Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1867-05-22
POPULAR IDEAS CONCERNIG NEWS
PAPERS.

We have had occasion to remark IN a
previous issue, on some very erroneous
ideas held by people generally, regarding
the press. The GAINESVILLE Gazette talks
very sensibly upon this point, and says
there is a class of well meaning, but
tboughtless persons, who regard news
paper as sort of benevolent enterprise,
gotten up by some liberal-minded gentle
man, for the sole purpose of doing all the
good possible, and who has selected the
milliOn-tongued press to accomplish it.
They are the regular poachers upon the
press-men who always want their favOrs
gratuitOusly, and are always ready 20 in
form the publisher that he has engaged
in publishing a neaOs paper, and they are
always sure to have something Of bust
ness nature that they believe to be good
news which ought to be given to the pub
lie at once. One man has just patented
new heating apparatus that will save
half the fuel now used, and of course it
will be great favor to the poorifthe ed
itor will just tell the people, free of
charge, where such apparatus can be
bought
A man engaged in the manufacture of
reapers, recently sent the editor COM
munication of two columns, solid matter,
setting forth the saving his machine
would be to farmers over the common
reaper, which he wished inserted gratis,
it would be helping the farmers, don't
YOU see ? Then there are numberless or
ganizations and associations ofindi7iduals
that aIe elamorous for free rides in the
publishers wagon. The different reli-
gious denominations want all their no
tices of meetings, conventions, and festi-
vals, published free first, because they
are too poor to pay f; and, second, be-
cause they are engaged in doing good,
and it is the business of the publishers
to help on the noble work. Firemen get
no pay for watching the property of cit
izens, and must have their notices Of
elections, meetings, &C., given them pro
bono pu5Lico. The temperance organiza-
tions are busy in the noblest work that
can engage the efforts of men-that Of
uplifting the fallen and ruined of our
race.
John Doe takes a weekly paper, for
which he pays two dollars a year, and
gets five dollars worth of reading. His
wife and he asked the editor to print an
obituary notice that cost at least two dol
liars, to get it up in type. John might
as consistently ask the undertaken who
furnished the coffin for his poor wife, to
throw in small one for his youngest
child, simply because he was patron Of
his, as to ask such favors of newspaper
without pay. A mean man is nominated
for Office, and mighty mean men get into
Office sometimes, and he expects the edi-
tor to put on the best possible face on
his fitness for the position, whitewash
his character, print his tickets, and vote
them, too, all for the good of the cause
and success of correct principles.
We beg all whom it may concern to
remember that no good newspaper can
| be made without it has the whole time
and industry of those engaged on it, and
its expenses are comparatively larger N
proportion to its gross receipts, than al
most any other sort of business. If you
read paper, pay for it; if you need its
facilities for getting your business before
the public, and increasing your trade
paw for that, but don't sponge.