Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-27


make our firm, vehement protest Let
the postage on newspapers be regulated
in approximate proportion to their bulk
and the distance Of their transportation.
It IS not necessary that every paper
should be weighed or the number of
miles counted in each instance. A
uniform rate might be fixed for carriage
within the county. another for carriage
within the State, and third for trans
Portation from one State to another
Periodicals and newspapers could be
grouped into classes, with uniform rate
for each In this way simple and con
venient scale of rates may be establish
ed. which VIII avoid confusion and oc-
casion very little trouble.
1t would not be unreasonable to insist
furthermore that all newspapers should
be carried by mail service, but upon this
point we are not disposed to insist, only.
provided, that no railroad or express
monopoly shall be permitted to assume
or allow any newspaper whatever the
dead-head privileges now extended by
the Government.
And now while speaking of this sub
iect, it may be worth while to refer to
some other matters as well as correct
some erroneous impressions german to
this subject of ranking. We believe it
viii be a glorious era for the country
press when its business shall be elimin-
ated from every species Of beggary,
either on its own part or that Of its pat
rons. Brethren of the country press.
let Us ask no favors of anybody, and
have none to bestow, except in con-
scientious duty or christian charity, up
on politicians. public officers, corpora
tons, associations, or any class whatev-
er Of public or private mendicants. Let
the sound practical maxim that 'busi-
ness IS business govern all our tansac-
lions of a business character with all in
dividual5 or associations of individuals
whomsoever. When we receive any
thing Of valuable nature let US pay for
it; when we publish an advertisement
let US publish it as sffch and charge for
it; and when anybody asks US to bestow
charity let US contribute the amount liz
0l0Hsy, cash in advance, according to
our ability. So shall the world take
knowledge of US that we are business
men and not beggars. and so shall all
kinds and conditions of people under
stand that newspapers are not published
for purely charitable purposes, and that
an editor is expected to pay for what he
gets, receive pay for what he does and
contribute to charitable purposes what
he can afford. precisely like any other
barbarian
We would not of course be under
stood temean that editorials should be
merchantable or that a journalist should
put his principles or his influence in the
market to be bought and sold. All that
is merchantable in a newspaper should
be confined strictly to the advertising
columns. If anything IS worthy of no
tice, notice it; if anything deserves
praise. praise it; if anything ought to
be censured, censure it; but let this be
our motto "No editorials or puffs to be
bought by money secured by importuni-
ty or forced by threatening at this Of
| fee" If Jones or Smith wants to ad-
vertise his wares let him advertise them
and set forth their merits in a response
bic way over his own signature, not ask
| ing the editor to puff that which he has
not seen or knows. nothing about, and
make statements which nobody will be
lieve any sooner because the editor
makes or Pretends to make them.
Every editor knows that journalism
has its temptations and we make neither
boast nor secret of the fact that we have
more than once refused money for edi-
torial articles, and a thousand times re
fused to insert as editorial that which we
have never written. All that appears IN
this paper as editorial. thatis. loaded mat.
ter, our preferred locals and general news
column alone excepted, is written by
the editor, and is neither borrowed OF
stolen from some other paper or accept
ed from some outsider and endorsed a:
original While we own the GAZETTE we
propose to edit it, and when we need
outside help we will give respectful ant
timely notice.
And now as to some of the impress
sions which have got abroad as to the
supposed privileges and favors enjoyed
q by the noble army of editors Of the
county printing" The impression ex
lists that because a country editor
! has occasionally forced upon him an In
digestible mess of stale wedding cake, Oh
an enormous squash, or prodigious
potato by some good hearted neighbol
of mistaken benevolence. that he is
therefore one of the privileged of the
earth, born to the enjoyment of the frs
cut of all the luxuries of the season
The public jump to the. conclusion tha
his hat is chalked at every hotel, that he
goes scot free to every public entertain
ment, and that he roams up and dowr
the land on all the railroads without
money and without price. Well, if there
are country editors thus privileged, We
feel bound to say we are not among the
number Nor do we desire to be. Let
the distinguished members of the Legis-
lature enjoy a monopoly of free railroad
passes and sprees. and as for entertain-
/ ments let us continue to go to such as
we prefer. pay for our admission thereto
and say Of them what we think,
WAR ITEMS.
On Thursday, the 10th, the Partisan