M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-02-04
atlistsIImeous 9ttjtIcs.
Hard Times and Newspapers.

Hard Times and Newspapers.
The Boston Chronicle, in an article
on this subject, well remarks:
If the people only knew the Difficult
ties newspaper publishers have to con-
tend with, just now, they would never
want to be dunned hslf-a.dozen times
for such small amounts as two or three
or four dollars. Labor, paper, and
ink have to be paid in cash F.; yet we
doubt very much if there. are any
establishments which could be more
thar selfsustaining, Pensioners wo'd
only pay what they owe, without tax,
ing from one to two years to do it in.
If the press ofthe country gradually
declines both in numbers, ability, and
respectability, those who have abused
the leniency OF the proprietors in the
matter of credits, will be alone to
blame for the unfortunate issue. And
that such will be the case we can ca.
silly foresce. The storm in the com
mercial world will destroy the weak
est, and many Of the best Of our news
papers. Men cannot perform mira
cles, and Printers have as yet failed
TO discover any easier way of satisfy
ing the demands of paper.dealers and
the cravings 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 ac-
commodate country newspaper pro-
prietOrs. Few people have any idea
of the labors of the edtor-his trials
and difiiculties-at all times, but par
ticularly at periods Of monetary en-.
barassments. He is compelled, par
ticularly in country offices, to be the
general factotum Of his establishment.
Not only has he to write for the ben
eft Of the public under all circum
stances-in sickness OF body and dis
tress of minl-to be at 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 locality; not
only has he to do all this, and sacrifice
comfort, health, and domestic pleas,
ures, but he is compelled to work at
the "caso" in every spare moment
to keep his own bookS-todo his own
collecting; in short, from morning to
night, from week to week, and from
year to year, to labor like a slave to
provide his family with bread. And
ifhe makes bare living after all, be
may be well satisfied, for huLdceds do
less. And how few there are who do
more! Work their establishments as
cheaply as posSiblo--iivo as trugally
and economically as they can-yet
few country publishers secure as much
properyfn dozen years as an indus.
triopS mechanic will do in half the
tdle. The very nature OF the news.
paper business with its long credits
and small profits, and bad debts
fDrbids 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--their patience and
energy-to any other market than the
one they have found for them, they
would have this day been teniold bet
ter of, in pocuniary point of view,
than they are, Or have been, since
they became newspaper PROJECTORS,
Let the public ponder these few
simple truths well, and make up their
minds to case the laborious occupation
Of the Printer, by paying him pune
tually what he is honestly entitled to-.