Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-05
THE ADVANCE IN THE PRICE OF
NEWSPAPERS.

NHelcop W PAius nc"SpopcAs he1
already more than so per cent, with GER
tainty that it will be still further advanced
that the cost Of ink has increased % per cent,
that Government has imposed heavy tax up
on their advertisements and=incomes (if they
have any), has induced general movement
among the newspaper publishers Of the
country to increase their prices.
Newspapers, and particularly daily papers,
have long been furnished to their readers at
less than cosr-the publishers making up
their loss from advertisements. But the ex-
perlence of the last Eve years has shown that
advertising is subject to great fluctuations,
and must not be relied upon to so large an
extent as heretofore IN meeting the cost OF
| journalism. At the same time the expenses
Of making newspapers have rapidly and
heavily increased, as has their scope and
character. They spend many times more for
news, correspondence, and editors, and
! for the mechanical part Of their production,
than they did FIVE or ten years ago. And
when to this is added an increase in the
cost OF paper and ink. the load becomes too
heavy to be borne. The paper which pub
fishers have bought for from to II cents a
pound for the past twenty years. Is now held
at l. cents, and Is still advancing. They
must raise their rates or be ruined. A month
Of such discrepancy as now exists between
the cost Of white paper and the price Of the
printed sheet, would WIPE out whole years
net income in the largest Establishments, and
impoyerish the weaker ones.
The causes Of this rise in the price Of paper
are several. For some years the increase ID
amount Of manufacture has exceeded the in
crease Of supply Of rags. Owing to the pre-
sent tariff duties but little rags have been
imported Tor some time past. And the
scarcity Of cotton has diverted Il large
amount of paper stock from its former use'
to be worked up into " shoddy" and 90 into
cloth again. The prices Of chemicals
used in paper making have also greatly in
creased If late. Thus there is a scarcity #
materials to make paper Of. OF course tie
price Of white paper must g up, and coasa-
quentIy tie price Of newspapers.
TIE Boston papers have already announced
an advance in their prices to take effect Jn
Dec. lst. The New York papers cannot
delay advancing longer than the lst Of
January. They would have done 20 before
this. 1t is stated. but FOX the gbstinacy Of the
Herald The Philadelphia papers have also
determined to raise prices, the Hartford pa
pers have advanced, the Springfield Rerub
lican goes up in a month, and the Western
papers generally.
We are no more fortunate IN contracting
ior paper than our neighbors, and are com
PEELED to raise the price Of the FREE PRE:s.
We prefer this course to reducing the size
of our sheets or in any way impairing the |
ratue Of the paper to our readers And IN |
common with the other newspapers in the /
place, we advanced our price on Mon
day. Our terms are given in another place.
This advance of price will g to pay for /
material alone, and IN no way towards in
oreasing the profits Of the establishment. On (
the contrary, in consequence Of the increased
cost Of living. our profits, ever Of the small
est, viii be this coming year most - beau
tifuIy less" For no man thinks that he Is
called on to furnish butter or eggs, -four or
pork, to printer, for anythingless than the
very highest market price though often
times such an one is quite sure that because
he could heretofore get city weekly FOR 5
a year, therefore we should be content to let
him have the Free Press for halt a dollar
less than its price.
But the taxes, whether directly upon our
selves from the Government, or indirectly by
being levied on articles Of consumption, We
shall pay without grumbling. We shall
also furnish our issues at as low price as
we can afford, and are sure our friends ami
patrons will not find just cause for grum-
bling either.