Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-03-04
DEADIEADS IN GENERAL.
How the Press is Imposed Upon by
Railroads and Theatres.


From Forneys Progress
With what are called "deadheads. " in
general, over railroads and Mt the
theatre, have nothing now to do, the
present purpose being to prove, if pos
sible-and | think it is possible-the
truth of two propositions
lst. That no other business is so
preyed upon by ''deadheads." as is that
of journalism, and
ID. That the most accomplished and
successful of the deadheads, which
afiiict the newspaper Offices are, first,
the railroads, and then the theatres.
In proportion to the expense involved
in It's preparation, no article is so
cheapiy supplied as the newspaper. Its
( cost TO its readers is as near nothing as
it could well be, and to make living
profit Tor its owners it must look else
where for revenue than from its sub
scription list. That, in many establish
ments, is a positive loss, regarded by
itself, but the circulation attracts the
advertiser, and the advertiser furnishes
the sinews of war. To get the adver-
tiser you must first get the circulation,
and to get the circulation you must give
the people paper which will interest
and please them. Every line which q
newspaper publishes for any other
reason than that its editor thinks it con-
tains something the people wish to
know, is more or less an injury to him,
because it occupies space which otner-
wise would lee filled with matter which
wonld aid in building up or retaining
the popularity of his journal. To this
must he added the cost of putting the
puff in type, and the other outlays it
requires. The wise newspaper proprie-
tor limits the number of columns to
which he will admit advertisements, or
increases his columns to accommodate
a rush, knowing that to crowd the real
ing matter, though it may temporarily
make happy the heart of his cashier,
means speedy and permanent ruin. Yet
there is not n newspaper in the country
which does not give away In the course
of year many columns of its valuable
space trite, but true expression and
more than that, places these gratis
notices in positions which the money of
the legitimate advertiser, paid down
ONEI tliC COtllNA AOt LO
people who ask these notices, and who
are offended if they do not get them, are
legion, but no class approaches any
where near the rapacity of the railroads
and theatres. If other newspaper ad-
vertisers received free notices III the
same proportion as do the railroads and
theatres, there would be room for moth
ing else. And not only are the railroads
and theatres granted these free notices,
but in many cases their paid advertise
ments are inserted for much less than
the regular rates. I do not refer to the
so-called criticisms of plays and the
attention called to change of time
tables on the railroads. which may go
under the head of matters of interest to
the public, though they are of adyan-
tage III every instance to the road or
house of which they speak, but to the
preliminary puffs Of plays, notices OF
improvements along the line, etc., which
are never paid for, which are a source
of expense to the newspaper, and which
oftentimes necessitate the omission of
news. Why, You may ask, do the news
papers submit to this imposition ?
Clearly, the affair is in their own hands.
All, gentle reader, you do not know the
WAYS OF the railroad and the theatre
man! They must be petted and coddled
more than any other advertiser ever
dreams OF. If one newspaper denies
what they ask, another will grant it, and
away may go the paid advertisement
FROM the sheet Of the bold jour- alist.
There are certain order of adv stise-
ments which some newspapers ;annot
afford to be without, and among these
are the cards of the railroads and
theatres, and this, not because of the
money they bring in. but because they
are supposed to establish in the minds
of other advertisers, from whom fsir
prices can be had, that the circulation
is Of some account. Those who control
these advertisements are of course aware
Of this, and presume upon it 10 compel
acquiesence i'll their demands for the
free insertions of this, that, and the
other.