The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-05-30

After all, the spark
ling. pointed paragraph, the pungent,
concise and compact minnie ball does
more execution than the ponderous |
bomb shell.
In our anxiety to present the news /
of the world, we too often forget the !
home news around US. To gather this
and present il acceptably, is the Pc
culiar province of the country press,
and we shall make our papers of in
terest to our readers at home and
abroad, in proportion as we cultivate
this department Our most labored
articles may drop still horn from the
press, and our most eloquent senten-
ces fall upon dull and listless ears. but
the mass of readers will best appre-
ciate the labor devoted to this gath
ering up of uncOnsiderable trifies."
Such are some of the subjects
which may prove of lasting benefit TO
the craft.
1t is fact not to be gainsaid. that,
as a class, newspaper men are not
properly remunerated for their labors-
There may be a few whose services
are entitled only to the reward of an
ordinary mechanic; there may be
some who WELD the pen, conduct the
helm, who bring to the discharge of
their duties so small an amount of
brain power as to entitle them to a
very humble compensation, but these
are the exceptions. As a class they
invest an amount of talent. intelli-
geuce, and mental and physical labor,
that in any other occupation would
ensure a competence. To this they
are fairly and honestly entitled, and
to this end should this Association
labor.
The great drawback to newspaper
success is the credit system. No one
sends to the New York Tribune, ask
ing its large-hearted conductor to
send him the paper, with promise to
pay FIVE years after date, or ten years.
| and probably never: or, if he should
venture on such temerity. 1t would be
a pleasure to stand in a corner and
hear the curses for such impudence
i from the lips OF the Great Reformer.
| And yet, unlimited credit is the un-
varying practice of nine tenths of the
lcountry press. Many a mans namc
Is retained on the subscription list,
known to be utterly worthless. be-
cause it may damage the party if his
name is erased. The debts of abb
seonding patrons to the press, every
decade. aggregate an amount sufficient
to build a railway across the CONT
nent. Allthis must be changed. The
Napoleouic battle cry, Advance
Guardsl" should be applied TO news
paper patrons. with the Injunction
that they shall benceforth keep in adj
vance, or their patronage will be de.
clined.
No other profession or occupation
is called upon for this unlimited
credit. Ask the mechanic to wait
upon you till next year for his day E
labor and what will be the response ?
Ask your grocer to indulge you for
three or five years for his merchan-
dise-ask the farmer for bushel OF
wheat. to be paid for when digested
at Christmas, or for a dozen of eggs,
even, to be paid for when digested
and forgotten, and you would be
laughed at for your folly. The rem
edy Is not in the lame attempt of a
single individual to strike out for
advance payment and nail his single
flag to the post, resolved to break
down a deep seated and ruinous GUS
tom, but in the firm resolve of all the
craft to effect this great form-to
stand with each other and By each
other, until the newspaper shall be
placed upon the same footing re-
specting credit, as the mechanic S
labor or the farmers product.
Another imperative demand is for a
fair remuneration for subscription
and advertising. The mammoth sheet
from the Eastern city, with its hun
| dred thousand patrons, is not to be
| taken as a standard for the country
paper. With its immense patronage
for subscription and advertising, it
can be afforded at vastly cheaper
figure, and is worthy of the place it
occupies. Its dividends are counted
by thousands, while the entire re-
ceipts of the country press are count
ed by hundreds. The foreign paper
is a luxury for which we pay with
pleasure. The home paper is a ne
cessity for which they should pay a
fair equivalent.
Uniformity in prices may not be
practicable, any more than uniformity
in size, appearance or editorial talent,
is possible. But this Association may
do much, In so increasing aud equal
izing the compensation for subscrip-
ton and advertising among its men,
bers, that the laborer who is worthy
of his hire shall not go unrewarded.
Such, l apprehend are among the
advantages and objects of this organ
i7ation; to raise the standard OF the
profession, so as to make it an honor
to the State and credit to the craft
to elevate its aim, and increase its
usefulness, and to adopt such meas
ures as shall most effectually ensul e
obedience to the command, Thou
shall not muzzle the OK that treadeth
out the corn"