The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-11-14
70 our Patrons.

On the 12th' Of February, 1859, We issued
fhe'frst Number of the Lancaster Ledger
Very nearly four years have elapsed since
then, and we Hre now able TO say whether
the business has been profitable one or
not. We are forced to say i.'has not. The
why and whdrcfote, we will lay before our
readers, and invite their particular attention
to what we have to say. We will give
plain statement of facts, and these facts are
intended solely for the consideration 'of our
patrons.
When we first conceived the idea of put
ting up paper in Lancaster, our ambition
prompted us to put up one, which in size
and Typography. even if deficient in editori-
al matter, would do credit to the District,
and in those respects credit TO oursclf We
kneW then, and we kn6to now, that there is
not a district in this State, and scarcely n
county in any other State, with so few white
inhabitants, in which there is a newspaper
containing so much as the Ledger. 1t is
trne, you will find larger papers containing
more than ours, but those papers are pub
Ii he'd in more thickly settled communities;
they make much more than we do. We
could make more money by publishing our
paper at one dollar year if we had six or
eight thousand subscribers, than we do at
two dollars, with six or eight hundred. But
we are not disposed to complain on this
score-for the ratio of population, we have
as large list rs any paper in the State
We will warrant this. We are disposed to
complain though, of the conduct of ma
ny of these subscribers. We are abso-
utcly ashamed that we have dunned them
so much, and yet we are compelled to bor-
row money, week after week, to pay our
current expenses. 1t is not right--it is un-
just. The amounts owing us are small, and
it docs seem to us, after our efforts, tiha: eve
ry citizen who had one spark Of district
pride in him, would take pleasure in paying
us what is simply our due. We have pub
lshed paper, we repeat, in proportion to
the population, larger than any other paper
in the State, and we believe in the United
States, and instead cf being encouraged we
have every cause of regret
In another respect have we been treated
wrongfally, we had nigA said shamefuliy,--
In other districts (for we have cnquEcd, and
We know our experience in one,) it is the
custom to pay advertising bills, if not before,
at least on the first day Of January. There
is no evasion; no putting of. Here it Is not
50. Those who We know can pay, possess
ample means, and who lawfully owe us the
money, evade US; and We have bills of the
first year yet unpaid. We had expected
very differently of some of these gentlemen
at least; we thought they would have been
the first to pay US; we thought they would
have used every effort to promote our inter
est, instead Of lettering us.
Well, we are getting rather tired Of such
kind of conduct, and if it IL n"--~..-,---' '','
] ~u"nuun TINS business aSd seek
| some other. We are not disposed 10 waste
! our time by pandering TO tho osPrices pf go
pricious ncu.
Those persons Indebted to US for sub
scriptions, are now notified, that we will
wait on them until the first of January, be-
fore we strike OF their names. If they do
not settle by that time, we Will erase their
names, and place their accounts in Magis-
trate's hand to collect.
We have sent out bills with this paper,
and have made these subscribers fair pro-
positions; if they do not accede to it, they
must expect the consequences. All old ac-
counts for advertisiug we will sue upon, en-.
t'rely regardless ns to the PARTIES. Il pains
us to write in this manner, but necessity for
ces it upon US. We owe money and there.
fore We must collect money, and VIC pal
collect, if il be possible