Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-13

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Newspapers and the Public.
The following extract from an ad.
mirablc address by Gen. Geo. p.
Jones, Of the Nashville Union and
american, delivered before the Ten
essee Press Association sets forth
very clearly and pungently, some of
the burdens placed upon tho press
by an inconsideratc public. Every
newspaper publisher will recognise
the picture as a truthful one:
"Wc do too much work without
compensation. We pay too much
money without any return whatever.
We establish an eleemosynary insti-
tuition at our own expense. We
keep charity 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 preycd up.
on by the sharpers and innocents
alike. We advertise gratuitously
every week, when we should have
the money for it. The general pub
lie are entirely ignorant-probably
We ourselves are not fully aware Of
the extent to which newspapers are
burdencd by this insidious drain up
on our resources. 1t insinuates it.
self in every conceivable form. 1t
does it through reporters, through
agents, through editors, through bu-
siness managers, through proprie-
tors, and generally too, with as
much disadvantage to the public as
to the press. There is not bust
ness, from the dispenser of ginger
cakes and cider to the largest man
ufactory, which will not advertise
with you gratis-which will, if you
listen to it, cndeaver to convince
you that it is your duty to the pub
lie to do so. There is not an aspi-
rant for public station-and when l
contemplate the number of these
l experience an overwhelming sense
of commingled amazcmcnt and dis
gustAfrom constable to the Senate
of the Union, who does not consci-
cntiously believe it to be the imper-
alive duty Of the press, daily and
weekly, to speak, with pen Of tel
escopic power, Of his microscopic
deservings. Even that army of
which infest the country
and the people as sort of vista
ton of Providence for our iniquities,
from the street corner seller of prize
candies or magic oil to the operate
imprcssario, will expect you to write
an indefinite number Of editorials
on three-square advertisement in
serted for five days, changeable dali
ly, without charge! We are requir-
ed to write up, urge up, and put
through every enterprise, great or
small, that seems to have a possible
with the public. Bnt we
never hear ola share of stock or of
a dividend. The church, the state,
commerce, industry, art, invention
and humbug alike seem to regard
the press as their servitors, and to
be run and sustained for their ad.
There is line of demarkation, in
all these things, between public de-
mand, public utility, newspaper du-
ty and individual gain. That line
should be defined, and held asst in
reality is, the Dead Line. Not a
letter, nor q space, nor figure, nor
a comma nor period-nothing in
all the unumerablc particles that
enter into the form and structure of
a daily or weekly newspapers
there that its picking up and put
ting down docs not cost cash mon
ey. Not revolution of the press,
not a square inch ofpaper, that does
not cost something in. cash. This
should be understood by the public.
If it is not, its corrclative should be
practiced by the press. l do not
mean that the press should aban-
don its position of being the
foremost charitable institution in
The world. 1t should hold to that
for its muniticent liberality, after
purging itself Of nine-tcnths Of the
daily swindles practiced upon it,
will exceed that of any other bust
ness.
To get rid of this stupendous, fraud
Of gratuitous advertising, this can
Ger, canker-call it anything, pro-
viding you select an cpithct that
will characterize if strongly enough
Il can prescribe no other rule than
this: Put voluntarily and without
charge any and everything into
your paper which you may deem ad-
to it in being beneficial
to the public. All else, exclude, be-
ing of advantage to those who wish
to make money upon your capital
and enterprise. Hold your space
at it's value. Fix your rates at a
fair price for your circulation, and
adhere to them. Fair dealing will
accomplish more than foul, at all
times and everywhere. For be it
known that the American press is
not . vampire, to be constantly
sucking the life-blood out of the
people. 1t has a vastly higher mis-
sion-but it should also be known
that it will not longer be made the
victim Of the thousands of vampires
that come daily to the counters, in
every conceivable garb, to have its
own life-blood incontinently sucked
away.
Greeley's Mother.