Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-10
RA Id a.E.C.
WEDNESDAY,, NOVEMBER 10, 1858.
Especial Notice.
Plain State of the Case.

The Support Of a cheap Newspaper, is much
more Pffecarious than persons generally sup
pose. It's life-breath depends upon a large
list of prompt, p~ay-in-advance subscribers
While it has these, it is enabled to swim along
but eTas thsnAithas to avoid the extrava
giant water,oh which l~arger-priced crafts glide
50 slaoothly; tTt.may have a large list now,
that enables its conductors to pay their way;
but unless its list be kept supplied with new
names and the renewal of old subscribers, it
will in a very few months be stranded on the
bleak shores Of debt and bankruptcy.
We find these remarks especially to apply
to our Craft, the Spirit of the Age. For the
first half of this year of Grace, our list was
constantly swelling, until we could boast of
a list considerably over five thousand. For
the last four months the list has been becom-
ing smaller BY degrees and beautifully less
all but the BEAUTIFUL Our receipts don't
begin to pay expenses. Now, what are we
to do? If our paper was 50 a year, as the
other State papers of the same size, it would
not be such a serious business with us-for
then our pr6f$ would be sufficient to sustain
Us, even at5lSs. loss of several hundred sub
scribers. But we now realize very little
profit, acknowledgements and hence The
loss of subscribers fora successive number o
weeks, alarms us.
We cannot account for the decline in on
,hcor;p4io1 N;4 ozoa0+ - L. 4Io4 A. G.:o-J
of the paper do not noa0 use their exertions t
procure subscribers to it, as they did the frs
half ofthe year. We know aoe try as faith
fully as we. have ever done to furnish our re;
ders with a good paper; and we know furtl
more, that no one can say ourprice is too higI
What then is the cause? IF the fault
with US, apprise Us what it is, and we W.
try and remedy it. If the fault is with Il
friends Of temperance, and the friends of Il
paper generally, we earnestly call upon the
to come to the rescue. We must have
: change for the better, Or
; All! there's the rub. We have been
; riously thinking whether it would not be b
ter, and Put the paper on a surer foundatic
: were We to increase the size of the Age, a
! raise the price to 50 a year. We might Il
o some subscribers, but then $500 subscrib,
at that price, would pay much better tn
5000 at 81. But then we do not wish to
this, unless necessity forces us. 1t has b.
our pride and ambition to furnish a good ia
q lily southern paper at such low rates that
Il humblest citizen could afford to pay for it
We have succeeded for more than nine yes
to and would be glad to continue for nine me-
n But the friends Of such an enterprise must b
70 US keep up a list that will justify US in do
y. so, or we must try the other alternative.
a The Georgia Temperance p~aper-about
OF same size as the AGES published at S
~ year, and heads its prospectus with "Circ
ar ton 10000" at that. The South Caro-
ire Son of Temperance has 81; and the g
y ginia CONDUCTOR" published only one
us month";. numbers a year-has 81 a y,
mt and all these papers say they annot at
ca them for less. Whereas we give a paper
NV cry week, as large as any, and larger
tn others, andorly ask 81 a year. If they
in not afford theirs at this price, how do W
an an it? We reply, we can only do it by ha
Of a very large list Of subscribers. We OF
to have ten thousand, at that price.
Of Now, friends of Temperance and frienC
the Age every whcre-out of the State
vay in it-dctermine what you will do, at
1 Unless our prospects materially improve
urn shall be compelled to increase our price o.
" 1st of January next.
for