Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-11
WILMINGTON, DKL.
Tuesday Afternoon, June u.
THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE TWO CENT
PRESS,

The object OF newspaper publisher should
be to give the best journal possible for the
amount he charges for it.. Whether the price be
one cent, or four, his effort is the same. But it
il evident that there must be medium price,
somewhere, at which two essentials meet - a
price which is large enough to enable the pub
Usher to give good paper, and which is IT'LL
low enough to be within the reach Of the great
rsAss OF the people, only the very pc .r being s1-
cepted.
This medium, combining these two essentials,
we believe to be the two-cent newspaper. The
price is low, it is true, but experience proves
that paper OF that price, after being once fairly
established, attaining a large circulation, and
securing Rroportionate advertising patronage,
lie able to furnish its readers a well conducted
and satisfactory journal.
In proof of this, we have only to point to the
success, importance, and great popularity, of the
Two-Oent Press in the great cities of the Middle
and Eastern States. In Boston, we name the
Boston Herald, the most largely-circulated news
paper in New England, claiming circulation Of
over 10000 copies daily. In New York, the Sun,
Standard, and Star, are all two cents, and the
iS,in, mean and contemplate as its political
course has been, is in many respects most ca
pAble newspaper and has attained a circulation
reaching sometimes as high (According to its
own olAim,) as 100000 copies daily. In Phila-
delphiA, ate great newspaper, overlapping all
others in circulation, success, and prominence,
is the Public Ledger, which prints an average Of
over $1,000 copies day. Last week, it's average
was over that. In Baltimore, the Sun leads on
as the Ledger does in Philadelphia. They were
in fact, established like twins, resembling each
other in nearly all respects The sun sells at
two cents, and has an immense circulation. In
Washington, the newspaper Of greatest success
is the Star, sold at two cents, and published in
the afternoon. 1t has the largest circulation, by
far in the city, though we are not able to state
the figures.
Now let any one challenging the deductions
we draw from this array of facts, take any other
five papers, published one each in Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington,
and see how their aggregate circulation, success,
and popularity will foot up in comparison with
the five named. We have not enumerated some
OF the leading journals of the country, sold at
three and four cents, it is true, and they can be
counted in competition, but upon comparison
OF circulation, and appreciation by advertisers,
the result will be surprisingly in favor OF the
Two-Cent Press. This is for the very reason
stated in the outset OF this article - that two
cents is not too much for any one to pay for
paper unless he be Of the very poorest class
while it il enough to enable the publisher ,G
give in return, good newspaper, enterprisinG
in collecting news, and well conducted in all III
departments.
variety Of newspapers is needed by the vari
ETY. in taste, desire, and ability to purchase, bu
the Two-Cent Press is the Happy Medium, th
Great Satisfier, and the Leader OF American
Journalism.