman for the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industries. It was at the start published semi-weekly and be- cause of its non-partisan character had a circulation among those of all political faiths. So carefully did it avoid having any connection with political parties that even when so important a matter as the Missouri Compromise was before the people it made no mention of the bill save in its reports of the proceed- ing of Congress. Its name was later shortened to The Providence Journal, and because of its constantly increasing patronage was able to appear daily on and after July 21, 1829, one day
