The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-08-21

One who knows all about our cares,
trials, hopes. dissppointments and
grievances, has put them so pertinent.
ly into shape, that we lay the paper
before our readers for their edifca-
ton and Improvement 1t may prove
as a mirror where certain persons
may possibly see themselves az oh.
ers see them.
Many long and weary years, says
be, have forced the conclusion upon
as that the newspaper patronage ia
a word Of many definitions, and that
q great majority of mankind are eth.
er ignorant of the correct definition
or are dishonest in Q strict biblical
sense of the word. Newspaper pat.
ronage is composed of as many col.
ors as q rainbow, and is as change.
able as the chameleon.
One man comes iE and subscribes
for q paper and pays for it in ad-
vance, and goes home and reads it
with the profound satisfaction that it
is his. lie hands in his advertis-
ment, asks The price, pays for it and
goes to mis- place of business aud
reaps the advantage thereof. Anoth.
er man says you may put my name
on your books. and goes of without
saying q word about the pay. Time
passes on and you a your money,
and want him to pay you what is
honestly due. He flies into q pas
sion, perhaps pays, perhaps not, and
orders his paper stopped.
Another man brings in a fifty cent
advertisement, end wants a two dol
lar notice given it, and if you refuse
be goes off mad. And this is called
newspaper patronage.
Another man lives near you-he
does not take the paper-he didn't
like the editor-Lhe paper don't ex-
actlv suit him-yet he goes regularly
to his neighbor and borrows it, and
quarrels with the opinions of the ed
itor. Occasionally he sees an article
he likes; he begs or gives a half dime
for the number. This is called news
paper patronage.
Another man likes the paper and
takes a copy for his family, and pays
for it, and does oil be can to get sub
scribers /; he rarely grumbles and
generally has a cheerful word for the
editor. If any little item of Interest
occurs in the neighborbood. he in
forms the editor. This is newspaper
patronage.
Another man has a patent aud
wants you to give it a two dollar NO.
tice every week it will be of interest
TO your readers, he says, but although
knowing that it will benefit him most
of all, be does not offer to pay for il.
This is called newspaper patronage.
Another man has taken the paper
for several years, bat has not paid
for it, and comes in with q four or
five dollar .isement and asks
you to insert it for nothing, because
he is an old patron of yours. This
is called newspaper patronage.
Another mana young man
about town"-no use Of taking a pa
per, knows all there is going on. By
and by be gets married, aud hands
in notice with 'just give d dozen
copies" lie gets them, and when
you mention pay, looks surprised
you surely don't charge for such a
thing!" And this is called newspa-
per patronage.
Now isn't newspaper patronage q
curious thing And in that great
day when the gentleman in black
gets his dues, as he surely will, how
many of the patrons enumerated
above will fall to his share? Now
it will be seen that whsle certain
kinds of patronage are the very life
and e~xistense of q newspaper, there
are other kinds Of patronage that are
more destructive than the deadly
night shade.