The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-01-21
The Dead Head Question

There has lately been great deal said
by the press about deadheads We think
many of our contemporaries entirely
lose sight OF the proposition upon which
all their remarks on this subject should
be based, which is-What is dead-head?
The answer is a simple one: he who OBJ
tains, through importantly, something for
nothing, whether puff in newspaper,
railroad or steamboat pass, or theatre,
concert or lecture ticket, or any other
thing universally paid for by decent peo-
pie Now can editors, because they re
ceive 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 nothang? We unhesi-
tatingly and most emphatically answer,
Mo- and do SO on the ground that every
courtesy shown an editor, in the way of
tickets and passes, is paid for at least ten
times over in the way of editorial or
other advertisement-adve which
would, in the ordinary course of business,
cost the parties who receive 1t about
twenty times the price of the few tickets
they bestow, generally with an air of
great liberality and as though they were
comforting special favor upon the editor,
whilo-aff- tlIea atiIne they expect "tip-top
notice" before, and favoE&hle comn1eat
.aft1E their show" if perchance7 they run
one, or numberless puffs of "our railroad, y
or "our line of steamboats, if connected
with either of the latter Every editor
in the land would be richer in purse and
more independent in criticism if he
should pay his way wherever he goes,
and charge full rates-so much per line
for all puffs and notices. But those who
give complimentary tickets are too wise
to allow such course to be adopted.
They know that nine out of every ten
editors they "extend the couFtesies of the
press" to, will in their good natured way,
literally puff and thus advertise their
various enterprises-that they will for
one or two dollars worth of tickets de
vote at least five or ten dollars worth OF
space to commendatory reference to the
entertainment of the "Spokeshave ORA
matte Club" or "Billy Browns Burlesque
Buffers or Jerry Jenkins Lecture, or
"Mdle. Sing-song's Concert and conse-
ouently not fail to send in the "compli-
mentaries." There is class of dead
heads who ought to be despised by every
one-a set of sneaks who worm them
selves into the good graces of everybody
connected with shows, lines of travel
ETC., and if they cannot be deadheads in
any other way, pass themselves Oft as
"members of the press, even going sc
editors of such and such paper Every
newspaper of character and influence
suffers more or less from such vermin
No profession or business is more beset
by deadheads than the press and proba
bly, the theaters come next In the list
Not week passes but an editor is solie
tied to give this or that enterprise ia
yorable notice-one day "few lines are
asked for in behalf of ''our church," the
next an amateur dramatic society want;
''real nice notice. written in your best
style;" another day John Smith calls anc
says he is about to open gin mill Che
calls it sample room) and would like ;
"bang up" puff; then Rev. DR.. Dryasdus
must have his sermons opened regularly
Rev. Dr. Mild desires special mentor
made of his donation party; Miss Flort
Flvaway drops in the prettily writer
personal notice; Srm Simpkins wants hi
wife advertised because she has cleft hi
bed and board;" and last, on publication
day, when you are extra busy and havt
not moment to spare, In pops the fel
low who bores you, in spite of all you
gentle hints" for half an hour or more
with his patent apparatus for taking th'
stings out of bees, and which he woulC
like to have noticed to the extent of hal
column, because it is of general use t.
the public" Then there is that class o
deadheads with which the most of th
country press is afflicted, composed o
non-paying subscribers, vast army o
deadbeats of the first water, who subscribe
for every paper. which will put thei
name on its list without pay, and the.
never mean to pay. There should be
radical reformation in this matter; thu
sooner it is accomplished the better i
will be for the press, and we will call upor
hra n n II U
ors to squelch the deadheads.-Ne10Y Yorl