Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-10-26

Why We can't afford it.
In this age Of cheap newspapers, it
Is often asked Why we can not afford a
paper at dolltr year as well as 9TH
ers. We propose word Of explana-
ton. As to the city Dollar Wseklies,
they are made up out Of the matter
set for the Dailies, and hence they have
no expense for setting. This is
the greatest expense Of an ordinary Of
fee. Again, they are generally print
ed on mean. thin paper that will hard
ly hold together till It is half read, and
moreover they are much smaller than
our sheet. Add to this. that these
papers have $4,000 or 10000. some
as high as 60. 900 subscribers. and the
difference in the relative cost Of pro-
ducing paper is greatly augmented,
as 1t costs as much to set the type Tor
paper as tor oo'ooo'
But we are often asked why we can
not produce paper for dollar year.
as we'll as our neighbor Of the Demo.
Graf. We will explain. First our
sheet is much larger, and the cost Of
white paper and of type setting. is
greater than for q smaller paper But
this is the least Of the cause Of the
difference in cost. We are dependent
almost entirely on the subscription list
for support. We getno Of the pub
lie printing-not even the post Office
printing. to which we are entitled BY
the laws Of Congress. which require
il 10 be given to the'paper having the
largest circulation. This Is no small
item Our ne;ohbor drew from the
Conntv Treasury THREE HUNDRED
AND TEN DOLLARS. during the
wear ending first Of last September,
and we presume this is about his aver
age share of the public funds. Now,
as he has but about 700 subscribers,
il will be seen that this item alone il
about As cents. from the pu6lic trsos.
cry. for each subscriber he has. To
this Is to be added the proceeds Of ad.
vertising sherif's sales and other off.
cial notices which he receives from the
party in power. the aggregate Of
which can not be less than $500 pei
year. The paper Of last week alon,
contained not less than $50 of thi,
kind. Five hundred dollars Is a very
low estimate for this kind Of advertis
ing, amounting to about 20 cents o.
each subscriber. To this add the Al
cents and you have 81. Is from thes,
sources alone. on each subscriber.
But to this is to be added source
ofrevenue from which he must have
realized. in common with most papers
some $500 or $500 per year-w'
mean advertising for lotteries. and
shows and circuses. and such things
We have had the offer Of these bu
refused invariably. When we can no
make n living by this business withou
ministering TO vice and theft. we know
we can by saving wood. or some othel
honest and harmless business. Say
that the income from this department
is only about $500; there is from
sources from which we realize nothing
about 81 so for every subscriber h,
has. SO that he can nearly as well affort
= paper at so cents a year as VIC car
At 81.
We hone we are not misunderstood
n,h;. .,I,,s;on % A.. nroe,. ~ IL,
nubl;c nr;nt;no. We do not blame on
..;chho~ co. rro.rx;,o;, W. .,,,
love TO have a. least = part of IL our
self We onlv allude N Il 10 show
how ha ca, afford n n.n.r at dol,.,
year while we have TO charge g
We could lessen the cost of our pape
ten or fifteen cents, by inserting adyer
tisements of shows. lotteries. &c. bu
we have but few subscribers who woul,
be willing to see these temptations /
vice spread before their children, in OF
der 10 save a dime or 80.