The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-05-30

WHOLE No. 1877.

tenn of bookkeeping the best. let ]
am persuaded if a simple plan could
be devised by which the value, in
crease, decrease, wear and tear of ma
;terial in an office could be readily
shown, the general and incidental ex-
pense accounts kept, and the income
and outlay separately compared at q
glance, it would Become a source ol
profit to every nineteen, out, of every
twenty printers to abandon theii
present method and adopt it. System
and accuracy are strong pillars on
which to build any business. Who
will. at our next meeting, present
such plan as contemplated { Fe4
ADVANCE PAY.
Subscriptions should be paid in ad-
vance, and job work as soon as done
Decline all work, and patronage OF
any kind, of which You have serious
doubts as to prompt payment. Bet.
ter be cleaning up your Office, or So
Letting good business, than 10 be
working for others with no certainty
of recompense. As you would pay
your bills upon sight, require others
to pay you, likewise, and therefore be
prompt in the collection of your out
standing accounts. small or great
Never postpone the presentation o.
your bill because you may think pay
ment doubtful. neither delay it be-
cause you know it will be paid when
ever presented. If collection be un-
certain there is greater reason for
early and constant effort on your part
to make it. If sure, get your money
into your own hands, that you may
1n Arrn q
your bank account. Probably nine
tenths of the newspaper publishers OF
the State earn enough money every
year TO pay all their expenses, and
something handsome beside, but get
financially crippled just because they
do not insist on having precisely what
they did earn. Therefore, experience
teaches that advance collection on
subscription: prompt collection on
advertising and job work soon as due,
must be the rule. OF course, there is
sound, common-sense' direction TO be
used in all these things, but never be
q "good fellow" and I'LL all orders
regardless of consequences, unless you
prefer the down-hill road that leads
to the poor-house. 90 -5Ai'f asi1iE fsf
re Y on might as well attempt to keep
up dry-goods store, or run a rolling.
mill, as a. printing Office without
money. Why should subscriber not
pay as willingly in advance for his
home paper as for the foreign period
ical he patronizes.s Many persons do
not seem to know it requires money
to buy paper, purchase presses and
type, replace old material with better,
pay hands wages, pay rents, insurance,
coal, gas and tax bills, and thousand
other expenses that enter into the
publishing of newspaper. For this
cause, I repeat, never be ashamed OF
afraid to ask for your own, even al
the risk of being called persistent
dunner.D Every man who succeeds in
business is so regarded if he attends
promptly to his collections. @dl
GRATUTToUs WORK. % fhs
It is notoriously true that when g
man wants something done for moth
ing. he goes straight to the printing
Office. The newspaper publisher is
the free bridge on which merit and
demerit propose alike to cross the
stream. He is the free horse which
every one wishes to ride to success,
and when he has carried his booted
and spurred rider to his coveted des-
tination, he is turned loose, and with
a kick sent back for the next dead
head to mount. .1k
He is expected to gratuiteusly
"puff" every man engaging in bust
ness until he has advertised him into
lucrative trade. He is expected to
write column after column commend
ing manufacturing establishments,
and making their business known all
oyer the country, from which he only
occasionally receives a petty job or
insignificant advertisement at prices
Jew ed down to starvation rates. To
save the pitiable sum of FIVE dollars,
these very companies when they want
a job done, will patronize "rGt" con-
Germ in'their own town, or send four
hundred miles away to city Office,
and yet they look, for the editor to
speak of them and their establish
ments in the most extravagant terms
of praise, as immense first class,
s. enterprising," :" liberal, and all such
stuff, or else he will be charged with
making no effort to build up his town
1t would not be courteous to tell such
men to go for their free local adver-
tising where they get their job work
Oh, mol 81 ~ ,.l3t.s' 10 ID ,eif3' -
Our money is invested in our estab-
lishments. With our own means we
defray the necessary expenses OF
prin ting our papers. Their columns
are our private property, portion OF
our capital in business, and with the
same propriety that others come to
us, we could go to them and ask for
their goods, their wares, or their
money, without returning an equiva-
lent. But we pay cash, and full price,
for every cents worth we get from
them. Should they not in like man
ner pay us for our columns when used
for their benefit? m b vo
MORE INDEPENDENCE NEEDED.
The truth is, the publisher must act
more like other business men, and
conduct affairs in the same style. He
needs to be more independent, and
more boldly demand and maintain his
rights. He must be above begging
for patronage. 1 do not mean by this
that he should not push his business
that he should not, at proper times
and on proper occasions, present the
advantages a merchant or q manufac-
turer might derive from the use of his
COluuIuS, hui tudb II 10 OCHOotu HIS
dignity to send out a canvasser for his
paper, but he should never urge upon
any man the duty, much less the ne
cessity of patronizing him.
When asked the price for this or
that service, he should state it, and
then not be wheedled into taking q
smaller sum. He must not complain
or whine over the loss of a job or ad-
vertisement, though he may feel in
his inmost soul the ingratitude and
meanness that deprived him of it, yet
let him treat the matter in silence.
He must not be afraid to make an ene-
my now and then, for enemies made
by the faithful discharge of duty will
do him more good than harm.
EDITORIAL CONVENTIONS.
There are a score of other things on
which might talk. / have scarcely
yet alluded to the second point of my
subject-H7'he Mission Of the Local
Press" Time, and decent respect
for your patience, warn me to no
longer impose on your indulgence.
But cannot, nevertheless, close with