The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-06-28
EAEsrnphis AvaIanche.l
a LITTLE PLAIN TALK.
ersssaians shoula read 1t.

l
Drafts in the names Of religious, be-
nevslent and charitable institutions are
always falling thick and fast about a
newspaper office. Other lines of busi-
ness are deemed worthy of getting value
received for their work, but newspa-
per, bless you, "must do it for nothing, .
bear the burdens of all sorts of societies,
OF every creed, kind and condition. The
young man who looks after the dollars
and cents of the avalanche, down in the
less intellectual but equally necessary
part of the building known as the count
ing-room, had caller.
We want notice of our lunch, !"
said she (for it was LADY,; '-please
write it out"
The young mathematical machine
turned from his figures and wrote out a
few lines, setting forth that the ladies
Of - church would give grand
lunch at No. - street, for the bene-
tit of the fresco work on the interior,
and would be happy to have all the pat
ronaye they could get at 90 cents per
head.
1T win cost you 50, madam" said
the young man.
"Whatl' cried the lady in expression.
of holy horror, ''you are not going to
charge a church, Where is the propri-
etorf"
The business manager stepped polite
ly up aud explained that there were 30
churches in Memphis, each with settled
habits of having lunches, fairs, and rallies,
to say nothing of the benevolent socie
ties, ETC., ed Ei6ia3m, with like chronic
attacks upon the public pockets, and
that no newspaper or individual could
De expected to give money to all these
affairs.
Money!" again cried the astonished
ished lady. 81 don't ask you for money!
| only ask you to print this.
The B. M. tried to explain how the
two were, as it were, synonymous.
About forty people, including the car
riers, are connected with the A ralaache,"
he said blandly, ''and they have sin
gular way of expecting their pay prompt
Iy, SO that they and their dependents
may be provided with food, clothing,
and shelter. It's sad, but nevertheless
true, he added, with melancholy smile.
Then there are such things rs rent,
light, fuel, paper, telegraph news, ma
chiRery, postage, stationerr, and
taxes, repairs, etc., al iafnifu.ii, to be
provided for. 1t costs no less than
81, 200 week to run the Ardianchs,
madam. Just think of it, $500 day.
Now if we were to do all this kind of
work for nothing, there. would be no
AvaLrnche, or none worthy of the name,
and is proprietors would be left with
an immense bag to hold.
The lady was indignant, and scorned
SO base paper, and 50 base man she
would take her patronage elsewhere; she
left. Ii she were the only begging lady
who came, that business manager. would
look less like the father of twelve chill.
dren, and a victim of six mother-in-laus'
prOverhlal attentions, but they como In
troops; they want notices for this thing
and that, their friends are getting up
some sort of benefit show and must be
advertised gratis, as it would not be a
success without the newspapers, you
know; their society wants to meet to-
talk over sending fannels to the poIr
orphans at the Fiji Islands. and it must
no announced. These ladies' are not
alone in these methods. Business men,
who ought to know from their own hab-
its of never running their own business
to bel p on everybody's project, join this
class. In some it may be pure thought
lessness. If so, let these few remarks
come like the dawning sun upon their
intelligence. These impositions upon
newspaper amount in q year to many
thousands of dollars. Men, women and
children seem to think that every mat
ter of interest to them should be venti-
lated, free of charge, because their neigh
bors take the paper and they OCCASION
ally condescend to borrow it. People
who are always trying to get things
squeezed into print without paying for
them rarely buy a paper or advertise.
If few of the philanthropists, at the
other peoples expense, and the benevo-
lent hands, with other peoples money,
would only show a willingness to divide
the thing by half the time going into
their own purse instead of that of the
public, it would seem more lovely about
here. The Avalanche does not feel its
sphere of duty to embrace assistance in
supporting every religious or benevolent
society. 1t would respectfully ask to
be treated as are other business con-
Germs, with the assurance that it will
endeavor to do its best in return.