Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-06-22
The Newspaper Business.
From the Memphis Avalanche.

essee Press Association, Mr.. Ira p.
Jones, of the Nashville Union and
American, said that the newspaper
business of this country had entered
upon new era, and it must come up
to it. 1t must proclaim its independ-
ence in a business way. Every line in
a newspaper has positive value, and
it ought to be asserted. If the bust
ness was properly managed, there was
no necessity for poor devils Of print
ers." 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 stated
fact as well known to newspaper edi-
tors and publishers who understand
their business, us it is unknown to a
large class Of people who look upon
newspapers as free vehicles, in which
everybody is invited to ride. The pol
icy 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 little cliques and rings
How could it be otherwise when in
matters Of business publishers meekly
accepted for advertising any offer they
could obtain, rather than allow the
patronage to go elsewhere? How Ions
could merchant sustain himself il
such policy? Yet, outside the large
cities, it has been only within a few
years that publishers have begun to re
alizc the force of the maxim tha
business is business" l." We hav,
found it difficult task to make ever
some of our best busidess men com
prehend this truth in journalism whicl
was the foundation of their own sue
success. No man would think of tax
ing cigar or plug of tobacco from
tobacconist without pay for it; yet W,
have known men to almost choke will
passion because asked to pay for al
Avalanche taken from our busines
Office, as if large outlay of none,
was not required to produce the de
sired paper. Men who would scorn t,
ask merchant for yard of calico o
a spool of thread, do not hesitate I,
ask the insertion, gratis, of communi
cations eulogistic ofthe Hon. Josephu
Pumpkinvinc, or some other equal,
conspicuous patriot of whom nObod,
ever before heard, but whose election
to Office they desire for reasons bes
known to themselves. Articles of thi
kind are purely matters of business
as such we invariably treat them, ant
thus not inircquently incur the cnmi
ty Of persons who, singularly enough
think that to please them We shoul,
pay printers for setting the types 70
these things, and fill valuable spac
with thcm-all without charge. ID
. these persons ever stop to think tina
printing paper like the Avalanche re
quires cash outlay of nearly 800
per week, and that, aside from tn
space devoted to editorials and news
our columns are our dry goods, groce
rics, cotton, etc, which must comman
a price that this heavy expense may b
met? We suppose not, or We woul
not be asked to give something fo
nothing, as is yet frequently the case
AS Mr.. Jones tcrscly puts it, ever
line in a newspaper has a positiv
value" Those devoted to news an,
opinions give the paper the circulatio
and popularity necessary to render il
columns valuable to legitimate bus
ness men, as well as to persons VIII
have private or public axes to grinC
We hold, with other business mel
that whatever is worth printing
worth paying for. This is rule I
which We strictly adhere, and whic
every publisher, TO be successful, mu,
keep plainlyinvi view and strictly follow
The loss of the patronage Of the elias
who demand that we shall work fo
them for nothing does not seriousl
disturb Us. We are more than willin
that any of our contemporaries shaI
, absorb and laugh and grow fat" on j
which they can do when they learn (
live by feeding onvapors. Business
business.