Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-04
Cen LESLIE Gowns, Frankfort, Ky.
The Present Crisis--Its Effects ON News
paper Enterprise.

u
paper Enterprise.
The following well-timed and practical remarks
are from the Petersburg (Va.) Express
1t is matter of surprise with some rejecting
minds, that we have many rise acres in midst
There are men in this community who seem to know
all about everybody's business but their own. They
can tell you who is making money and who is not;
who is charitable and who islparsimonious; who,
sincere in their professions of Christianity and who
the verest hypocrtes that have lived since the days
of the Pharisee. Among such we class those who
refuse to pay their bills to the Express accompany
ing such refusal with the invariable remark, that
newspapers do not need money that they of all 9TH
er enterprises, present the remarkable anomaly of
being able TO live and flourish without means or en-
couragement of any kind whatever. So sincere do
these persons appear in their assertions, that they
seem to have created the impression among many
much better, but not quite loiSe themselves,
that the present crisis, which has brought about
such financial depression and general paralysis in
almost every department of trade and business has
proved greatly beneficial to newspapers.
We know nothing of the affairs of our cotempo-
raries but with the Express such has not been the
case in the broad and unlimited which these
modern Soons would endeavor TO make people be-
eve That the circulation of the paper has recently
increased in a ratio hitherto without precedent i'll
its history do not deny Further that it is this
day better advertising medium than ever, is also
lndeniably true. But the great events which
now agtatng this country from its centre to its cir
conference have excited desire for the earliest in
formation which is rrepressible; and to crafty
this desire, has taxed our time, our energies, and
our exchequer, to a degree hitherto unknown
For more than three weeks past, we may say since
the Presidential election the gas lights in our COM
posing and editorial have not, with scarcely
an exception, been extinguished before O'clock A.
NJ and our Geographic dispatches have been of
length absolutely frightful to those who foot the
bills In the single issue of Friday last, the dis
patches sent expressly to this paper (and the entire
expense of which was borne solely by the ErpresS)
occupied four solid columns of our third page.
Every line of this intelligence reached us after 10
P M and of course had TO appear in the next
mornings issue, or else be thrown away. And to
cap the climax, the bill of the Telegraph Company
against the Express alone rendered Saturday last
was sl04 o., which was promptly paid, and we
have the company before US This will give
our readers some idea Of what the exciting events
in Congress and South Carolina last week have cost
the proprietors of this paper.
That a paper published in community number
inc less than 900 inhabitants, 5000 of whom
blacks and of contribute little to the sup
mort of paper can afford to meet such expenses.
we know will be q matter OF universal surprise.
Nor can any paper successfully do It. except by
adontipg and adhering to a system which will en-
able it to realize every particle of its income. This
system is the one exacting cash payments system
which we are endeavoring to introduce, and which
we are more than ever convinced is the very best
for all partes-our patrons as well as ourselves.
Our collectors inform us that they are constantly
met with refusals to pay at present; with requests
20 call again, and notinfrequently some unreason-
abl and irreverent patron declares we are in ID
IF a hurry for our money. We answer that we are;
hat all bills for transient advertising are due when
nresented and those who are not willing to con
form to such terms mustdo one of two thfngs-not
advertise this paper at all or else pay in ddrdHce
We will not submit to such injustice. or thee in
our employ subject to such treatment Our col
unns shall be closed to- all who attemptto practice
n An experience of fifteen years in Journalism en-
ables US to say, without mourning the charge of
e0otisrn that all things considered, we publish pa
mar which viii favorably compare with many of
the larger cities, and whose income more. than
ouadruples ours. We do this only by the expendi-
ture of great labor ard expense, and we think the
laborer is worthy Of his hire At all events we
are determined that none shall have it in their pow
err hereafter to defraud US out Of what is justly
ours. if by due caution and unceasng vigilance we
can avoidis