Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-03-22

en- that We breathe, the pure chrysta
waters that We drink in the parchin
heat Of the summer, the bright glow
ing fire of the cold and dreary winter
aud the smiling, beautiful sunshine 0
autumn and epring, I consider then
the very cheapest Of both these com
modities. Now / suppose to get Vi
a good weekly paper, it requires, be
sides the necessary Offices, the press
type, ink, paper, and various other ar
ticles, all of which have to be paid fol
in cash, the services of some six o.
seven men, (and the devil too) abou
one whole week to make and put to
gether the forms and print one news
paper. Now you sell fifty-one of these
papers for two dollars, little les;
than four cents a piece. Four cents
a thing that has taken the services Of
six or seven men, (and some of then
perhaps smart men, too, for the devil
is said to be pretty shrewd, and ma
chinery worth hundreds, or thousands
of dollars, nearly whole week to
make. Is there human being in our
noble old Tennessee, so mean as to
buy a thing (on credit too,) SO very
cheap, and then not pay for it?-
Messrs. Editors, you certainly must
be mistaken. (You know editors are
sometimes mistaken, as we'll as other
folks.) There surely cannot be any
person that we know, so mean. Well,
I'll feel safer to know that there is
none such in our neighborhood. l
hope there is not. | think / would
know them on sight, for they must
look very different from other people.
Their consciences would undoubtedly
cause them to be ever ON the lookout,
fearful of encountering that ''shrewd
fellow" mentioned in the foregoing
lines.
Now, are newspapers necessity P
If l did not think so, / would not take
and be at the expense of paying for,
six or seven, for times are hard, and
l am compelled to economize all | can
to make both ends meet" But it
must not be done by stopping good
l should consider that
foolish extravaganza or as the old
adage says, penny wise and pound
foolish" 1 am farmer, and try to
make my living by raising produce for
market. Now l cannot afford to sell
my produce this week, when | can
earn from reading the papers that it
will probably be worth more next;
nor can 1 afford to hold it until next
week, when | can learn from the pa
Ders that it is declining and will be
over then; nor can | afford to sell
n one market, when / know by read
ng the papers that ! can get more for
{ in another; nor can | trust to spec
,lators (who are trying to make all
he profit they can off of my labor) for
prices, when [ can know them, as we'll
is they do, by reading newspapers; nor
AN l afford to loose time by hunting
,ver the county or town for the farm
supplies | may need, when from the
,apers I can learn in few minutes
yhere I can find the articles, at reas-
,nable prices; and lastly, but not
east, I cannot afford to be ignorant of
IL the great transactions and changes
hat are weekly taking place in the
world and expose my ignorance, as
many do, by expressing surprise at
learing of important national events,
hat newspaper readers have known
nd nearly forgotten weeks or months
,efore. These are a few of the many
easons why | cannot afford to stop one
# my papers, and to me they are alone
nongh to convince me, that newspa-
,ers are necessity.
Are they luxury? If you do not
now from experience, just imagine
ourself taking a seat in your comfort
BILE armchair, by your bright and
heerful freside, tired and weary, af-
er the days business is over, OF on
ONE gloomy wintry or rainy day, when
here is no business to be done you
RAW from the side pocket of your
oat package from the post-office of
ice, clean, fresh newspapers, maga-
ines, ETC., q would not give twenty
i've cents year, for five dollar pa
,er that had been handled, and read
nd re-read half dozen times oyer.) |
hey are all paid for and have your
ame nicely written on each, and as
ou open them, their freshness favors
he room and the entire family circle |
nth delightful extracts from all
uarters of the globe Your wife and
hildren and friend, who may be there,
re eager and ready to drink in to the |
sst drop the news Of interest, local
nd foreign, the various tales of facts
nd fiction, and the many witicisms of
oetry and prose. as you deal them
ut from the fountains whose waters |
ave been growing stronger and stron-
er, until now they virtually control
nd really furnish the power that
rives the great master-wheel of ma
ions.
Here within your cozy sitting room,
ecure from the cold wintry blasts and
he driving beating sleet and rain, you I
ave safe within your possession news |
rom all parts of the wide, wide world. |
Editors and printers have worked day
nd night horses have travelled with |
apid strides, with the heavy mail sack |
cross their backs, hour after hour; the
Id fashioned stage coach, through |
mud and snow and rain, has wandered |
N for days and nights ''o'er hill and |
ale;" the fleet railway trains have |
pread their smoke and blown their
vhistles through great hills and moun-
aims and over waving prairies and