The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-13
The cost Of rublI.hing newspapers.

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Baltimore Sun.
The recent advancein the price Of print
ing paper has given great anxiety to all
newspapers with limited and fluctuating
sources OF income. Journals which are
newly started, which have only narrow
and special resources upon which to draw,
which depend upon the adventitous and
uncertain income derived from Solicit
ing" from party patronage, from the sup
port OF particular sects, trades or profess
ions, necessarily fell the pressure OF any
such increase in their working ex-
penses. Journalism Is far more costly at
the present time than ever before in its
history, and the greater part of the ex-
penses are such that they cannot be cur.
tailed. A newspaper must have the news,
at no matter what cost, or the public will
not have 1t. The news comes from quarters
which were in the old times n ever drawn
upon. All the world sends information OF
value to the public, and all the world
makes the newspaper pay tribute for the
news. The telegraphic service, correspond
ence from the four quarters OF the globe;
the busy pens Of ready writers everywhere
none OF these can be dispensed with,
and all must be paid. What with the
greater and stronger staff needed, the larg.
er amount and higher price OF material
consumed, it costs to-day, without regard
to the difference in the price Of paper,
probably ten times as much TO issue an
edition Of first-class newspaper as 1t did
twenty years ago. This makesthe margin Of
profit smaller, while at the same time the
publishers business, when stable at all, is
proportionately so much greater than 1t
used TO be that he Is probable more than
recouped for the difference. But this is
only the case with the solid and well es-
tablished journals, and hence the anxiety
manifest all over the country in newspa-
pers Of the classes previously described to
fortiiy themselves by increasing their sub
scription rates. The business of publish.
ing, honorable and responsible as 1t Is, Is
still OF too harassing and laborious char
acter TO be undertaken from pure love OF
the thing. II 1t does not pay, men are
easily tempted to get out OF 1t into less ar.
duous and fatiguing pursuits. 1t is to be
feared that II present rates are long main
tanned in the cost OF materials, good
many publishers, both OF the city and
country press, will not think 1t worth their
while TO continue business. This will be a
serious loss to the country, which Is much
better served by local newspapers than 1t
conceiyesoi, though 1t would quickly come
to realize the value and benefits o. this
service, II deprived OF 1t. Established
journals, and those whose resources are
not contingent ana variable, IKE the alter;
nations oil cloud and sunshine, are Of
course not troubled by these anxieties and
approximations. The business is on an even
and stable basis, and their conductors
know that the prices which are too high
today vii! be lower tomorrow. But In
the meantime a great many very useful
newspapers may be swallowed II the cost
OF material continues TO advance, not from
any fault or misconduct Of their managers,
but simply because, in the fluctuations Of
prices, their profits have been destroyed
INWah NNNNH