The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-12-19
WORD TO OUR FRIENDS.

w e lOOh Cletl - VI Ol'4o P''PN' WV .
at the urgent solicitation of our brethren
and have done what we could to meet their
expectations. We enlarged the paper, and
thus added heavily to its cost, and lowered
the terms by our club rates, in order that 1t
might compete with other papers on equal
footing, and with the hope that the increase
Of subscribers would cover these exPendi-
lures. In this hope We have been disap- /
pointed. We have had gratifying increase,
for which we are grateful to our many
friends. but the increase has not been suffi-
eieut to cover the increased cost Of pubGca-
ton and the losses by club rates. Forone
half of this year we have been working
without any compensation at all, and the
close Of the year may require us to make
up from our own means a deficit to meet
the current expenses of the office. We are
sure that our brethren viii not expect us to
continue working in this way very long, UNI
less there is a prospect of change for the
better.
What are the prospects for the coming
year? The country is in a state OF pecuniary
depression that must affect newspapers more
than most other departments of business.
Hence we may look for losses from that
cause. Our brethren in North Carolina
have determined to start paper for them
selves, which viii deprive us of number Of
subscribers there. From these two causes
we must expect to suffer severely, unless
corresponding efforts are made to compen-
safe for them.
We therefore ask our brethren, espeei-
ally those in Virginia, what will you do7
We have had the most gratifying assurances
from every quarter that our labors were APP
preeiated, and our paper such as was needed
bv our churches. But we must have some
thing more tangible in order to meet the
heavy expenses Of a printing establishment,
and we wish our brethren to enable US to
answer the question, what shall we do dur
mo the coming year? Do we need a paper
of our own? If we do, it must be support
ed, and although we do not wish to exclude
other papers from our bounds, we insist that
ours ought to be introduced, to enable us
to do the work to which we are called. If
we do not need a paper Of our own, then
the sooner we know this the better, for it
will save useless expenditure of labor and
funds. This question will probably be de-
cided practically, as far as we are concerned,
d lring the first half of the coming year
If we nee a home paper, let US sustain it,
if we do not, let US giyeit ,-Rnd rely on
other sources for our newspaper reading.
1t may be matter of surprise to some
that arelgious paper does not sustain itself
with as large a circulation as a secular pa
per. The reason is found in the fact that
the profitable part of the latter is its ad-
vertisiug. Few secular papers expect their
subscription list to pay their expenses of
printing, &C.. the profit is found in the adj
vertising. Take one of our city papers for
illustration. The Wing and Enquirer for ex-
ample, have generally from 20 to p CO.
lumns Of advertisements, which at the usual
rates make a very large sum Of money.
MANY of these advertisements appear first
in the daily, then in the tri or semi-weekly,
and then in the weekly, for each of which
an additional charge is made. We have
only between five and six columns, and they
but weekly, and not the most profitable kind
of advertisements. This makes a very great
difference. The matter that is set up for
the daily paper is simply transferred to the
other issues, and serves for three different
editions of the papers. The matter for a
weekly paper can only be used in one edi-
ton. There are other reasons which We need
not specify that make religious paper a
very Improbable, and in most cases los
mo enterprise, except in a very few, that
have secured in various ways very large
circulation. Our limits of circulation are
narrowed by PresbyterianPapers all around
rs. and will be still further narrowed by the
causes already specified, so that unless a
vigorous effort is made by those who really
-: +Lo coDtinuonce of the DaDpr. we
cannot continue what viii be mere mre-
Quilted drudgery.
We therefore say plainly and kindly to
our friends, if You want paper Of your
own, YOU must give us the means Of keeping
it in healthy existence. You must try and
induce your friends to take two papers, if
they cannot give up the one they are taking.
We are willing to labor and sacrifice great
deal, but unless our paper supports itself,
our labors can be much better employed in
some other direction, and we shall be led to
the reluctant conclusion, that our churches
prefer to be supplied with their newspaper
reading from other sources out Of the State.
We beg you then brethren to act, and act
at once in this matter, that we may be cna-
bled to act ourselves with some heart and
hope
REV. R. C. WALKER.