Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-05-01
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING, HAT I, 1875.
HOW DO THEY LIvE9

four or HNe newspapers eon pS o"S
tanned" in town manifesting no more
enterprise than does Olympia at the
present time. We admit that the ques-
ton is a poser to those whe have given
the matter little thought, but now that
the subject is chosen for our leading
topic in this issue, we shall lift the cur
tain far enough to allow the public to
form some idea of the vicissitudes OF
publishers life in the quiet town OF
classic name, and at one time of great
expectations.
The secret of success in this, as in
other enterprises, is to live within the
income realized, to reduce expenses to
the minimum, and make the most OF
such patronage as may be presented.
IL is, in fact, business which rivals
the fine arts in the difficulties which en-
viron it and the precision with which its
details must be managed. The conduc.
tor of " country" newspaper must be
not only economical, prudent and far
sighted, but he must combine with them
q versatility of talent as peculiar as it is
rare. He must be able to present
journal, by his unaided exertions, which
will compare, in. some respects ct least,
with those which maintain corps OF ed
itors and reporters and are able to en-
ploy all the labor-saving aids used in
gathering, preparing and disseminat-
ing the current news. His labors are
more arduous than those of the chief
of either department of city journal,
while his compensation is but a 1.-THE of
the wages paid writer's of ordinary abil-
ity in wider fields OF journalism. These
views may appear to SAVIOR of egotism,
but they are acknowledged to be true
by those whose experience has qualified
them to express an intelligent opinion
upon the subject. 1t has been con-
ceded by newspaper men that the high
est range of talent is required to pub
lish journal which does not possess
enough local patronage to sustain it.
The Olympia press has possessed quite
an aid in the Government patronage,
which has been distributed here as the
Capital of the Territory. The fat" of
the public printing has afforded the
means of a lucrative livelihood for Ad-
ministration journals, but of the $780,
600 disbursed for that service dur
ing the past twenty-five years, the
general trade of Olympia received nearly
the whole benefit. This is but one Of
the means by which the press has ben
Gifted the business of the town. Thou
sands OF dollars are paid annually for
advertising by parties in the Atlantic
States and on this Coast from outside
the Territory, every cent Of which con-
tributes just that much to the local
trade. The information may surprise
some of our citizens that the advertise
ments of the Kentucky Library Gift
Enterprise, continued for period of
three or four months, Melted the Olym-
pia publishers larger sum than the
combined mercantile patronage of the
town for the whole year! Yet it is true,
and We have several other contracts
which show equally surprising results.
II may be that the Olympia publishers
are unfortunate in this respect, and
the same rule viii not hold good in other
places, but it will be borne in mind
that our theme relates especially to our
companions in misfortune, and it would
be unjust to measure their grain in
anybody else's half-bushel. -...
The advertising patronage of Seattle
is said 70 be considerably over 90, 900
per annum, divided between two pa
pers. while that of Olympia will scarcely
foot up one-tenth that amount, distrib-
uted among FIVE. The merchants OF
Steilacoom, Port Townsend and Van
couver, make better showing, and
their patronage Of newspapers indicates
a steady and healthful growth of bust
ness prosperity. Take the advertising
pages of either of these newspapers, as
q faithful representation of the local
business. and compare them with those
of Olympia journals, and who that is
seeking home in a strange country
would give the preference to the latter ?
One would be almost compelled to be-
iieve that we have no hotels, no bank,
no livery stables, no telegraph or ex-
press offices, no lawyers, a single doc
tor. no bakeries, and very few other
business interests. This showing does