Columbia gazette. [volume] (Columbia, Tuolumne County, Calif.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-05
NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING.

NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING.
There is much good sense in the fol-
lowing from the Toledo Republican:
There are SO many queer ideas pre-
valent in all communities on the subject
Of newspaper publishing that We feel
constrained to say word, now and
then, by way Of explanation. One idea
which gets lodged in a great many
heads is, that it is only necessary to
start paper, and then by some inhe-
rent, invisible power Of propulsion, it
will force itself along through mountains
Of expense, swamps of Encouragement,
and dismal caves of toll and trouble,
without any farther assistance on the
part of those who have beguiled the
poor printer into the hazardous bust
ness. This idea is utterly foolish, per-
haps We might say sel6sh-that We shall
take no further notice of it than this al
lusion to its existence.
Another common idea, about news
papers il, that they have no immediate
or essensial connection with the pros
perity of the places in which they are
published. To be sure their services
are required to chronicle every event
that may conduce to the general good /;
they must advocate the construction Of
railroads, and show their feasibility and
importance, 50 that the public conf
dsncs may be reposed in the enterprise,
and the stock subscribed they must
notice every new steamboat or vessel
that may appear on the waters, by 60
ing into minute descriptions Of their
construction, and expatiating upon their
superior accommodations, thus giving
important information to the public, and
doing nice job of advertising for the
owne,s; they must hold up before the
world, and "keep it before the people"
at home and abroad, the facts that the
cities in which they are located (and we
might not unfrequently add in which
they are starved,) are just the places to
invest in real estate, and for this service
the owners Of corner lots will subscribe
for the paper and shell ont literally to
support it-orer tie left; they mus,
speak Of every improvement made, ev-
cry new branch of industry introduced
every additional facility for the transac-
ton of business which may turn up in
the course of human events they mus,
defend the character Of their town when
assailed they mnst defend her public
men, her merchants, mechanics, and al
who dwell within her borders, so far a
they can be defended /; they must ge,
out Presidents message, or other i'm
portant public documents. at the ear
Hest moment even though the printer
toll by his lamp through all the weary
hours of the night to do it, they mus,
!
seek to crafty the whims of great
many people on every conceivable sub
ject, and get the ill-wiu of two-thirds Of
them in trying to please them they
must advertise gratuitously every thing
that has the least stamp Of q public ma
turs upon it, because it is for the "gen-
eral geod;" in short, the newspaper is
the pack-horse on which the universal
public expect to ride, on the low fare
system. We might extend this list of
newspaper duties, performed for the
public, without remuneration, great
deal further, but we forbear. We sub
NIT the questions without further argu-
ment-whether newspaper is, or is
not, intimately connected. with the gem
eral prosperity of the place where it is
published. IF it be decided that the
paper does possess public character,
and is valuable auxiliary in the pro-
motion of every good work, let it be es-
teemed and treated accordingly. That
is al We ask.