The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-09-18
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"Of the making of books there is no end -
says the wise man. Had he lived in these days
OF newspaporial plenitude, he would have failed
to find words to convey an adequate idea of the
wonderful fecundity of journalism. Wherever
the Anglo-Saxon goes to live,-whether in the
wilds of the far west, in a foreign land, or on an
island in mid-ocean,-next only TO the necessities
of life, is his newspaper. And so, in the making
Of newspapers there is no end. A late number of
the New York Journal of Commerce, itself a
veteran, having been started in 1896, gives an
account of some of the leading difficulties in the
way Of starting n newspaper. 1t is somewhat
startling to read of the enormous amounts of
hard cash that have been sunk and swallowed up
in newspaper enterprises in n city of even the
swarming population of New York. 1t is said
that q during the past thirty-tive years no less
than fifty-fve daily papers have been started in
that city. lived for q short time, and then died
for want of adequate support-after having sunk
millions of dollars. And many of them tried the
experiment at a time when it did not cost n 1.-THE
of the sum to carry on a daily paper which it
costs at the present time"
There are, ut the present time eight leading
daily papers in New York city, five of which have
been started during the last twenty-five years,
and having gained a footing, at a heavy cost at
the outset, are the successful few. The New
York Tribune sunk $40, 900 before it paid; the
Times, S1GO, 900; the World, S25O.O00t The
only journal ON record which has arrived at the
foremost rank of successful newspaper enterprise,
without losing heavily in the start, is the New
York Herald, the original cost of which was only
$500. But the paper was entirely prepared and
-~-.I. ILL b. $ba rronriafar N, yaroar L.
the pioneer of the two-cent cash system, and this,
combined with n slashing exercise of the right Of
81 the freedom of the press brought it into cir
c~nlation and made it what it is, q leading daily
and n mine of wealth to its proprietor. The
history Of journalism in New York city is repeated
in every city almost of the United States In all
the centres of trade and population, newspapers
have sprung up like mushrooms, and after a short
struggling existence have died for want of means.
The few only which succeed are those started on a
large capital, under the personal management Of
men bred to the profession, and in a community
the business and population of which are rapidlyon
the increase. Where this state of things does not
exist, a newspaper has an uphill work. In order
to succeed, it must take away some subscribers
from other papers already established, and this is
no easy task. To supplant a paper in the regard
of itsold subscribers can never be accomplished,
unless it persistently neglects their interests or
abuses their confidence.
Aside from the financial difficulties which sur
round the enterprise of starting a newspaper,
the necessary tact, talent, and quickness of mental
resources as well as GOODNESS of Judgment required
to produce a readable journal that shall IS take IS
with all readers, are qualifications that, to say
tl.o Ioosf NOT otuovs found IN <no.~ -
fancy they can " run /" a newspaper.