Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-08-31
Nessspaper Patronage.

A cOtempOrary prepares the fol-
lowing mirror, in which his pat
rons can "see themselves reflected"
Many long and weary years of
experience in the publishing bust
ness have forced theconviction upon
us that newspaper patronage is a
word Of many definitions, and that
great majority of mankind are either
ignorant of the correct definition on
are dishonest in a strict biblical
sense OF the word. Newspaper
patronage is composed of as many
colOrs as the rainbow, and is as
changeable as a chameleon.
One man comes in and subscribes
for the paper and pays for it in adj
vance, and goes home and reads it
with proud satisfaction. He hands
in his advertisements, asks the price,
pays for it, goes to his place of bust
ness and reaps the benefit thereof.
Another man says, "You may
put my name ON your books and
goes off without saying one word
about pay. Time passes on, and
you ask him to pay what is honestly
due you. This is called newspaper
patronage.
Another man has been a subscri-
Der a long time, but has never paid
a cent, and wants a change. He
thinks he wants city paper. He
tells the postmaster he don't
want it, and you'll get a paper
marked refused" But does he
call and pay? Oh, no! he want his
money to pay for his city paper.
| He will pay you after a while, he
says. But he never does unless you
sue him. And this they call pat
rOnage.
Another man brings in a fifty
cent advertisement and wants
a two dollar notice given it, and
| if you refuse he goes off mad. And
this is called newspaper patronage.
Another man lives near yOu-he
does not take the paper-he don't
like the editOr-the paper is too
small for him-yet he goes to his
neighbOrs and reads it and finds
fault with it, and the opinions of the
editor. Occasionally he sees an ar
ticle that he likes and begs or gives
half a dime for the number. This
is also called newspaper patronage.
Another man takes two or three
city papers and cannot afford to
take home paper, but he likes. it
and comes into the Office and begs
one whenever he is in town. This
is also called newspaper patronage.
Another man has a patent and
wants you to give it a two dol
lar notice every week: at Will be
of interest to your readers, he says
but although knowing it will bene.
fit him most of all, he does not Offer
to pay for it. This is called news.
paper patronage.
Another man has taken the pa.
per several years, but has not payeC
for it, and comes in with a four dol
lar advertisement, and asks you tC
insert it for nothing because he is
an old patron of yours. This is
also called newspaper patronage.
Another mania young man
about town''-no use of his taking
a paper, he knows all that is going
, on. By-and-by he gets married anC
hands in the notice with 'just senC
me Il dozen copies" He gets them
and when you mention pay, look
surpriSed-''yOusurely do not charge
for such things ~ And this il
, called newspaper patronage.
Another man (bless you, it doe
us good to see such men) comes il
and says, "The year for which
paid is about to expire; want t.
pay for another" He does so anC
retires. This is newspaper patron
age.
Now isn't newspaper patronage
J curious thing? And in that grea
day when the Gentleman in Blacl
gets his dues, as he surely will, how
, many of the patrons enumerated
above will fall to his share? Nov
= it will be seen that while certain
, kinds of patronage are the life O
, a newspaper, there are other kind
of patronage that are more destruC
tive than the "deadly night-shade.
. Reader, where do you stand?