Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-19
Tue cash expenses OF the Intelligence

The cash expenses OF the IRtettgeHcer
establishment are now about one hundred
dollars per day. To meet this great draft
upon us it is absolutely necessary that we
should have our business under the best
possible economic discipline. Heretofore
we have accorded occasional credits for
transient advertising, and, in rare ln-
stances, for subscriptions. These accom-
mOdations while they cripple US are of
very little service to the parties credited.
As a rule in all small transactions, such as
the payment of a transient advertisement
or of a subscription, man can pay up as
we'll to. day as tomorrow. The habit OF
not paying at once is chargeable to the
lax business habits of newspaper managers
more than to their patrons. Most mana
gers have learned to their sorrow how ex-
pensive is the practice. The newspaper
business is largely made up of items tri-
fling each one in itself, but in their aggre-
gate making a matter of life and death,
determining as they do in a very little while
the existence of an establishment. The
baue of the business has been and is its
dribbIing credits. Such has been the es
pecial curse of Wheeling papers. Of this
disease have successfully died the Times,
Ay0us, Union, Press, and, we may add, the
Registsr, for it is to be sold in few days.
We have no intention of following their
example if we can prevent it. To the end
of not doing SO we ask of all our patrons
that they will in all instances con-
form to the rule of paying down for tran
sient advertising, and also ask for
way of subscription The profits of news
paper men in the smaller cities and towns
are light at best when compared with other
and easier occupations, and pay smaller
returns probably in proportion to the cap
itaI invested and the labor done than any
other business. This fact is proved by the
list of failures in this city which we have
noted. The Intelligeneer is the only paper
here that has ever paid its way and kept out
of insolvency, and its deliverance is chiefly
due to the energy which its prOprietors
have used to keep their business well in
hand and as free as possible from doubtful
credits. Our desire is not primarily nor
chiefly to make money, but to publish
good, reliable and influential newspaper.-
OF course in doing so we like to feel that
we are getting return for our efforts
But still, small as have been our profits in
comparison with other occupations, we are
content with them provided we Gao see, as
we do see, the sphere of our paper widen
ing every year. 1t ought to be matter of
pride with citizens to lend their CO opera.
ton to the enterprise of any publishers
who are willing on their part to do as
much as they can for the name and fame
of the city, and for the business prosperity
of every man in it, and they ought not only
to throw as much patronage in their way
as possible, but also to make that patronage
as available as possible. In the particular,
therefore, that we have suggested, We hope
to have the easy acquiescence of our pat
rous. 1t will be solid benefit to us while
it will to no appreciable extent incOnveni-
ance any one else