Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-09-15
Theuel,ts Abovt ths Nswspapsr Bssisess.


tain New York weoklies that are published
at only one dollar per year. This is by
some individuals who have the bad habit
Of jumping at conclusions and Of forming
opinions without good and sufficient rea-
sons therefor.
Now, the truth VI the business 10 just
this If we had IOO, 900, 5000, $1,000, or
even 5000 cash paying subscribers, We
could then afford to purchase q rotary
press and steam engine and publish our
paper at one dollar per year. II We had
an advertising patronage sufficiently large
to make the amount received for subecrip-
tons Of secondary Importance we could
reduce our terms. IL we could use the
matter that goes TO make up our paper for
n daily edition a. we'll rs a weekly, thus
making the labor upon the weekly merely
nominal, we conld very we'll come down
one half in our subscription price. II We
had any hopes Of getting over twenty-five
hundred subscribers by changing our rates
we might give serious thought TO the
change. If every man who authorizes rs
to put his name on our books would pay
us the cash down; " We had n power press
costing $500, and cheap labor, plenty of
job work and good fat advertisements
In short, II We had all those things that
we would not or could not get, we would
reduce tho price of the paper from two
dollars TO one But a. long ~ it requires
the labor Of two hands two days in each
week to work off the paper, and two or
three more to mail it; as long a. We are
requested to wait until the fall or winter
for our subscriptions as long rs merchants
and everybody else send to Shreveport,
st. Louis and New Orleans for their job
work; M long as the merchants don't adj
Yertise, and until we raise $500 to buy q
power press and $3.50 for Q steam engine,
while we have to depend on chance for
much Of our labor we will have to hold
on to the old terms and barely save our
selves at that
When publishers cease advertising for
any and everybody who may write to
them at the rate Of one cent per line for
locals and one mill for standing adyer-
tisements; when publishers learn that if
they advertise organs, pianos and sewing
machines to he paid for By due bills, that
the cash they must pay with the due bill
is about tho actual value Of the article
advertised, then there is some hope that
money may be made by the newspaper
business.
IL is n shame to think how newspaper
men-country publishers we mean-givc
themselves away. We know papers in
this state that have Published locals at the
rate of one cent per liHe, and that have adj
vertiscd pianos and have paid for the
privilege Of so advertising. It is true,
and it's pity that it is true, that in the
South publishers, as n class, either have
or seem to have less business capacity than
any others.
There are many who have sold them
selves outright to c. y. Rowcll 4 Go. II
not so how could this firm propose to al
vertise in thousands Of papers at rates
that will not pay for the ink and labor
The truth is that our space is always
in demand, and would bring us hand
some and not unreasonable price if We
would act with half the independence OF
the farmer when he sells his corn, OF the
drover when he sells his mules. But fear
ing that We won't get it at oil we are in
the habit of letting other men price our
work
If We would only keep n stih upper Lip
wc wonli bring advertisers 10 n sense OF
what il fair and honest between man and
man. Even those cormorants, the adver-
Using agents, could be brought down from
their high aud mighty position.
When We began the publication of this
paper Rowell & Chcsman enclosed us eight
inches Of copy with ord,rs 10 insert AT
abont one twelfth our rates. We refused
stating our terms. They gradually in
creased, until after nine letters, each on,
raising their bid and containing offers in
stead of orders, they proposed finally to
give us about half the worth of the work
There is no concert of action among
publishers, and we doubt if any can be
had. There are thousands Of manufac
turers who ore getting all their country
advertising done for nothing, by the due
bill -windle: not a swindle either, for a
publisher need not accept unless he wish