Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-16
Our Heavy Contemporary and His Light
... Editfou.


t.g...H ...r-.r.-- Edition.
Our neighbor of the Gazette is doing some
thing in the line of gratuitous circulation,
with view doubtless to the introduction of
his "dime edition" To this, which is a
legitimate enterprise, we do not object; but
a knowledge of the fact has awakened in our
minds train of thought which we feel in
clined, for moment, to pursue.
The proprietors of the Gazette propose their
dime edition as popular newspaper, suitable
for general circulation; and yet the only diff
ference between this and the dime and half
edition-which never was popular newspa-
per-is that the cheaper contains proportion
ately less matter than the dearer. The pur-
chasers pay less money and get less reading
the news and editorial being the same in
both. ....-. .... ....a
This enterprise is predicated upon the idea
that price is the only element in newspaper
circulation, which is mistake. The world
of mankind is not so utterly .besotted that the
popularity of a public journal depends en-
tirely upon the difference between ten and
fifteen cents per week in its cost. If the
Gazette were reduced to five cents, continu-
ing in other respects as it was and is, it would
offer very little competition to anything but
its own more bulky and costly issue.
| Now, although our paper is lowest in price
of any in the city, we do not look upon that
fact as the sole, or even the principal ele-
ment, upon which our success depends We
expect to make the Press iked-loved, as
man or woman is loved-to impress upon it
an individuality, 80 that it will be regarded
as friend, an acceptable inmate of the house
and member of the family circle. 1t is
becoming so now-not because it is
sold for seven cents per week, but because it
is the reflector of something beside the inter-
ests of classes and the snobberies and conven-
tionalities of what is called society. Having
neither job-ofice to cultivate, nor aspira-
tions for higher social position TO crafty,
we are enabled, now and then to speak out
to utter truths which others are afraid to
think-and awaken an interest which all
the manufactured sensations of our cotempo-
raries can never excite. .a.
That interest enures to ourselves-makes
the PRESS strong and gives it place in the
hearts of its readers. Every step we take is
foothold not to be lost, because our readers
are our friends, and as friends, wish us sue
cess in our undertaking. The relation be-
tween public journal and its purchasers in
such cases, ceases to be merely mercantile.
1t is one of mutual esteem and trust-pleas-
ant and profitable to both parties.
We are forced to look upon this new enter
prise of the Gazette as, in some sense, attrib-
utable to ourselves. Through our success It's
| proprietors have discovered that there is q
field for newspaper circulation hereabout
which they had not supposed to exist. They
are, besides, perhaps, very little alarmed
and have adopted this expedient as a
tonic to check perceptible inclination
to weakness. They have, therefore, done
what they can easily do initiate the
Press in size, and make an approxima-
tive imitation in price; but here their imita-
ton win probably end. They will still-nay
they do-adhere to their old world notions
OF political economy, their mechanical and
non-progressive social ideas, their cruel and
arbitrary code of public morals, their wooden
creeds and cast-iron orthodoxy. They will
still worship exterior respectability and
sympathise with large aggregates of dollars
and cents, and will meet with Just about III,
measure of success that belongs to that styl,
Of journalism.