Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-03
Newspaper Patronage,

ways of understanding the true mean
ing of newspaper patronage, as it is
called, and as an interested party, we
give place to disquisition on the sub
ject by one who knows whereof he
speaks. 1t will serve, perhaps, as
mirror in which certain parties may
"see themselves as others see them"
Many long and weary years of ex-
perience in the publishing business
have forced upon US the conviction
that newspaper patronage is a word
Of many definitions, and that a great
majority of mankind are either igno-
rant Of the correct definition or are
dishonest, in strict biblical sense of
the word.
Newspaper patronage is composed
Of as many colOrs as a rainbow, and
is as changeable as the chameleon
One man comes in and subscribes for
paper and pays for it in advance,
and goes home and reads it with the
proud satisfaction that it is his. He
hands in his advertisement, asks the
price, pays for ii, and goes to his
place Of business and rcaps the ad-
vantages thereof.
Another man says you may put
my name on your books and goes
without saying a word about pay
Time passes on and you want the
money, and you ask him to pay you
what is honestly due you. He flies
INTO passion, perhaps pays, perhaps
not and orders his paper stopped.
This is called newspaper patronage.
Another man has been a subscriber
a long time, but he has never paid
cent, and at last becomes tired of you
and wants a change. He thinks he
wants a city paper. He tells the post
master he don't want it, and you will
get a paper marked refused" But
does he call in and pay? Oh, no he
wants his money to pay for his city
paper. He will pay you after a while
he says But he never does unless
you sue him. And this, too, is called
newspaper patronage.
Another man brings in fifty cent
advertisement and wants a two dollar
notice given of it, and if you refuse
he goes off mad. And this is called
newspaper patronage.
Another man lives near you-he
does not take the paper-he don't
like the editor-the paper is too
small for him-yet he goes regularly
to his neighbours and reads and finds
fault with it, and quarrels with the
opinions of the editor. Occasionally
he sees an article he likes, he begs or
gives halt a dime for the number
This is, we believe, called newspaper
patronage.
Another man takes two or three
city papers and cannot afford to take
a home paper, but likes it and comes
into the Office and begs one whenever
he is in town. This, also is called
newspaper patronage.
Another man likes the paper, be
takes copy for himself and family,
and pays for it, and does all he can
to get a new subscriDer-he never
grumbles, but always has a cheerful
word for the editor. If any little
item of interest occurs in his neigh
borhood he informs the editor. This
is newspaper patronage.
Another man has patent and wants
you to give it a two dollar notice
every week; it will be of interest to
your readers, he says; but although
knowing it will benefit him most of all
he does not offer to pay for it. This
is called newspaper patronage.
Another man has taken the paper
several years, but has not paid for it
and comes in with four or five dollar
advertisement, and asks you to insert
it for nothing because he is an old
patron of yours. This, too, is called
newspaper patronage.
Another man ia young man about
town." no use of his taking a paper
he knows all that is going on. B,
and by he gets married and hands il
the notice with Gust hand me dozer
copies" He gets them, and wher
you mention pay, looks surprised
you surely do not charge for suct
things !" And this is called newspa
per patronage.
Another man (bless you. if it doe!
not do us good to see such men come:
in and says "the year for which | paic
is about to expire, want to pay fol
another" lie does so and retires
This is newspaper patronage.
Now isn't newspaper patronage {
curious thing? Aud in that great day
when the gentleman in Black get his
dues-as surely he will-how many
!, of the patrons enumerated above viii
? fall to his share? Now it will be seer
that while certain kinds of patronage
are the very life and existence of {
newspaper, there are other kinds OF
patronage that is more destructive