The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-09-05
Newspaper Enterprise-Expend itures ~
the New York P~ess.

Out OF the millions Of people VINO daily take
up newspapers for business objects or for in
str,iction or amusement, there are compare
lively few who have any accurate idea OF the
enormous amount Of money which Is expended
in supplying them with the information they re
quire. The majority profit by the results with
out having the curiosity to inquire how they
have been arrived At And yet there are not
many subjects more interesting than the ma
chinery and organization of great daily jour
nal. employing. az 1t doea regiment Of hands
and an amount Of capital which would astonish
those who judge only Of it, requirements in
hat way by the modest price of it, daily issue
Were We 70 tell them that the receipts and ex
penditures Of our own paper exceed those 81
some OF the sovereign States OF the Union We
should be accused Of exaggeration: and yet the
fact is easily demonstrahie by figures, were we
called upon to prove il.
A good deal has been said of late about the
enterprise OF the London press, and il no doubt
deserves credit tor the energy which 1t has
on many occasions displayed. II would
however. be easy to show that II is Ia this re
spect very far behind the New York press, al
though the latter il in point of years in its in
fancy a. compared with its English rivals. Let
rs take rs an example OF the correctness OF this
assertion the different use made of the telegraph
by both presses The London papers do not
seen to have as yet discovered The full value
ii This important medium Of intelligence. They
rarely publish more than quarter a. column
Of teIegraphic dispatches by any of the Euro
uean lines no matter how Interesting their con
tents nay be And this, he II recoiiected, In
field OF Geographic enterprise covering Tar
greater humber OF news centres than are com
prsed within The range OF our own iines. All
tie European capitals are embraced within the
net~ ork of wires Of which London holds tie
Rev. and at each of these points are continually
Transporting events Of the highest importance.
| Ard yet all he space that the London papers
can afford to devote to them at times when mil
lions Of commercial values are at stake or even
the fate Of government is involved, is quar-
ter or al most half column Here, on the con-
trary. where the telegraph lines connect only
our own States, and where the Intelligence pass
ed over them is rarely Of the importance or ao
rorbng interest which attaches to the Enro-
peap dispatches, the New York Journals give
one. two, three or four columns Of teles- sphc
matter, according as its nature warrants.
Hence arose the necessity for the organization
known as the Associated Press. All idea pre-
walls that this war established in order TO save
expense to the different journals of which the
association IL composed, and 10 prevent compe-
tision Nothing can be more erroneous. II
was formed simply because the telegraphs OF
the country could moi furnish facilities enough
10 the press to supply the news to the extent
required by each. As competition could not
be carried on through telegraph system which
could only trsnsmit limited amount a news
matter daily. and which was bound 10 act on the
principle Of first come first served, II If course
became TIE interest Of the leading New York
papers to unite together for a common object
But 10 doing this they did not bind themselves
! to reduce the amour, OF telegraph matter. or
no. 70 use the lines to any further extent tran
thel separate means would permit Thus.
whilst our own paper contributes IT. share to
4 the expenses incurred ny the association. h
weekly expenses for additional teiegrapnic
dispatches specially furnished to II frequently
anonn, 10 over thousand dollars, being more
than those incurred BY all the other New yos4
4 papers put together. Tbis one item Of expense
will give come idea of the enormous amour, of
capital required 10 carry O. q great daily jour
nsl like the EiEALp.
But money il rot everything In the organizs
tion and successful working of a Grst class
Newspaper. There are plenty a. capitalists II
this city who think that Il Il sufficient Tor them
10 subscribe enc OF two hundred ihous.ri dol
lars. and to promise Us much more, 10 est hlish
such paper on = permanent footing. They
try thu experiment, and a, the md az Che FIRST
year they nn6 that they have LII one impor.
tant ~ ment II sucoess oUl Of 1eir calcgl 4tiols
ana tina, is-hrains. A han can no more &C
qnire the profession OF IN editor IN a brokers'
Office or ON the Corn Exchangc thar he can
| pick up that Of lawyer or an engineer 10 a
printing Office And 40 these woygld-he jourr A.
lists, sho have abandoned their business occu-
| pstious In defiance Of he Latin proverb, which
oDjoius the cobbler to stick 10 ~ last, discover
20 their cost After paying out their money to
The tuGe Of n couple OF thousand dollars week.
without even q prospective return tor II, they
begin 10 Gnl out, alter little lme. that they
have made but sorry speculation and sooner
than send good money after bad they back out
1t then promise % auaLh further capital, and
FELL cut to whoever Is simple enough TO buy.
THE IL the history Of the rise and fall a most
Of the newspaper enterprises started b. money
ed spectators. How. indeed can Il be other.
ui,es JpurnAlisu like All cil0s fnfnflanfual
professions requires q special training and
there mus, he combined with Il due sense OF
lie responsibilities. wrhou, these oil the CAPT.
tai u tie world would lal e create news
paper The, would iallc the least hold Of the
public confidence O. make tbs slightest impress.
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