The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-03-17

with matters Of a purely personal or busi'
ness nature. but recent unjust criticisms o.
the part of few of our Stats exchanges.
prompt the endeavor to set ourselves right
before them and all our brethren Of the
press. The papers referred to undertake to
instruct the proprietors of THRCLARIos a.
to their methods of carrying on their bust
ness, and declare, in substance, that to the
extent we are increasing our business
throughout the State, we are s'crippling the
local press and. that such is our manifest
purpose etc. We would feel like retiring
from the field Of journalism If assured that
such an ill-natured and unwaTrcnted orin-
ion were generally entertained of Us by our
press brethren Of Mississippi. We are con-
scious that we do not deserve it, and while re-
GREETING that there are two or three of our
contemporaries who never see any thing good
in THE CLARION, and who take every OPP
portunity to speak unkindly of our estab-
lishment, yet We propose to go along in the
even tenor of our way, wishing them no evil,
but abundant success in their labOrs to help
themselves and serve the people.
The particular journals referred to IN
dertake to lay down the rule that because a
member of our firm happens to be State
Printer, The CLARION must not seek after
any kind of printing public or private
that could possibly be done by any other
printing office in the State. Last year We
notified tax assessors that we would furnish
them the lists required to be distributed to
g., fA1..-o,,1
higher than proposed by another Office in
this city, and by Offices in Nashville and
St. Louis. For this, we were assailed, but
it was all right to let such work go to other
States. Now, the particular occasion of
complaint is, that We have, by postal card,
and through our columns, presumed to notify
merchants throughout the State that we have
so amended our Merchants Deed of
Trust" as to conform to recent decision of
the Supreme Court in reference to the price
of supplies to be agreed upon when deed is
executed. 1t is charged that we are thus
seeking monopoly of that kind of bust
ness, and that we are offering the blanks at
a price with which no local office can possi-
bly, compete. Now, it so happens that this
Deed of Trust is a blank that we have adj
vertised annually and persistently since
1868, and it would not be exaggeration to
say that We have sold fifty reams of the
same to this date. 1t was prepared for us
by II. S. Allen, Esq, of Lexington, and has
been amended from time to time on sup-
gestions from merchants, planters and
chancery clerks, until now it is as perfect as
such an instrument can we'll be made. We
have made this blank speciality, notwith-
standing the fact that some of our brethren
seem to think That it is new creation,
gotten up to control and gobble all the
supply business
As to the price-$200 per hundred for
two-page blank-all we have to say is, that
it affords any publisher, whether he prints
a few hundred or few thousand, a very
fair profit on his LABOR and material, There
are $50 of these blanks in a ream, and any
printer can make for himself the calcula.
ton of cost and profit.
The proprietors of THE CLARION have
been ambitious, for years, to build up a
large and well-equipped publishing house,
so that the thousands of dollars annually
sent from our State for printing and binding
of all kinds, may be retained at home,
useful and profitable employment
to our people. The printing of
the Code last summer, enabled us
to employ twenty extra persons for
four MONTHS one-half of whom were Mis-
sissippi ladies who seldom have such oppor-
tunity for appropriate occupation. The
publication of Claiborne's History also gave
to a considerable force, and on
the production of that work, we have the
of the well.k known historian
Of Louisiana, Hon. Chas. Gayarre, who says
that we have set "a good example, that he
hopes "will be followed in New Orleans,
where there is not single publishing house,
1t least in the sense attached to it North
and West"
1t is all mistake that there is enough in
he State printing to proftahly employ all
our material and all our energies. 1t must
&c remembered that the quantity and the
price of public printing were greatly and
diminished under the economic
'ule inaugurated in 1876, and the Code of
almost rerbatins the prices |
liked in the Code Of 1857. We may remark
hat those prices are acceptable, but when
he printer gets through with his paper
compositors, pressmen and bind |
rs, the profits are so very small as to be /
carcely perceptible. During the present |
rear, three hands-and possibly two, or one |
can do all the work required by the sew
raj departments of the State Government /
We have now twenty persons in our en-
10y, twelve of whom are heads of families, |
md our regret is, that we cannot perma-
lently and proftably employ as many |
more; but were we to heed the advice that
ONES to us from some quarters, we would
'e compelled to discharge twothirds of our
present force, and henceforth confne our
elves to the county of Kinds, and share its
with several. frst-class establish
nents. We must be excused from such an
lternative. There are others, besides the
roprietors of The CLARION, interested in
ueh proposition, and for their sakes, and
n account of their families, we propose to
naintain and extend our business on the
ive-and-let-live principle.
In reference to the rights" of the local
ress, which We are charged with invading,
ur idea is this that boards of supery isors
nd other public officers of counties, should
i've the preference to local printing Offices,
ut where the work required is of such a
allure that it cannot be done within the
ounty, then the preference should be given
} some establishment within the State.
tut if local offices are unable to control
lch work, they should applaud rather than
ensure our efforts to keep such business
ON going to Nashville, or st. Louis, Bos-
IN or elsewhere. There are establishments
4 tside of Mississinni that a va staraotvv,od