The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-12-10
THE CAUSE OF NEWSPAPER
FAILURES.

! tennessee, Ncn. ira J"Hc', Va
the Nashville UniDn and Imcr'rNn,
gave the following truthful ac-
count Of newspaper mortality;
We do 100 much work without
! compensation. We pay too much
money without any return what
ever. We establish an clcemOSy-
nary institution 1T our own eX-
expense. We keep charity
school on our own hook. We con-
duct business rs if We owe every
thing to the public, and the pahhc
arc not indebted 10 us Il tarthInS.
We arc prcyed upon BY the sharp
crs and the innoccnts alike. We
advertise gratuitou$ly every week,
when we should have the money
for it. The general public arc en-
;irely ignorant, probably VIC our
selves are not fully aware, OF tn"
extent to winch newspapers ar
burIened hy this insidious drain
upon their resources. 1t inslnu-
atcs itself in every conceivable
! form. Il does it through reports,
agents, correspondents, editors,
! business managers and proprletors,
and generally. too, with as much
disadvantage 10 the public as to
the press. There is not u business,
from the dispenser ofginger cakes
and cider TO the largest manifacto
j rv, which will, if you listen to il,
! cndeavor to convince you that 1t
, is your duty to the public to do so.
There is not an aspirant for public
s,ation-and when | contemplate
the number Of these, experience
an overwhelming sense Of comm!n-
gled amazcment and diSyus.--from
constable to the Senate Of the Tn.
ion. who does not couscicntiously
believe it to be the imperative du-
ty Of the press--G;tily and weekly
TO speak with L pen Of telescope
power, Of his microscopic descrv-
ings. Even that army Of stroIlers,
which infest the country and the
people, us u sort Of visitation Of
providence for our iniquities, from
the strcct-corncr SELLER Of prize
candy or magic oil, to the operate
cmpressario, vii! expect you to
write an indefinite number Of cdi
torialS on a three square ADVERTISE
mcnt, inserted for five days chang
able daily without charge! We
are required to write up, urge up,
and put through every enterprise,
great or small, that seems to have
q possible connection with the
public. But we never hear of Il
share Of stock, or Of i dividend.
The Church, the State, commerce,
industry, art, invention and hum.
bug alike seem TO regard the press
as their servators, and to dc run
and sustain for their advantage.
There is line Of demarkation
in all these things between public
demand, public utility, newspaper
duty and individual gain. That
line should be defined, and held, as
it in reality is, the Dead Lins.-
Not letter, nor a space, nor =
figure. not comma, H.: . period,
nothing Of all the innumerable
particles that enter into the form
and structure Of a daily or week
ly newspaper. is there that its
picking up and putting down does
not cost cash money. Not rcvo-
luton Of the press, uot. u square
inch Of paper that. does not cost
something in cash. This should
be understood by the public. II
it is not its correlatite should be
practlccd by the press. l do not
mean that the press should aban-
don its position Of being the fore
most charitable institution in the
world. 1t should hold to that, for
its munhcicnt libcrality, after
purging itself Of n.nc-tenths Of the
daily swindles practiced upon it,
will exceed that Of any other buSi.
ness.
10 get rid Of this stupcndouS
, fraud Of gratuItous ADVERTISING,
| this cancer, c;Inkcr-cail it any
thing. provided you select an cpl.
tLct that will characterize it
strongly cnough-1 can prescribe
no other rule than this: Put vol
UNFAIRLY and without charge any
and everything into your paper
which you deem advantageous tc
:, it in being benifcial to tee public
/; All else excluded, being Of advan.
tagc 20 those who wish to make
money upon your capital aud en-
tcrprise. Hold your own space 4
its value. Fix your rates at ;
q fair price for your circulation, am
t adher to them. Fair dealing Wi
y accomplish more than foul, at al
times and everywhere. For be i
> known that the American press i
{. not a vampire, to be CONSTANT.
d sucking the life blood Of the pco
0 pie. II has a vastly higher mis-
sion-but it should also be know
that IL will not LONGER be made tn,