Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-04-18
ssrTbe following sr,iel. from the Lvcos.1

l U& i ne ioIoWing artlcle from tne Lyrom-
ing Gazette is worthy Of consideration by
editors and publishers. We cordially concur
with our contemporary Of the Lycoming Ga.
zefte in his views Of newspapers, and more
particularly Of advertising We are com
! PEELED almost every week 20 reject advertise.
ments sent to us. Most Of them owing to
the terms offered, others on account of their
character. But IL is difficult to remedy this
evil, as long as publishers act not in concert
or suffer themselves to be imposed upon
Advertisers of standing, do not hesitate to
resort to tricks to get advertising at less than
usual rates. We could name one for whom
we consented to advertise at rates paid by
| prominent contemporary, and were surprised
to find from the evidence erhibitcd by the
agent, that he was to pay 100 per cent. less
than we asked. We subsequently learned
from our contemporary that it was not true.
and made the principal fork over the differ
cnce. An editor should bo independent, not
only in mind, but in circumstances. We
would Infinitely rather be ga newer of wood
aud drawer Of water" than drag along q
sickly existence, as exhibited by many country
newspapers, who live from hand 10 mouth.
| These are the individuals who fall an easy
prey to designing politicians, who thus APP
propriate the brains and intellect of needy
editors, TO supply their own deficiencies, 2,
making great men out Of squashes and other
| soft vegetables -
COUSTRY NEWSPAPERS.
! From time, 10 US immemorial, il has been
the custom Of the publishers of country
! newspapers 10 complain Of poverty, and we
believe the complaint is a just one-uHe
founded upon reality. Bnt have our friends
OF the country press ever taken the trouble
to investigate the true cause Of their poverty
lf they have, and looked ut the matter IN It's
proper light, they have not failed to discover
that the fault is entirely with themselves
Some years ago we stated what We considered
one reason for il. and time has only served to
confirm us in the belief of what we then
asserted. We said then, aud W. repeat it now
that there are too many country newspapers
Take l.ycoming county as an example. In
the name OF reason, what necessity is there
For five papers in il, or what business is there
in il to maintain them ut q point above the
level Of poverty? None that we know of
Anu III l.ICtnllHS, 80 III tNfIl county.
With the exception of Lancaster, Berks,
Allegheny, Philadelphia. and two or three
other thickly populated counties, none Of
them are capable Of supporting property more
than one newspaper; and yet there is scarcely
one but has from two to half dozen drag
ging along through i miserable existence,
constantly complaining OF a want rf money
and everything else There seems to he a
mania for starting rev papers. Some do il
because they imagine great heaps Of money
are to he made by ii. but large majority
because they know nothing about the business
! they are undertaking. Politics, too. is a
prolific source ofmschiefin that way. Every
new faction that starts up is suddenly seized
/ with the notion that it must have a hrwspa-
per to uphold its doctrines, and forthwith
somebody is duped into the expense OF start
ing one, or else the money fnr il Is blpd from
the adherents to the new faith, aud some man
persuaded to make his fortune" by publish
I ing it. The paper exists u year or two and
dies; but in the meantime IA new turn in po.
| litcs is made, aud another is brought into
! life, or the old one revived, with new name
! and new notions Of government. SO are
born and so die every year lot Of sheets
that hardly gain the dignity Of Il newspaper.
! While there are men foolish enough 10 start
country newspaper because they believe
they cnn make money by it, or because IA
/ new party desires il, or because a one horse
village needs an Organ" there will be Il
| continuation OF the lame cry "ws want
money"
| But our present intention is not to enlarge
! upon that point We wish to speak about
advertising, to papers that have "a standing
! in society" Nearly every week We have
overtures made for inserting advertisements
principally patent medlcines--at rates va
| ryIng from One.tenth to one-half our pub
! lished terms. II We object to the price of.
! fered. reference is Immediately made to what
( others have done it Tor, md We are laughed
al for our presumption. Less than month
ago an agent called upon US 10 advertise a
hnmbug, and set his price at fifteen dollars
| On examining the advertisements, We found
! that to insert them for one hundred dollars
would be liberia. deduction from our terms,
but We offered to do it for that amount when
out came his book OF contracts. and long
list, including respectable papers. in and out
( Of this State, which had done the wuik for
! his price, was rrnd to us, To endeavor to CON
/ vince us that We were laborng under an
attack of insanity. or at least must be in a
somnumbulc state. We might I,articularize
score OF cases precisely similar, but our
contemporaries will not need more than this
cue to recognize what We refer To. Whose
fault is it that such demands ara made by men
who wish 10 make use Of the columns Of
newspapers? Certainly no blame can be laid
! 10 advertisers, for every man will look to his
own interest Sufficiently 10 get his work done
at the ve:y cheapest rate hp can. hen who
is to blame, but the publishers Il emselyes?
Whenever printers will, en- maSSe, say to ad-
vertsers 1--WE must have oUI published price,
or We will not do your work." then, and not
! ill then, will they begin 10 live independently.
! We have made an individual effort IN that di-
roctinn, with some good results. hut we can
not work such reform alone. We have lost
a page Of advertisements, but have the sat
sIacion of knowing that We have moi belrd
our terms much. for-wu have received nearly
full pay for those inserted. besides convincing
ourselves that II unanimous effort of our
friends would work total reform in Il few
months.
80