The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-03-26
The Journalistic Gold Mine.
Nashville Arnerica,1

The Journalistic Gold Mine.
Nashville American
In the course of his remarks in
tie Senate yesterday, touching pro-
posals for adjustment Of the State
debt, Col. Savage remarked, substan-
italy, that "the journalism Of the
country was interested 10 perpetual
ting the discussion of this State
debt questien--that it was a perfect
gold mine to the newspapers" The
venerable Senator will pardon us if
we venture to give him the benefit
of newspaper experience, in This
matter, aud set him right. To b s
credit it may be said that it has not
been his habit TO assume to know
more about the inside operations of
the newspaper business than those
engaged in it. We can assure him
that no commercial enterprise in the
State can have a greater interest in
the satisfactory and permanent and
Just settlement of the State debt
than legitimate newspaper enter
prise. Il has everything to gain
nothing o lose from the commercial
stability which must result from the
removal of the question Of finances
from the arena of party politics. 1t
is source of political cOmmotion,
lashing society into sea of trouble,
upon The surface Of which only light
weight politicians can float, while
distracting the attention Of the peo-
pie from industrial enterprise. and
seriously interfering with a mercau-
tile prosperity largely dependent
upon the maintenance eff credit.
The mercantile cIasa, which bears.
tho small propOtion Of the burden +
taxation, is interested in every
body's paying their deb's-including
the State, who expense thea share.
The agricultural classes, whether
they know it or not, have every in
terest in maintaining the public
credit, that private credit may be
sustained in sympathy, to the az pre-
citation Of land, and to facilitate the
supply Of capital with which to till
them properly.
The newspaper thrives best in pc.
RODS of great commercial aud indus
trial activity. It's ''gold mine"
in other States, is-population.
The unsettled condition of Tennes.
sees debt-its impaired credit and
that gifts business and workingpee
Pile, retared the accession of popu.
lation. anG drives many of the most
energetic of its natives to healthier
Now, the Senator
further intimated it was one element
Of senatorial sagacity to know that
5he newspaper did not publish
.hings-for nothing. Assuredly
not. To quote Mr.. Wilkins Micaw-
Der: Liabilities. two pounds, no
and sixpence assets, no
and no pence. Result
We may not quote
Mr.M. literally, but the illustrtion
will suffice. The newspaper deals in
be commodity of news 1t is not
I'll the stump speeches that can
be classed in this catego-
y. In its own protection the news .
PAPER must charge for the space
his sort of literature, not embraced
n the category, occupies. 1t never
'harges the merchants or mechanic
" farmer, who are ingaged in the |
of something more dura-
lie than eIoquence. the space it sells
not all clear profit. It must paw |
he type-setter who puts this elo-
.uence in type. 1t must pay the
'aper maker, the ink-maker and the
ditor who translates the uncertain
Typography and redeems the ortho.
5raphy from obseurity. In all sober.
ess and sincerity, 1 would much
refer to sell but limited proportion
t this space. The vital principle
f newspaper success-its gold
the Senators please-is circu.
alton. The public will not buy pa.
ers all ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
r political-and little news. The
eWspaper which makes the sale of
9 space its ruling principal of bust
ess and not its circulation through
ne variety and attraetiveness of it's
olumns, is foredoomed to failure
oener or later. This is an axiom
ell demonstrated by that inexorable
ut just neutrality-suspicious.. The
lccessfol newspaper has every in
crest in the maintenance of its own
edit and that of everybody else,
the governments, State,
'pnty and municipal. The very
'ul Of its success in the cash
the end that credit be
ot impaired even by a suspicious
'eath. The golden rule of its gold
.