The Shasta courier., 1867-05-11
NUMBER 10.
The Newspaper Business.

The Janesville Gazette has long article
under the above head to the following effect:
Another class ofwell- l-meaning but thought
less persons regard newspaper as sort Of
benevolent enterprise gotten up by some
liberal. minded gentleman for the sole pur.
pose of doing all the good possible, and who
has selected the million tongued press to &C.
complish it. They are the regular poachers
upon the press-men who always want their
favors inserted gratuitously, and are always
ready to inform the publisher that he is en-
gagged in publishing newspaper, and
always sure to have something of a business
nature that they believe to be good news
which ought to be given to the eager public
at once. One man has just patented a new
heating apparatus that will save half the
fuel now used, and Of course it will be .
great favor to the poor if the editor will lust
tell the people, free of charge, where such
an apparatus can be bought. A man en-.
gagged in the manufacture Of headers, re-
Gently sent US a communication of two col
umns of solid matter, setting forth the
saving his machine would be to farmers over
the common reaper, which he wished insert.
ed gratis; it would be helping the farmers,
don't you see?
Then there are numberless organizations
and associations of individuals that are
clamorous for free ride ia the publishers
wagon. The different religious denomina-
tons want all their notices of meetings, con-
ventions, and festivals published free, first,
because they are too poor to pay; and,
second, because they are engaged in doing
good, and it is the business of the publishers
to help on the noble work. Fremen get no
pay for watching the property of citizens, and
must have their little notices Of elections,
meetings, etc., given them pro bono pu6ico.
The temperance organizations are busy in the
noblest work that can engage the effort of
men-that Of uplifting the fallen and ruined
of our race. Can any editor who has one
drop of the milk of human kindness any,
where about him, be 50 niggardly as to re-
fuse to print their notices of meetings, lee.
lures, society meetings and the like, with.
out pay. The literary societies sometimes
engage lecturer who docs not draw, and
the publisher is asked to discount on their
bill because they have failed in their effort
to please and edify the public. John Doe
takes weekly paper for which he pays two
dollars year and gets five dolara worth Of
reading. His wife and he ask the editor to
print an obituary notice that costs at least
two dollars to getit put in type-John might
as consistently ask the undertaken who fur
nished the coffin for his poor wife to throw
in a 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, aud mighty
mean men get into Office out West some.
times, and he expects the editor to put on
the best possible face as to his fitness for the
position, whitewash his character, print his
tickets and vote them too, all for the good of
the cause and the success of correct prin.
ciples.
We beg all whom it may concern to re.
member that no good newspaper can be
made without 1t has the whole time and in
dustry of those engaged on it, and its ex.
penses are comparatively larger in proper.
ton to its gross receipts than almost any
other sort of business. If you read a paper,
pay for it; if you need its facilities for get
ting your business before the public and in.
creasing your trade, pay for that, but don't
sponge.