Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-12-21
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We clip the following from the Missouri
"Statesman" Its editor, Col. Switzler, is
the Oldest in Missouri, and speaks from
long experience:
a q dence, zoe deem IL your duty, EVERY
MAN IN TnE COUNTY TO TAKE OUR PAPERl
and 10 show us your encouragement. We
rel ease not a single householder or voter
from this duty.--l1 1ilan Mo. Farmer.
Allow us to say that in our opinion there
underles this paragraph something which
ms not in accordance with The sound phi
losophy of Journalism. It is true every
decent man ought 10 take his county pa
per, provided always his county paper, IL
his opinion, is worth taking. lfit is pa
per which is reflex of tie events and bu
siness of the county; If it devotes itself
assiduously to the substantial interests of
it's locality, and leads rather than follows
public opinion touching the enterprises
and improvements calculated 10 advance
the prosperity of the people; il, in short. it
comes up to the measure of what news
paper ought to be, then we are willing to
allow that il is the dUty of every good cit
izen to subscribe and pay for it.
| 1t is also true that the proprietors of
newspapers-those who have papers to
sell, ought, like other tradesmen, 10 solicit
people TO buy; TO go out into the market
and offer TO sell their works, precisely on
the same business principle that merchant
or manufacturer does, but this thing of
begging and pressing and almost forcing
people BY the most urgent opportunities
ito take the papers," is all wrong. 1t is
abominable. Itbegets in the public mind
the idea that some great faV0r Is con-
Gerred upon the editor or publisher; that
they are bestowing charity or performing
an act of immeasurable condescension and
grace 10 ''the poor printer" And there
is but one step from this idea to an out
right refusal 10 pay for what they get, OF
! to utter indifference on the subject. Moth
ing, in our opinion-and we have had
much experience in the newspaper bust
ness-hGs contributed 30 much TO strip
ping the press of it's independence. and of
indoct rinating the people with false bust
ness philosophy, as this begging process.
The world of newspaper patrons needs 70
be reformed touching it, and we pledge
our efforts in aid of the great consumma-
ton.
Having newspapers and advertising to
sell, we shall omit no proper effort to in
duce those who need them to buy, and to
pay for them; but we wish no one to buy
unless he thinks they are worth to him
(not to us) the price demanded. The
true doctrine We conceive to be, that the
transactions mutually advantageous-not
an advantage to the editor only, for this
would be gratuity, trade without the
quid pro quo; nor yet an advantage to the
newspaper patron only, for this would be
burning shame, and but repetition OF
the very evil which has sent, and is now
sending, hundreds of newspapers to the
Sheriff's hammer.
Letnewspapers be so conducted--so ju-
diciously and aboriously edited; so distin-
guished for individuality; so cup to time"
and to the spirit of the age in all it's de-
partments; so replete with news and solid
Information for the people, that the people
cannot afford to do without them. Let
them in this manner be forced to take
them for their own benefit. Make it their
li''te est to do both, just as sure as effec, foI
ows cause, most OF those who, ought 10
patronize them will do SO. True, some
who should buy the paper, and its adver-
tising. too, will not do SO; but this is none
of the editors business. His business is
to labor faithfully for those who do patron
ize him, and let those who do not go to
Davy Jones' or some other seaport.