The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-01-07
The Dead Head Question .
From the New York New Era.

From the New York New Era.]
A great deal has been said by the
press about dead heads. We think
many of our contemporaries lose sigh,
Of the proposition upon which all their
remarks on this subject should be
bisel, which is--Wliat IS q deadhead I
The answer is simple one: he who
obtains, through importantly, some,
thing for nothing, whether a puff in q
newspaper, a railroad or steamboat
pass, or a theatre. concert or lecture
ticket. or any other :hing universally
paid Tor by decent people. Now, can
editors. because they receive many
complimentary tickets and passes, be
properly classed with the great army
Of deadheads- those contemptibly mean
creatures who are ever on the alert to
get something for nothing? We un-
hesitatingly and most empiIatically an
swcr, No! and do 80 On the ground
that every courtesy shown al editor,
in the way vt tickets and passes, is
paid for ut least ten times over in the
way OF editorial or other advertise.
Notwithstanding which would, in the
ordinary course Of business, cost the
parties who receive it about twenty
times the price OF the few tickets ther
hestow, generally with an air of grea,
liberality- and as though they were
comforting a special favor upon the cd.
itor, while all the time they expect a
Tip top notice before, and favorable
comment after their show" il per-
chance they run one, or numberIess
puifs of "our railroad" or "our line
OF steamboats," if connected with
either of the latter. Every editor in
the land would be richer in purse aud
more independent ia criticism il he
should pay his way wherever he goes,
and charge iull rates--so much per
line--for all puffs and notices. But
those who give complimentary tickets
arc too wise to allow such a course to
be adopted. They know that nine out
Df every ten editors they "oxtcnd the
csultesies OF the press" to, will, in their
good natured way, literally "pud" and
.hus advertise their various enterprises
they will for one or two dollars
worth of tickets devote q least five or
EN- dollars worth Of space to COM
reference to tue entertain
nent Of the "Spokeshave Dramatic
or BILLY Browns Burlesque
Buffers" or "Jerry Jenkins Lecture"
Or. Mile. g.song's Concert" and
not fail to send IN the
complimentaries." There is a class
II deadheads WHO ought tn be despised
)y every 0ne--a set Of sneaks who
themselves into the good graces
,f everybody connected with the shows,
ines OF travel, ETC.. and il they cannvt
)e deadbeads in any other way, pass
OFT as members of the
even going so far, many Of
hem, as to say they are editors OF such
md such paper. Every newspaper of :
character aud influence suffers more or :
ess from such vermin. No profess G
or business is more bcset by dead '
leads than the press, and probably the
GENE next In the list. Not a
week passes but an editor is solicited
o give this OF that enterprise a favor.
notice-one day a " few lines are 9
sked for in behalf Of "our church ri
he next, an amateur dramatic society
'ants q real nice notice, written in
our best style;" another day John
calls aud says he is about to
zen a gin mill The calls it u sample 4
pom aud would like a "bang up"
ud; then Rev. DR.. D.yasdust must :
ave his IN opened regularly
'cv. DR.. Mild desires r special mention
'ade OF his donation party ; Miss Flo
Flyaway drops In with \ prettily
'ritten personal notice personal notice
Nmpkins wants his wife adv