Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-07-09
,LEyA. GAZETTEER VIRGINIA ADVERTISER,

For each subsequent insertion twenty-five cts.
additional will be charged. . - 80 - :. .
Special contracts will be made with yearly ad-
vertisers - - -. ''' "
Marriage and Death Notices, when not exceed
ing eight lines, fifty cents.
The Newspaper Business.
In few remarks before the Tennessee Press
Association, Mr.. Ira p Jones. Of the Nash
Vile Union and American said that. the news
paper of this country had entered upon a new
era and it must come up 1t. 1t must pro.
claim its independence, in business way. Every
line in newspaper has a positive value, and
it ought to be asserted If the business was
properly, managed there was no necessity tor
poor devils of printers. A man might be
independent in the expression OF his views, but
every time newspaper did, it had to pay
money. Mr. jones in this states a fact as well
known to newspaper editors and publishers
who understand their business, as it is un-
known to large class of people who look UP
on newspapers as free vehicles 10 which every
one is invited to ride. The policy of class Of
newspaper conductors, who fortunately for
the profession are rapidly disappearing,
produced this feeling What else could people
think when politically, editors abased them
selves before cliques and rings? How could it
be otherwise when in matters OF business pub
fishers meekly accepted for advertising any
offer they could obtain, rather than allow the
patronage to 20 elsewhere? How long could
merchant sustain himself in such a policy
Yet, outside the large cities: it has been only
within few years that publishers have begun
to realize the force of the maxim that 'busi-
ness is business We have found it a difficult
task to make even some of our best business
men comprehend this truth 10 journalism
which was the foundation of their own sue
cess. +
No man would think of taking cigar or plug
of tobacco from atobaccoDist, without paying for,
it; vet we have known men to almost choke
with passion because asked to pay for paper
taken from our business Office, as if a large out
lay of money was not required to produce the
desired paper. Men who would scorn to
ask merchant for yard OF calico or
spool of thread, do not hesitate to ask the
Insertion, gratis, of communications eulogistic
of the Hon. Josephus Pumkinvine or some
other equally conspicuous patriot, OF whom no
body ever before heard, but whose election to
office they desire, for reasons best known to
themselves. Articles Of this kind are purely
matters of business; as such we invariably treat
them, and thus not infrequently incur the en-
mity of persons who, singularly enough, think
that to please them we should pay printers for
setting the types for these things, and bill val
liable space with them-all without charge.
Do these persons ever stop to think that print
ing paper like this requires cash outlay OF
nearly $4,000 per week, and that aside from
the space devoted to editorials and news, our
columns are our dry goods groceries, cotton,
&c, which must command a price that this
heavy expense may be met? We suppose not,
or we would not be asked to give something ttr
nothing, as is yet frequently the case.
As MIR. Jones tersely puts it, every line in
newspaper has positive value" Those de-
voted to news and opinions give the paper the
circulation and popularity necessary to render
its columns valuable to legitimate business
men, as we'll as to persons who have private or
public axes to grind. We hold, with other
business men, that whatever is worth printing
is worth paying for This is rule to which
we strictly adhere, and which every publisher,
to be successful, must keep plainly In view and
strictly follow.
The loss of the patronage of the class who
demand that we shall work for them for moth
ing, does not seriously disturb US. We arc
more than willing that any OF our contempora-
res shall absorb and Laugh and grow tat on
it,which they can do when they learn to live
6y feeding on vapors Business is business.
Icmphts Aralanche.
It'll Forbid advertisements. ts.-Mr. 5: H.
Parker, editor of the Geneva New York. Gaz-
tors and Publishers Association OF his State,
at Watertown, June 90 1872, thus alluded to
this source of so many publishers troubles:
II am impelled to discourage the acceptance
of advertisements marked till forbid. This
class of advertisements is the fruitful source OF
misunderstanding and contentious between
publ hers and patrons Let me illustrate:
MIR. A. advertises farm for sale. He don't
exactly know how long he may wish to have
such advertisement inserted-may sell 10 one,
two or three weeks, and may not in as many
months; will give orders when it is to be dis.
continued. 1t is accepted, marked t. t., and
runs for whole year. Then you are accosted
by Mr.. A. with the remark-'Why do you,
Mr.. Editor still keep in that advertisement;
sold more than six months ago-dont you
know it? Didn't tell you to stop 1T when
sold the farm? and as you editors ought to
know everything you surely must have heard
of my sale. Cant pay you tor the last SIX y!
months publication But, sir, you gave dl-
rections to publish it till ordered out, and have
not heretofore advised me to discontinue.
oh, forgot it but you surely won I take ad-
vantage of my oversight, and make me pay tor
what has been of no benefit to me-. In vain
YOU plead the equity of your claim-A. is not
satisfied unless you make the deduction he de-
mands. And the good -natured publisher yields
and charges profit and loss $40. would
remedy this evil by insisting in all cases that a
definite period be fixed for any and all adver-
tisements, conceding the privilege to the ad-
yertiser to discontinue within the allotted time
at pleasure, on notice, giving him credit tor in;
scrtions unfulflled Thus your columns Will
never be numbered with doubtful paying adVer-
tisements and you will save your temper ana
the good will of your patrons.