The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-02
EVILS OF THE CREDIT SES-
TEN.

TEN.
Among newspaper publishers in
this country outside of our leading
cities, there prevails an almost un-
iversal credit system--a system
that is as old as the newspaper press
itself, and a system that is fraught
with disadvantages and difficulties
in every direction. We believe we
hazard nothing in assuming that no
class of business men in the COM
munity suffers to so great an extent
from the evils Of extended credits
as the newspaper publishers. In
stead of decreasing with the rapid
growth and general prosperity OF
the whole country, the system ap-
pears to be getting stronger foot
hold from year to year, and it would
seem high time that publishers
should take cognizance of the facs,
and cut loose from its pernicious
influences and demand from patrons
the same consideration that other
tradesmen receive. The average
country publisher takes subscrip-
tions on a years time. When due
perhaps twenty-five to fifty per cent.
pay promptly, twenty-five per cent.
pay when it suits their convenience,
and the remainder never pay. In
the latter instances the amounts are
so small and the chances so slim
that the publisher does not care to
take the risk of paying out more in
the effort to force collections than
he is likely to get back again. He
en5ures the imposition until he can
stand it no longer, and finally cuts
off the "dead beats" and relegates
their worthless Indebtedness to his
profit and loss account. What
greater right has man who sub
scribes for newspaper for one year
to ask or expect credit from the
publisher than he has to ask his
grocer, hardware or dry goods deal
er TO trust him one year for $3.50
or $500 worth of goods? Custom
is the only excuse for it, and we
feel fully justified in denominating
it an abominable custom-the un
doubted curse associated with count
ry newspaper publishing and the
one that keeps many publishers
'snose to the grindstone" year in
and year out, It's baneful Effects
are visible everywhere in his busi-
ness. He cannot afford to furnish
as much reading matter, or as large
a paper as he would wish; neither
can he afford to make needed i'm
provements in the mechanical de-
partments of his Office to sustain
his paper in typographical appear
ance to the standard of metropoli-
tan sheets with which he is obliged,
in a measure, to compete, He buys
only what he cannot get along with
out, and frequently runs in debt for
that, thereby paying considerable
more than he would if be could go
into market with, the cash for his
purchases. In short, he is placed
at a great disadvantage, no matter
in what direction he moves, and his
lot is discouraging one. Thus,
also, those who force him into this
position by asking credit, not only
strike blow at tLeir county paper,
but at themselves as we'll, and
would reap part of the benefits of q
reformation. Very frequently those
who subscribe for the home paper
also take one from abroad They
never think Of asking for credit
from the foreign publisher; then
why from the home publisher? The
practice is one that should no long
er be tolerated, and publishers who
have their own welfare at heart
should lose no time in abolishing
it. In our Judgment a list of 500
advance paying subscribers is Of
greater advantage to the publisher
than a list of 1000 on the credit
plan. . The adoption of the advance
pay system would doubtless resnlt
in the loss of some subscribers, but
we imagine the loss would only be
temporary. Those who subscribe
for the county paper take it, as g
rule, for local news news that can
not be obtained elsewhere-and as
soop as they learn that the publisher
conducts his business on business
principles, they will fall into the
habit of paying him as they do the
publishers Of foreign papers. It is
correct saying that if you place. a
low estimate on the value Of your
own product land crediting SUBJ
scriptions to Tom, Dick and Harry
on their own time is doing just that
thing Others are apt to place a
lower value. The editors Of the
different states meet in convention
once year, and we sincerely hope
and would recommend that at the
various meetings to be held this
summer the subject be discussed
and some united action taken to
eradicate the evil Ifs old enough
and has done mischief enough to