Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-27
Newspapers and their Effect.

we concur with the Lynchburg Id.
vance, that mo State can become pros
porous. be fully developed, without the
aid and use of newspapers; no city will
grow, increase in manufactures and
trade, unless it has sufffciency of we'll
sustained, live newspapers. Now, it
takes several things to make useful.
influential newspaper. All the capital
in the United States will not do it, nor
will all the editorial talent nor all the
business capacity. Nor will all COM
bined succeed in population averse to
reading-too busy to read, too economi-
cal to pay for reading. Such paper,
with capital, talent, and business MAN.
agement, could be established in the
desert of Sahara, and would have as
much effect as in community that will
not subscribe or advertise.
Geo. D. Prentice would be worthless
on paper in city where the people
would not take it unless there was cap
ital to sustain gratuitous circulation.
Business capacity is worth little in q
community that believes advertising is
money thrown away. We frequently
hear it said that there are too many news.
papers. This is mistake there are not
enough of subscribers. Advertising is
worthless in paper without circula-
ton, and a paper without advertise
ments would cost too much for large
number of those to whom it is impor-
tant It should go. We have heard it
said that certain cities had too many
newspapers-that they could not live.
Northern papers do well. and they are
three to one, as compared with the
South. It is true that in the South too
many papers are attempted to be run
on two fallacies. They are-first, that
any man can run paper" and Sec
ondly, that any paper can be run on
credit. If any business needs level,
quick. clear head, an untirlng hand and
a watchful eye, and the patience and
forbearance of the Saints, 1t Ia news.
paper. If any business needs cash ba.
sis more than another, and has to give
away more of what it costs money than
another, it is newspaper. We have
known men who thought they assisted
q newspaper by putting their advertise
ment in it which cost money in cash to
the publisher. and numbers of men
think that the compliment paid the ed
itor of reading his paper should be suffi
cient compensation. We admit that we
are giving the extreme cases. There
are many men who take, read, and pay
for all the papers of their city or section
furnish themselves and their families
with g pager on all subjectss-trade,
politics, religion and literature, and
they are frequently compelled to lend
them to people who are just as able to
pay the printer as themselves, but more
economical, to use a polite word I'm
less trade keeps up the papers, trade
will go downs unless agriculture sup
ports the press it will deteFioratei unless
good political papers are sustained, the
people will be deceived by demagogues
unless the church supports its papers, it
will become lukewarm; unless the lit
erary press is patronized. your children
will grow up uucultivated and igno>
rant. The free circulation of newspapt rs
improves the manners, habits, customs,
and morals of the peopis. The better
papers are patronizea the more valuable
they become. A large circulation and
liberal advertising enables paper to
have the best editorial talent, extensive
and varied CORES pondence and the la
test news. All these are requisite 10 a
gogd paper-no ore of tn III will do
ouG, The South. and especially
Southern cities, struggling for Increased
trade and manufactures. neei lnore pa
pers- more newspaper talent, abler wri-
ters, more influential men. Tue South,
since the war, has improved in some
things on the old order. In mines,
manufactures, wholesale trade perhaps
in activity end energy it has advanced
but it has fallen back ia tts newspapers
It has more of them, but in talent end
influence they are not equal to the for
mer wears Will those most interested
attempt an improvement"