Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1856-01-23
THE NEWSPAPER CASH SYSTEM.

A friend writing from Tarborough, renewing
his subscription to the Semi Weekly Standard, says:
81 see you are about to adopt the cash system.
hope it may work well. 1t is certainly the correct
rule for newspaper publishers" This is the opinion
of all our subscribers whom we have seen or from
whom we have heard, since announcing our purpose
The Fayetteville Observer" thus notices the evil
of the credit system:
The credit system with Editors of Newspapers
is great evil but in this part of the world
no safe remedy for it, except by tempting advance
payments at reduced prices-as we do But the
Raleigh Standard says it will on the 1st of May,
stop every paper which is not then paid for. And
the Newbern News says that the LIST of March it
will begin to publish list of all those indebted to it.
These are extreme measures and think will
damage the papers more than the public"
We have tried these "temptng advance pay
ments" for years, and have found them to operate
badly for both subscribers and publishers. Our
Weekly paper is, for example, three dollars per
mum, which may be discharged by the payment of
two dollars in advance. But when the subscriber
postpones payment, and is called upon for the three
dollars he is apt to complain that the interest of one
dollar, which, he says, he is thus charged with, is
enormous; and then if he pay the three dollars to
collector, is frequently the case, incur loss
of twenty per cent-to say nothing of the risk in
currcd by long credits, of losing the entire amount.
Besides, we frequently urged to receive two dol
lars when two and half and three ale justly due,
according to terms; and refusal to do this has,
in some cases, resulted in unpleasant feeling and
discontnuance of subscriptions. We think the
"Observer" in in charactcrizing the cash sys
tcm IN publishing newspapers "extreme meas
urc.' As general rule, it is certainly quite as con-
venent to a subscriber to pay his subscription at
one time as at another; and 10y paying in advance,
he makes an actual saving, in some of onethrd
of the amount. a subscriber who values his news
paper, will surely think, at time during the
year. of paying for and is just well to think of
it, and to do it, at the of his year as
any other time. We shall adopt plan by which all
subscribers will be regularly notified oAe month in
advance, of the times at which their subscriptions
will expire; and, in sesch case, nothing can be
easier than for the Subscriber mail the money in
"resstered letter. or get some friend who is in
the habit of writing, or else the Postmaster to mail
it for him. I'd \
7 We have paid out, in commissions for collecting
since have been publishing the Standard, not less
than three thousand dollars; and we have actually
lost by the credit system, not less than ten thousand
iollars-and this with good subscription list as
| there is in the Southern States
| Our office expenses are, on an average at least
eighty dollars per week. This pay in cash. every
Saturday evening to our hands, and stated periods
\ for ink, paper, &c.
"Pay you go" is the philosophers stone, both
as to nations and individuals. The credit system is
faught with more evils than always appear on the
surface of society We shall not however, enlarge
upon these evils now, but leave them for the consid
| finn and reHoc of rro .b.>
know something of human nature, and who have
| had experience in business and generally in human
| affairs.
| We arc not complaining of our party, or of our
| friends. Far from it. We haYe been encouraged
and sustained greatly beyond our merits; and we
can never be sufficiently grateful for the patronage
and the manifold favors extended to US by our
friends. The system Of cash payments which we
propose to adopt, is satisfied the best course
both for them and for ourselves; if thought 9th.
crwise, would adhere to the old plan and go for.
ward, as VIC no doubt could, quite successfully as
other publishers in the State. Nor shall we initiate
the example of our contemporary of the "Newbern
News" in publishing "back list" If those who
arc able to pay us for !abors continue to re.
fuse to do so, shall leave them to their own re.
1ections and their conscicnces and to such as
may not have the means to pay, we say cheerfully-
You are welcome to what you have had. Do not
forget the old Democratic party, or the rights o.
your section; but stand by US in heart, if you can
not in purse, and will endeavor as heretofore, tc
do our duty in the good cause so important and sc
dear to us all. M -
II We do not want Office have ever impor
tunec the "powers that b." for patronage. Wha
receive of the latter, in the way of advertising
&C., comes to us unsought, as one of the organs o
Democratic principles. All we desire is, to labor
here in our humble way, at the head of this press
for the advancement of Democratic principles anc
for the preservation of the Constitution in it's purity
and we expect for these labors only certain ant
fair remuneration. Is this expectation unreasonable
, + No one will say it is =
We trust our readers will excuse US for having
devoted so much space to this subject 1t is by nj
means pleasant to US; but it is necessary i,
view of the system have determined on, tha
there should be thorough understanding between
, our subscribers and ourselves. We have com
menced sending out our accounts in the paper
Ample time has been allowed Ito the 1st of May
for those in arrears to pay up. Those who ma,
wish to remit can do so now, whether they know
the exact amounts due not-and they will b
duly credited and receipts sent showing the tim
paid for. We trust that but few-very few will b
behind the lst of May. But the rule will be in
fexbly adhered to- in euery case. We cannot max
exceptions in matter of this sort-the best person