Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-26
Vicissitudes of yOurnnltsKn-1Sucs
The Likelihood,

Tine Likelihood.
Geo. p. Jones, ofthc Nashville Unio,
and american, recentlS delivered
an address before the Tennessee Pres.
Association, in which he thus pictured
some of the vicissitudes of journalism
1t is an DER true tale, as many have
reason to know. lie says:
We do too much work without com
pensation. We pay too much IN oney
without any return whatever. We es
tablish an cleemosynary institution al
our owncxpense. We keep Chart,
school on our own hook. We conduct
business as if we owe everything to the
public, and the public are not indebted
to us farthing. We are preyed upon
by the sharpers and innocents alike
We advertise gratuitously every week
when we should have the money for
it. The general public are entirely ig-
norant-probably we ourselves are not
fully aware of the extent to which
newspapers are burdened by this in
siduous drain upon their resources.
1t insinuates itselfin every conceivable
form. 1t does it through reporters,
through agents, through correspon-
dents, through editors, through bust
ness managers, through proprietors,
and generally, too, with as much dis
advantage to the public as to the press.
There is not a business. from the dis
penser of ginger-cakes, and cider to
the largest manufactory, which will
not advertise with You gratis--which
will mo-, ifyou listen to ii, endeavor to
convince you that it is your duty to
th1pH5iic to do so. There is not an
aspirant for public station--2nd when
| contemplate the number, OK these,
experience an overwhelming sense of
commingled amazement and disgust
from constable to the Senate of the
Union ho does not conscientiously
believe it to be the imperativeduty of
the press, daily and weekly, to speak
with pen Of telescope power, of his
microscopic deservings. Even the
army of stroliers which infest the coun
try, and the people as q sort of vista
ton of Providence for our iiiiquities,
from the street corner seller of prize
candy. or magic oil to the operat-
ic impressario, win expect you to write
an indefinite number Of editorials on a
three square advertisement inserted
for five days, changeable daily with
out charge. We are required to write
up, urge upland put through every en-
terprise, great or small, that seems to
have a possible connection with the
public. But we never hear of q share
Of stock or a dividend. The church,
the State, commerce, industry, art, in
yention, and hunlbug, alike, seem to
regard the press as their servitors, and
to be'run aud sustained for their ad
vantage.
There is a line OF demarkatiou in all
these things-between public demand.
public utility, newspaper duty and in
diyidual gain. That line should be
and held, asst really is, the
Dead Line, Not letter nor space.
nor a comifia, nor figure, nor pc
OF all the innunerable
particles that enter into the form Of
daily or weekly newspaper, is there
that in picking up and putting down,
does not cost cash money. Not d rev.
olution OF the press, not a square inch
Of paper, that does not cost something
ia cash. This should be understood
by the public. Lit Is not, its corrcia-
tive should be piacticed by the press.
| do not mean that the press should
abandon its position of being the fore
most charitable institution in the
world. 1t should hold to that; for its
liberality. after purging it.
;elfof nine-tenths of the daily swim
lies practiced upon it, viii exceed that
II any other business.
TO get rid OF this sinpendiOus fraud
If graituitous advertising-this canker
,anccr call it anything provided You
elect an epithet that viii characterize
t strong enough--I car prescribe no
,thcr rule than this: Put voluntarily
md without charge, any and every
hing in yonr paper, which you deem
advantageous to il and beneficial to the
public. All else exclud, being Of ad-
,antage to those who ish to make
money upon your capil aud enter
rise. Hold your spacy at its value.
Fix your rates at a far price for your |
and adhere 0 them. Fair {
Iealings will accomplish more than
oul, at all times AID eerywhere. For {