The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-12-19

HAS, . very widely extended circulation
shroaxhsutt the Des Moines valley. HsgtA
Missouri, and Western Illinois.
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CONFEDERATION Ter eur Ee1l0w.Ctl.
txems.
Selfshness is VIGOROUSLY short-sighted.
What man can not see to be imme-
diafety for his interest, he is slow to be
convinced will be for his interest. In
yestments that are to be refunded By
roundabout modes of remuneration are
not attractive. Direct results are what
the common run Of so-called /" sharp" men
are after. You may prove ever SO con-
clusively that your scheme is 'sgood
thing" but if there is any circumlocution
any inference that this must be so be-
cause that is SO, the "sharp" man cuts
you of by the crushing reply-"Don't
see it. /"
We. as Newspaper publishers, are made
to feel the force of these remarks rather
oftener than is pleasant or profitable. Not
man in town, perhaps, but will admit
the use and benefit Of live paper He
can see its Importance rs a truthful repre-
sentative Of the business, enterprise, stand
ing and character Of place. He will,
on certain occasions, feel sort Of pride in
Its ability, its large circulation (if it has
one1, its enterprise, and its usefulness in
giving his place good character abroad.
But endeavor to prove to that same man
that he has direct interest in sps-
tanning that paper--an interest so direct
thai It's success has an I'm mediafs connee-
nection with his own prosperity, and, ten
to one, he will say-"Don't see it, The
success Of the paper and the profit to him
~e relations too invisible for his optics.
Yet, strange to say, not man in town
but would regret the failure of that paper
II, for instance, the only paper published
in keokuk were to stop to-day for lack
of sustenanee, or any other cause, the uni
versal feeling would be one Of regret
Every one would feel as matter of town
pride, that il affected his own interest
and standing in the world And doubt
less there would be at once an intense in
dividual and public effort to wipe ont and
remove the disgrace and disadvantage of
having no paper.
Will our citizens listen to practical
enforcement Of thess suggestions 7 VIII
they bear to be reminded that of all the
newspaper enterprises which have afflicted
this town in the last dozen years, the
GATE CRY is the only one that has sur
vived all changes and now shows any signs
Of life ? and, moreover, ia the only one
that is likely to have any life for some
time to Gomez Why have all our cotem-
poraries died out II The answer is plain !:
FIRST, because they had not sufficient cap
ltal to start on, or, second, because they
did not get sufficient custom, or. third,
having both, they were not conducted in
= business-like manner--did not charge
remunerative prices or failed in economy.
That the GATE CRY is still going is, we
presume, tolerably fair evidence Of good
busin ess management. We say this be.
: cause everybody knows that we have had
no extr capital, and that business Tor the
past four years has been poor enough.
Now here is a point Good business
management viii save nobody unless h,
has business to manage. How is it Will
newspapers !? Adertising and Job Work
the very fat aud marrow Of newspaper.
that without which no aers paper car
long iive-hsve, all over the land. im
mensely decreased And for this reason
al the great papers have been compelled
to eurtah|and ensmaH, while the littl,
ones have suffered distressing mortality
Few papers can live on the subscription
price alone, and hence the Tribune, Her
I'D, and World, and the Cincinnati, st
Louis and Chicago papers have Ill bee,
made smaller, and some Of them are sale
to be struggling for life And this in fact
cot the extraordinary Impetus given to thei,
circulation BY the intense eagerness OF tn.
people for the war news.
SWELL has been the frequent remarl
Of grsti6ed friends Of oun. "You ar.
making money now like smoke -
Making money What put that no
ton in your head 2" Is our astonishet
reply.