Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-09
HARD TIMES AND COUNTRY PAPERS.

The Boston Chronicle, in an article on this
subject, well remarks:
lfpcople only knew the difficulties newspaper
publishers have to contend with, just now, they
would never want to be dunned half-a-dozen
times for such small amounts as two or three or
four dollars. Labor, paper, and ink have 10 be
paid in cash vet we doubt very much if there
are any establishments which could be more than
sei-sustanng, if customers would onlypay what
they owe, without taking from one TO two years
to do il in.
II the press Of the country gradually declines
both IN numbers, ability and respectabIll,y those
who have abused the eniency of the proprieIors
in the matter OF credits, will be alone to blame
for the unfortunate issue. And that such will
be the case we can easily forsee. The storm in
the commercial world will destroy the weakest,
and many OF the he Il of newspapers. Men
can not perform miracles, and Printers have as
yet failed to discover any easier way Of satisfy
ing the demands Of paper-dealers and the crav-
ings of industrious workmen with anything but
the pelf. And how they are to get this, when
people will not pay the Printer is a mystery,
particularly as the banks don't accommodate
country newspaper proprietors Few people
have any idea of the labors of the edilor-his
trials and dii1icultes-at all times, but particu-
larly at periods of momentary embarrassments.
ne Is cOnptUtu. particularly III country OInccs,
to be the general tactoum of his establishment
Not only has he to write for the benefit of the
public under all crcumstances-in sickness of
body and distress of mind-to be al one meeting
in the daytime and another at night-to leave
friends and family at the bid of every passing
circumstance in the public world of his own To-
calty not only has he to do all this, and sacri-
iice comfort, health, and domestic pleasures, but
he is compelled to work at the case" in every
spare moment-to keep his own books-to do
his own collecting in short, from morning TO
night, from week to week, and from year to year,
to labor like slave TO provide himself and FAM
lily with bread And If he makes bare living
after all, he may be well satisfied, for hundreds
do less. And how few there are who do more
Work their Establishments as cheaply as posi-
ble-live as frugally and economically as they
can-yet few country publishers secure as much
property in dozen years as an industrious me-
chanc will do in half the time. The very ma
ture of the newspaper business-with its long
credits and small profits, and bad debts-forbds
anything like the accumulation of wealth, and
we have very little hesitation in saying that, had
our country brethren generally taken their means
and labor-iheir patience and energy-to any
other market than the one they have found for
them, they would have this day been tenfold
better off, in pecuniary point of view, than
they are, or have been, since they became news
paper proprietors.
Let the public ponder these few simple truths
WE'LL and make up their minds TO ease the labor-
Gus occupation Of the Printer, by paying him
punctually what ne is honestly entitled to.