The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-04-12
Newspaper Patronage.

There appears to be many different
ways Of understanding the true meaning
of newspaper patronage as it is called,
and as an interested party, we give
place to disquisition on the subject by
one who " knows whereof he speaks" 1t
will serve, perhaps, as mirror in which
certain parties may sec themselves as
others see them"
Many long and weary years Of exper-
ience in the publishing business have
forced the conviction upon US that news
paper patronage is word of many def
nitions, and that great majority ofman-
kind are either ignorant Of the correct
definition or are dishonest in strict bi-
blical sense Of the word Newspaper
patronage is composed Of as many colors
as rainbow and is as chanageable as
chameleon. One man comes in and sub
scribes for the 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 it, and goes to his place of
business and reaps the advantages thereof.
Another man says, "you may put my
name on your books" and goes of with.
out saying word about pay. Time passes
on, and you want money, and you want
him to pay what is honestly due you.
He flies into passion, perhaps pays, per.
haps not, and orders his paper stopped.
This is called newspaper patronage.
Annthor ~, =, bo, baap e,.heor,I,or N
long time. but he has never paid a cent,
and at last becomes tired Of you and
wants change. He thinks he wants a
city paper. He tells tho postmaster he
don't want it, and you'll get paper
marked " refused But does he cali in
and pay? Oh, no! he wants his money
to pay for the city paper. He will pay
after while, he says. But he never docs
unless you sue him. And this, too, is
called newspaper patronage.
Another man brings in a 10 cent adj
yertisement and wants two dollar no.
tice given it, and if you refuse he goes
off mad And this Is newspaper pat
ronage.
Another man lives near you-he does
not take the papcr--hc don't like the ed
itor-the paper is too small for him
yet he goes regularly to his neighbor's
and reads it, and finds fault with it,
and qusrrels with the opinions of the ed
itor. Occasionally he sees an article he
likes, he begs, or gives half a dime for
the number. This is called newspaper
patronage.
Another man takes two or three city
papers and cannot afford to take home
paper, but he likes it and comes into the
Office and begs one whenever he is in
town. This is also called newspaper pat
ronage.
Another man likes the paper, he takes
a copy for himself and family, and pays
for it, and does all he can to get new
subscribers-he never grumbles. but al.
WAYS has cheerful word for the editor.
lfany little item of interest occurs in his
neighborhood he informs the editor. This
is newspaper patronage.
Another man has patent and wants
you to give it two dollar notice every
week; it will be of INTEREST," to your read.
crs, 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 for
several years, but has not paid for it, and
comes in with four or five dollar adver-
tisemcnt and asks You to insert it for
nothing, because he is an old patron of
yours. This is called newspaper pat
ronagc.
Another man -" u young man about
town." no use Of taking paper, he knows
all that is going on. BY and by he gets
married and hands in the notice with
g" Just hand me dozen copies" He gets
them, and when you mention pay, looks
surprised" you surely do not charge for
such thing And this is called newspa.
per patronage.
Another man, (bless you; it does us
good to see such mem come in and say
" the year is about to expire, want to
pay for another" He does 10 and retires.
This is newspaper patronage.
Now isn't newspaper patronage Il Gu
rious thing! And in that great day when
the gentleman in black gets his dues, as
he surely will, how many of the patrons
enumerated above will fall to his share
Now ii will be seen that while certain
kinds of patronage are the very life and
existence of a newspaper there are other
kinds of patronage that are more destruc-
tive than the deadly nightshadc
The Boston Transcript says "anthra.
cite is drug" If it is, it must be one
of the drugs that is good for cold.
\ Major OF the United States army
was crossing from England on one of the
Cunard steamers, when one afternoon
a band on deck played Yankee Doodle"
A grua Englishman who stood by in
quired whether that was the tune the old
COW died Of. Not at ALL" retorted the
Major, "its the tune the old bull died
Of"
Mrs Stanton advises men in choosing a
wife to examine their teeth, as good teeth
indicate that the whole body is perfect.
We beg leave to differ with Elizabeth.
We knew girl once that could bite of
ten penny nail, but alas--she had
wooden leg, wore palpitators, and had
Grecian bend as large as a potash kettle.
You cant tell anything by their teeth.