Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-11-28
NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION NORTH
AND SOUTH.

The Nashville Banner, under this
head, expresses 1.-The truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. ~
Read II:
Surprise is sometimes expressed
why Journalism should be more re-
munerative in the Northern States
than in those of the South. And yet
it is an enigma easy of solution when
we take the trouble to analyze it. 1t
is not wholly because of the prepon-
derance of population In the one Sec
ton over the other. Given to COM
munities, one in the North and the
other in the South, of equal popula-
ton, and in the former the daily or
weekly newspaper will flourish, where
the latter languishes, or at least drags
out precarlOus existence, 1t is. to
be attributed, in great measure, to
education and habit In the Northern
city, town or village, there are more
readers-or, what is even more ad-
vantageous to the publisher-there are
more subscribers and purchasers OF
newspapers than in the Southern city,
town or village of equal population
That is, there are fewer borrowers of
newspapers in the former. In almost
any important Northern city, even the
poorest inhabitants are subscribers to
newspapers. 1t is no uncommon thing
to see the shoe black seated on curb
stone OF cellar door. reading his otca
paper, or the day laborer on the street
car OF ferry boat, takes from his pocket
his morning or evening daily, paid for
with his own money There are no
newspapers, even in the reading-rooms
of hotels. 1t is only foreign papers
that are placed on file for the accom-
mediation of guests-they are expected
to buy the local papers of the news
boys or hotel walters, or at the news
stands. The habit of borrowing news
papers would be regarded as outre as
borrowing a toothpick or a pocket
comb. Consequently Northern papers
are cheaper than Southern papers, be-
cause of the larger circulation. Hence,
we see three cent, and even two cent
newspapers, prospecting in certain COM
munities, where, in others, papers sold
at FIVE and ten cents per copy, are
barely able to meet current expenses.
There are small villages in the South
where single daily newspaper is read,
perhaps, By almost the entire male
portion of that community. In South
ern cities, even, there are scores of
people who get their daily news as
lunch punishers get their square meals.
i. e., thrown in with the drink, which
they purchase on long time, or obtain,
through the liberality of some freer-
handed acquaintance who stands
treat" There are numbers of able
bodied fellow-creatures who get their
daily intellectual pabulum and tele-
graphic news free at barber-shops and
in beer saloons, and there have been
instances where borrowers would even
borrow a paper from a newsboy to
read only the Geographic head lines,
and return it without even thanks for
the time wasted
A newspaper can hardly be published
in any community without benefit to |
every individual member of that COM
munity. If it is not intellectually
beneficial to the readers, it is material
ly beneficial to the town, as its repre-
sentative and spokesman abroad-the
apt and brief chronicler Of its COM
merce aud progress. In like manner
the commonwealth at large derives
benefit from the foreign and home cir
culation Of its representative leading |
II is to the interest of
every inhabitant that il should thrive
and prosper. No more accurate baro- |
meter is furnished of the material, /
commercial and intellectual progress of /
a State, or of its cities and towns than
these daily or weekly messengers. 1t
is hort-sighted economy to begin a
reduction of expenditures with the
cutting of of the Insignificant annual
outlay of ones newspaper subscription.
The individual or family must be poor
indeed that cannot afford TO take
A town, a city or State
are judged by the appearance of their
newspapers. People who have never
seen the town, city or State, may see
heir newspapers. Indeed they gen.
rally see them first, and judge of the
character of their places Of publica-
ion accordingly And if Southern
do not present as healthful
in appearance as their Northern con-
the cause is to be attri-
,uted, IN great measure, to the noble
,rpv ~ naxsoapar horrOuars