Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-08-10
WORKING FOR FUN.
Popular Delusion About Publishing
a Newspaper.
Something Of an Inside View ON
the Subject.

Something Of nm Inside view On
the Subject.
How few people seem to know what it
costs to run newspaper. This is an
ejaculation often heard in newspaper
counting-rooms after the departure Of
somebody who has tried to confscate a
paper, or get in puff of somebody on
the strength of old friendship or some
imaginary reason equally as strong.
By some unaccountable misappreheD-
sion Of facts, there is large class of
people in the world who think that it
costs little or nothing to run news
paper, and that if they buy copy from
newsboy, when too far from the
Office to come and beg one, they are
regular patrons, and entitled to unlim-
tied favors. Men call every day at news
paper offices to get copy of the paper,
just from press, for nothing, who would
never dream of begging pocket hand
kerchief from a dry goods store, an
apple from a fruit stand, or piece of
candy from the confectioner, even on
the plea of old acquaintance or having
bought something once before. One pa
per is not much, but hundred a day
amount to something in the course OF
time. But this is small drain compared
with the free advertising newspaper
is expected to do. Some men who have
paid two dollars at an early period in life
for an advertisement worth four or five,
appear to think that they are stockholders
in the establishment for eternity. They de-
mand the publication of all marriage and
funeral notices, obituaries and family
episodes for the next forty years gratis.
Speak of pay and they grow indignant.
Don't | patronize your paperY Yes;
but you received the worth of your money
for what you paid" But" says the
patron, " it will not cost you anything to
put this in" which is just as ridicu-
lous as to ask man to grind
your ak on his grindstone, and graci-
ously tell him that it woh't cost him a
cent. II takes money to run a news
paper, as well as any other business, and
no paper will succeed financially that
carries dead-head system. Any men
ton of peoples affairs that they are anx-
ious to see in print is worth paying for,
and when printed is generally as benef-
cial as any other investment of the same
amount. The cost of running an after
noon paper is less than morning paper
of the same size. Gas bills are less,
printers work cheaper by daylight than
in the night, and economy can be
practiced in various ways. Yet with
all our advantages, the LEDGER
PAYS an average of nearly six hundred
dollars in cash per week to its employees
alone, and that has to be paid regularly
every Saturday night the year round.
Other expenses, such as house-rent in.
surance, telegraph dispatches, paper
ink, repairs, etc., etc., increase the week
ly cash expenses of the establishment to
considerably over. one thousand dollars
per week, as the books will show. Any
business man will know that it must re
uuire economy, close collections and
strict management to make profit ovel
these figures, in city the size of Mem
phis, which supports four daily papers
Yet there are those who take offens'
if asked to pay for a paper at thu
counter or to pay for a loca
puff of their business which inter
ests only them and their patrons
The newspaper business isvery exactlnt
on all connected with it, and the pay il
comparatively small; the proprietor
risk more money for smaller profits, ant
, the editors and reporters and printers
work harder and cheaper than the SAME
| numUcr vi uleH III uhg obhSi PAOiS"S'S'
requiring the given amount OF intelli
gence and training and drudgery. TIT
t life has its charms and its pleasant asso
: Citations, scarcely known outside tn
world; but it has its earnest work ant
anxieties and hours of exhaustion, which
likewise are not known to those witt
think the business all fun. The ide'
/ that newspaperdom is charmed circle
where the favored members live
} life of ease and free from care, and g
to the circus at night on free tiokot anC
to the springs on free pass in the sum
mer is an idea which we desire to ex
plode practically and theoretically
Business is business, and the Journa
that succeeds is the one that is run on
square business footing, the same al
banking or building bridges, keeping
hotel or running livery stable. Thes'
, general ideas, which govern the policy
of the LEDGER, are thrown out without
reference to any particular instances o
late, but as the result of long experience
and indicative of the course to be pnr
sued in achieving further success.
{ TERMS of sale for the lots on Poplar
}, street as advertised BY Passmore 4 Ruff