Today [December 15, 1891], a year has passed since the first issue of Dziennik Chicagoski appeared. Did it serve any purpose? Did it benefit anyone morally or materially? What were its merits and deficiencies? If its publication is to be continued, should it make any changes or add anything?

These questions ought to be answered by the readers, not by the publishers. The publishers may only guess at the wishes of the readers; they can make deductions from verbal remarks and newspaper criticism, be they orderly and constructive or malicious and destructive.

Three hundred and six issues of Dziennik Chicagoski have been published with clock-like regularity during its first year of existence--14 in 1890 and 292 during this year. There were no issues on 59 days--52 Sundays 2and 7 holidays. Some of these holidays were national; others Catholic. Consequently, there can be no objection to this. Polish newspapers in Europe publish still fewer issues in a year.

Dziennik Chicagoski, in the first place, brings material benefit indirectly to those who advertise in it. This is proved by the fact that no advertisement was withdrawn for lack of good results; also, by the fact that more and more business people advertise in it. The policy of Dziennik Chicagoski is not to accept certain advertisements, even if they are profitable.

Dziennik Chicagoski has also brought material benefit to those who looked for employment in its help-wanted columns, as well as to those who placed these advertisements in it. Finally, Dziennik Chicagoski must have brought some material benefit to those who have bought articles advertised in its columns. These material benefits point out the usefulness of this newspaper and the necessity for its further existence.

The moral benefit which Dziennik Chicagoski has brought and should bring is 3manifold, and it will be still greater as the newspaper develops. As a political newspaper, devoted to the interests of the Poles in the United States, Dziennik Chicagoski enlightens its readers on political questions. The Poles are primarily concerned with affairs taking place on Polish soil. They are also interested in the affairs of the Poles in America, as well as in American public affairs, in which Poles should take and active part. Finally, the Poles are interested in the affairs of other countries (especially of those which concern us most--hostile Russia, Germany and Austria) and of the United States. That we have diligently supplied our readers with information concerning Polish and other affairs will be admitted by any reader of Dziennik Chicagoski. To prove this, we will give a brief account of all events during the year before it is over. This will serve as evidence that our newspaper has fulfilled its purpose.

The moral benefit of a newspaper should not be limited only to furnishing facts. The columns of some newspapers are full of news items that do not bring any benefit. On the contrary, they rather spread moral corruption. Some of the great thinkers of this free United States realize this and are trying to remove this evil by a legislative measure prohibiting publication of sensational news, especially descriptions of crimes, scandals, unconfirmed gossips, etc. That such 4prohibition would not affect us, we can say with clear conscience. As to other Polish newspapers, let them answer that themselves with their hands upon their hearts. Besides furnishing facts, a newspaper has also other tasks, such as making suggestions, creating or influencing public opinion, and stimulating thought, action, and plans which bring benefit to the public.

We do not claim that we are perfect in this last respect. Perhaps it was possible to accomplish more than we did.

In the first place, we must refer to our long controversy on the school question, which was conducted in the early issues of our journal. This controversy was absolutely necessary, because an attempt was made to discredit parochial schools and to prove that the public schools in America are more beneficial to the Poles than the Polish parochial schools, and because the same interests tried to convince the Polish-American public that the hope of instilling national aspirations in our young generation is merely a dream.

In the second place, it was necessary for us to prevent the Poles, during the 5spring election, from splitting into two parties, and to encourage them by continuous efforts, urging them to take active part in the elections. Never before did so many Poles vote as in the last spring election, and American newspapers pointed out with astonishment--the fact that the Poles constitute a strong political unit. Is this not meritorious? Does not Dziennik Chicagoski deserve at least some credit for this? Let impartial persons answer this. Other Polish newspapers were making sarcastic remarks about our journal, stating that we devote whole columns to politics. But, was this not our duty at that time?

There were celebrations commemorating the Constitution of the Third of May. We devoted much space to these celebrations. There were conventions and conferences. Dziennik Chicagoski succeeded in furnishing detailed reports about them and presented its suggestions according to its own viewpoint.

This viewpoint is somewhat different from the one held by other newspapers. It is not strictly partial, it does not belong exclusively to a certain organization, and it does not deny opposing parties the right to exist, yet it is 6not exactly impartial.

Dziennik Chicagoski is of the opinion that certain organizations are better, more just, more beneficial, and that others are not so well organized. It does not regard any organization as perfect or worthy of condemnation. It sees merits and imperfections in all of them. It desires that these merits should be increased to the highest degree and that the faults should be diminished as much as possible, and for this reason it carries on politics of conciliatory nature, which gives some persons an excuse to give vent to jeers and malicious attacks.

Dziennik Chicagoski defends and will defend the Polish clergy, who are furiously attacked by some organizations. We do not understand the phrase, "I am a Catholic, but I do not wish to be led by a priest, or that he should be interested in patriotism." We do not understand this, for it is hard to understand, but we do know that the Poles owe to the priests the circumstance that they are not denationalized. They should also be thankful to the priests for the fact that the police records show very few Polish names; that wherever 7there is a Polish church, the morality of the Poles is admired by other nationalities, while in localities where there are no priests, other nationalities compare them with Italians, Slovaks, and Chinese. The Poles owe even their prosperity to the Polish priests, for properties located near Polish churches are valuable, and their owners have political influence. Polish organizations also are indebted to Polish priests, for, on account of their strength, they have gained influence and their members can obtain better employment. We fought and will continue to fight because we feel that by so doing we benefit the Polish public. We should like to know where these prosperous Poles would be today--whether they would be wealthy if they did not have priests.

We desire to influence public opinion by other means. We are obliged from time to time to engage in a controversy, but we always try to limit it to the subject--with decency. As soon as our opponents resort to insulting personal attacks, we discontinue it.

For quite a time, there has appeared in Polish circles and newspapers a project mania, a wave of new ideas. New plans have grown like mushrooms after the rain. But, are they really new? They have one defect--they are quite 8often planned less skillfully than the original ones. If someone blames us for not participating in them, we will answer that we have lived long enough to look soberly at such matters. We certainly will not remain silent if a clear and practical plan is presented, but as long as such projects are only unskillful imitations of the old ones, we prefer to keep silent.

Summa Summarum. Is our journal useful if it brings material and moral benefit to its readers? The answer must be that it is. But this does not mean that it fulfills its purpose completely, that it has no defects, or that it is not susceptible to improvement.

The aim of our journal in the next year will be the attainment of perfection. From January 1, 1892, its format and contents will be different. We will keep what was good; what was defective we will try to improve, and what was improper will be changed. The management will be placed in better hands, and the personnel will probably be increased.

With the conviction that we have fulfilled conscientiously our duty to the 9public, with appreciation for the good will shown us by the public; and forgetting malicious slanders, we are completing the first year of editing Dziennik Chicagoski. It was a successful year for the journal in spite of the ominous prophecies of some persons. This infant, that saw daylight for the first time a year ago today, is healthy, and as far as human eye can see there is no obstacle to its future growth.