The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-01-10


The price Of paper has nearly doubled
the past three months, aud those pablish.
ers who reduced thoir subscription rates
recently are perplcxed 70 keep expenses
paid To keep aaoat and save themselves
from loss, inferior paper has to DO used,
aud even with il, those who charge from
one dollar to one dollar aud half year,
according to size, are making but little
above the cost of paper and ink, without
counting the cost Of type.setting, correct
ing and printing and the labor of editing,
aud are constantly beseechiug their sub
scribers to settle their bills.
1t requires good type, good ink and good
press-work TO make a paper look well on
the cheap papers, made of wood and straw,
and upon the appearance of a paper much
depends its success. An article 10 neat,
well printed journal, printed on iiue white
paper, really reads better than 10 one badly
arranged and worse printed, and more peO-
pie viii read it. Those Publishers who
formerly used good white paper, and now
have to use inferior 10 order 70 avert loss,
viii realize these things also, aud, notwith-
standing the reduction of price, will lose
subscribers, and as they diminish adyer-
Using patronage win fall of
In 1868, the ADVOCATE was issued at
a dollar and half year, and its size at
that time warranted its publication at that
price. In the fall Of that year ii was en-
largsd and its price increased to two dol
lars per annum. It has been enlarged
twice since, but by reason of its increased
circulation no further advance 10 price was
necessary. 1t is as large now as any
county weekly IN the State, and uses a
better paper than any other newspaper In
Maryland. In consequence Of this it is
large enough to contain oil matters ofpub-
lie importance and is always neat in ap-
pearance, attractive and easily read.
Publishers do not aim to make much
profit on their circulation, but the pub-
Usher who prints paper the size of the
ADVOCATE, printed with good ink on good
white paper, is losing money If he charges
only s1,50 year for il.
The Paper Journal, published in New
York, speaking of the advance in cost of
paper, says;
The cost Of white paper continues to in.
crease, and there is positively no knowing
how much higher prices will advance the
next few months. The market is in such a
feyerish condition that paper. makers abso-
lutely refuse to hll large orders al any price.
We know Of one Western concern, which uses
large quantities of paper every week and which
has bad an agent scurrying all over the East
ern States, trying to get the mills TO ill heavy
orders from his establishment The agent
reports that ''there is not n ghost OF q chance
to buy even a carload anywhere atany price,"
| that the mills have orders ahead from two to
| four months, and that "little chance exists
for anything but a further advance Whist
those publishers are going to do who lowered
their subscriphonprice when paper was cheap,
is matter Of conjecture.
The pressure Of the advance in prices has
already been so heavy that in several in
stances which have come TO our knowledge
papers have been compelled TO issue half
sheets in order to live; and many other pub
fishers whose paper-stock is becoming ex.
hansted will find, when they attempt to buy a
fresh supply, that they will be obliged to pay
heavy advance on former rates, and be
thankful even than that they can get their
orders filed.