Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-09-25
fnE NTNTNT JOURNAL.
FROsTBURG. MD, SEPT. %, 1875.

'-1--.s.-.s .<@->.r'ss's.esa
With this number the fifth volume of
the JOURNAL. begins.
We concluded last week with inquiries
suggesting the prtb!bly large share Of this
paper in inspiring and developing the OK
listing spirit public and private improve
ment. This we repeat, may be more or
less, as judgment may decide and dlsposi-
ton award.
But whatever allowance in this regard
is made, if any, it becomes us to ask and
answer the qIcstion-whcthcr rcciprocally,
the p"pcr has been as generally, persist
emily and etiectually supported? Has that
sensitive parsonage, Everybody" been as
quick to commend as condemn? Has he
stood by it in good and evil rcport?" We
are free to say he has not performed h0if
his duty. His conception Of mutual inter
ests and objects, like his criticisms, arc
small and onc-sided. He has frequently
Comtorte1 his s,ingy soul with p!ous
Thanksgiving for the bcnedictions of a free
press though lie Outlines thinks he could
swec,pn it more to his taste, or make
it harder for his enemies to swallow.
To him the press is emnently free. AS
long as he can borrow from patient self
sacrificing neighbors, he has Il VOW register
ed on his sordid heart that he will owe no
publisher anything" He can generally af-
ford to speak his mind" about the utter
ancCs Of the press, but he is never able to
pay fer the privilege, at least not as long
as the neighbor tolcrates the fraud. A
country gentleman told us not long since
of neighhorlwho regularly walked two
miles to borrow. ours and other papers.
reasons. The trouble of search; the great
or difficulty Of getting them back, and the
mutual demand at the spare hours which
came to both at the same time, generally
found the oarner without his reading matter
The case is not is9 there are thous-
ands OF newspape1 who are best
described as ~ sponges"-"no,
that they lovethe Il less, but the tan
ner more" Tie consequence is they can't
take the paper because they must put their
money III booteather.
From some reliable data in our hands
we are enabled I'd ert that Ossr t'oo
Mousand people in I pwn of Frostburg
alone regularly read Ne JoUENAL with no
right whatever. We have the names of
several hundred persous who are perfectly
content TO appropriate our hard work and
continuous outlay and render no return.
We know this to be true we have both
seen and heard of it. And we know it 10
INDUCED by men who need to steal nothing
WHO are amply able to pay-whose abiil-
~ and interests make it their duty specially
to give 1t the very small aid it at best re-
qtIrea. Contracted with reference to any
desplcable to all who are enabled to feel it
as tie publisher does.
Then We have that smaller class Of PEG
pie who THE the paper but nerer pay for
it. These are generally caustic critics too.
Ii one party does Mt take it because he
docs MT like 1t, these do not pay tor it tux
he same conclusive reason. We have on
our books several names OF those VIII III
the business world calls good" who have
read our paper for four years for nothing,
Our reminders have gone time after time
urging them to square up but without
effect. OTHERS are in arrears for shorter
periods who never speak or care about it.
But there are some who can't avoid il
who tF't 2ay when they can make the
money. These have come and given their
explanations and the paper goes on pure
faith in the honesty which their conduct
indicates
Ofthe papers advertising support there
is but little complaint to make. a few
think 1T does not pay'-that newspaper
establishment in the town has not returns
sufficient to justify the outlay-lhat an in
stitution which regularly brings money
from longer distances than any other, to be
spent herG i'll the support of seven or eight
persons whom it maintains is not entitled
" encouragement. HIS SGtIlS anything
else but "business' view of the matter,
and business men are generally expected
not TO entertain them with reference to
anything but the newspaper.
Still there is another class behind this
those WHO send their job work to other
printing offices. This is often justified by
reasons OF owlish-looking economy. Be-
cause we cannot compete with tie cities it
seems TO pay them to send their money
where they never hear ii ii ..ga;ii---a sagac-
lty/Which, enjoyed and applied by custo-
Mers, would ruin any business in less than
month"; Yet this view is held and fol.
lowed by many men, most Of whom wear
spectacles for the special purpose Of seeing
beyond the end of their nose.
We have neither time nor space, nor
would it be proper here to reason about
the matter. We only design to show that
great many pcople in one way or another
are not sustaining the paper as they should
that they are tar, far behind their halt of
reciprocal du.y. Had we the support