Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-11-22
JAMES BRooKs, Esq. Portland.

4 SOLOMON SMIrn, Esq. the proprietor of the
Mobile Mercantile Advertiser, has recently
sold his piper 10 Messrs Langdon and liar7
ris. In his valcdictory, he says some true
things in an amusing style, as the following
extract will show .
Speaking Of patrons-I cannot conclude
without giving some of my ideas on the sub
irct of patronage. The Americans are
pairou,ing people. u a person subscribes
tor "A newspaper or ADVERTISERS M II, he be-
comes patron "if he puts mp" at an hotel,
he patronises that house: If he purchases an
art ,cle at store, he girts the merchant his
custom; II he visits the playhouse on bene-
fit night. he bestors on such an actor dol
lar! This is all wrong. Let us change this
patroniz,ng air, and acknowledge, that # we
take newspaper, purchase goods, lodge or
dine at Q hotel, 20 To the play, we expect, nj
last. 10 get our moneys worth. "tialloa,
old tellow!' bawled out a chap to me. IN
South Carolina, gnre yon dollar last
nigt-l like to paironize the Theatre" The
day before, ! had loaned that patron fifty d"l-
lars, to take him home to Georgia, which lao
has not paid me to this day
OF all trades, professions, or cnlings,
know of nonc-I have followed n great many
so poorly paid as publishers of newspapers.
Many patrons of news pa pcrs, otherwise wor-
thy, punctnal men, think it not unrighteout
to let the publisher wait year after year for
his dues--and at last. if he is compelled to
pay, he does it with very bad grace. "Mr.
Type must have his money must hr 2 Well,
it he must he must. Give me a receipt aud,
do you hear T? stop te pnper-l have patron
i,ed that establishment six years-thcre ~ no
such thing as gratitude in the world!"-
Another will tell yon he nertr subscribed for.
a paper" the boy has LETT II every morning,
it is true, and M 1t was left dd read IL oc-
casionaly-but | never ordered It," Thera
Is another class OF patrons who never sub
scribe at all, bat are great friends of the pa
per, and ailrnys read tin fact, this is the.
class who may be termed your "consiant
readers" ".iere, Sam, 60 over the way.
with my compliments 10 Mr.. Tomklus. and
ak him for the loan Of his paper-and, Sam.
tell him ms he never reads II before breakfast,
III thank him To let John bring il over every
mprning-itls is an excellent paper-that editor
really knows what he is about begin To
think of ofpaironi,ing him myseltn There yet
remains 10 be mentioned, one more class OF
potrons-supporters, ] SHOULD soy, fpr they
are the support and stay Of publishers. This
class is composed of those who say" Here,
Mr. Clerk, be so good os to place my name
on your subscription list-and write opposite
to it, PAID ~ ApyANcy. In looking. oyer
lst of some thousands yesterday, ] saw
hundred or two Of this class. II had any
GOLDEN TYPss their names should literally
sppear in LrrTrRs OF eoLp. There are now
from reeIpe 10 E1esn thousand dollars due this
Office aud, am convinced, the proprietors
would willingly sell oil the debts Tor 6ve
thousand dollars! II is thus with all news.
paper ofiices--and. why ?-.bccause pub
fishers are good nuiprel, and submit to their
own degradation IN the scale Of ,rndesmen.
let this state of things be anne nded-"reform
It altogether" Adhere strictly to the terms
of your pnpers-for, take the word Of on ex-
man, you Ind better keep your ink
and paper than furnish them aud your labor
for nothing. Ypu may get popularity. but
you will get no pork and cabbage for your
dinner.
now take my leave as proprietor of the
"Ad,e er,iser"-i forgive oil, and ask forgive
ness Of all, III any one has any thing TO for
give,l and conclude by repeating the advice
| gave my Cincinnati friends, fifteen years
hgo, with slight amendment; Laws nps-
,srLY- srRvp Con, AND PAY ron f"Us
SlwsParGRs."