The New York herald., 1876-11-04
Tho Newsmen Accepting tho situa-
ton.


Those misguided newsdealers who were
led for time into factious resistance to
public sentiment are gradually abandoning
their position and beginning to act moro in
accordance with the dictates of common
sense. Their prime error was in assuming
o false premise, the natural consequence
being the fallacy of their whole argument.
They assumed that the chief function of
great newspaper is to support o class of
middlemen, and upon this assumption they
based good deal of specious reasoning in
behalf Of larger percentage of profit. In
reality middlemen are not at all included
among the purposes for which q newspaper
is designed and conducted. They do not
enter anywhere into the problem as an es-
sential feature, but only as a convenience.
Recognizing their usefulness in their proper
sphere the HERALD, to which more than any
other cause they owe their existence, has
permitted them to derive profit from its
large circulation, always regarding them as
convenient, but never believing them neces-
sary. When, in recognition of the eco
nomical tendency of the times, the HERALD
reduced the price of its issues from four to
three cents it SO far consulted the interests
of the newsdealers as to allow them profit
of one-sixth, or nearly twenty per cent on
their sales, correctly calculating that the
increase of the demand would make this not
only reasonable but even a liberal allow
ance. Compared with the enormous cost
of production it is certainly a generous
profit. The production of single issue
of the HERALD involves an immense
outlay of money. Great quantities of
raw material are required, the most
expensive machinery is necessary, an
army of men must be employed, the
whole world must be ransacked for news by
host of trained news gatherers, and the tele-
graph must be constantly in use, not only
from all parts of the United States, but from
various sections Of the two continents and
from every point in Europe. In all this the
newsdealers bear no share of the labor, risk
or expense. They merely carry stated
number of papers over regular routes,
getting for this simple service one-sixth of
the whole price of the article which it has
cost the producers 80 much to put upon the
market. The small dealers may not have
reasoned from this standpoint when they re-
fused to join the idle protests of the faction,
but their argument pointed to the same con-
clusion. The result has amply vindicated
their wisdom, and to their promptness and
energy they owe the benefits derived from an
increased and increasing sale of the HERALD
at the low price.
While we lament the necessity which has
led us to refer so frequently to the policy of
the HERALD in this matter we disclaim all
suspicion of egotism. The conflict has been
between the newsmen and the public. and
we have endeavored, rs far as possible,
simply to reflect the sentiment of the latter.
The presumption of the faction which at
tempted to dictate to the public through the
HERALD has been fitly rebuked, and we con-
gratulate both the public and the unofend-
ing and sagacious body of small newsdeal-
ers that they have adjusted matters SO
amicably for themselves and so profitably
to each other.