The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-08-16
A TIMELY PAPER.
The Relation Of the Press to Foreign
Advertisers and Advertising
Agents.
CConcord Times.

Point Enterprise, at the late meeting OF the
Press Association. 1t was ordered by the
Association to be printed in the Times, and
that every paper in the State be requested
to copy it. twill do good.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the North
Carolina Press association:
The press Of North Carolina has not
only done its duty, but has done even
more than could be reasonably ex-
pected for every citizen and every
business and manufacturing enterprise
within her bounds, except for itself.
The laudable desire Of newspaper
men to do something for the advance
ment of home and home institutions
seems to have caused them to forget
self and neglect 10 throw that protec-
ton around their own profession that
is necessary for its advancement and
its success. Hence we have been sub
iected to numerous indignities, and the
country paper especially, and even the
more pretentious city journal is otten'
if not constantly, embarrassed imam
cially.
Chief amongst the evils that hamper
the press, and the one of which l am
called upon to speak to-day, IS the
manner in which we have allowed ad-
vertising agents to grasp us by the
throats and take from our mouths the
very food that is necessary to our ex-
istence.
There is not a business man or
manufacturer in the United States to-
day who does not set prices upon his
own goods, demand them of the pub
lie, and what is more, obtain them.
This is right. Every man should say
what his labor and capital are worth
and if he cannot receive enough to
Justify him in their expenditure he had
better at once abandon the enterprise
he is engaged in and give his time.
talents and money to something else.
There is doubtless not an editor be
fore me to-day who is not perfectly
familiar with the dictatory letters and
contracts sent out by advertising
agents and sometimes by advertiser:
themselves. The price we are to re
ceive is named, the kind OF type th'
advertisement is to be set IN and the
page and position it is to occupy, are
all set forth, and virtually we are left
with no voice in the transaction, ex
cept to do the work as a dltcher o.
hedger would perform his task, anc
whea it is done, if our employees have
received a copy of each issue of th'
paper and they find none of thei
numerous rules violated, receive ou
miserable pay, after they have de
Quoted IS per cent. Of the amount 70
themselves.
The agents are not altogether tl
blame for this state Of affairs, but tn
publishers of former years are largel,
responsible for it. How and why,
!, am unable to say with any degree o
t certainty, but the inference Is that It
: due to a mistaken idea that it wa
necessary to accept the starvation
prices offered in order TO fiji ap thei
advertising space and get what the
could out of it and to keep even @
ahead of competitors.
The following statement which pr
i ports to have been written by a Ne
4 York country editor and which wa
published IN pamphlet issued b
Geo. P. Rowell & Co., to their pal
rons and others for whom they desire
to place advertising, IS evidence ths
TINS IS true:
q every few publishers are in SO indie
i pendent position as to be able to IL
II sist on their own terms and drive ava
their own custom by SO doing. The
columns must be filled, and even chea
advertising is more economical eac
week than to be driven to fill the spas
with reading matter.
le "Most country publishers are
lie Strengthened circumstances and it is
" continual struggle with them to mal
both erds meet. They are therefor
many times obliged to sell their spat
for what it will bring"
Gentlemen, | emphatically der
every word of these assertions, exec,
ly the fact that ''most country putlishe
are IN Strengthened circumstances III
1t is { continued struggle for them
make both ends meet"
| have seen the time when l thoug
as the New York editor. But aft
having been annoyed by advertiser
agents, and sometimes failing to g
any pay, till patience ceased. to be
virtue, | decided that if the perpetu
ton of the paper hinged upon Il
u money received from them / wou
n, prefer to see it sink. Consequently
resolved nearly two years ago to ha
nothing more to do with them. exec
s'Isi what was necessary to pay for Rowel
'ds directory. To this resolution ha
strictly adhered with but one exec
ton, and have had great cause to
- gret breaking over at all. The res
pa pa IS that the publication | represent