The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-02-20
A Word to Klckers.
country.

A Word to Kickers.
There never yet was newspaper that
pleased everybody and there never will
be- The editor who tries to please every
body must be an idiot to undertake the
job, and he is sure to end by pleasing
nobody. No two persons on earth agree
in their opinion on all subjects; and how
can it be expected that the thousands Of
readers of newspaper will agree with
the positions it assumes or even with its
business management!
Complaints have come to us that our
advertising rates are too high, both for
legal notices and commercial advertise
ments-"higher than in other country
papers," we are told.
Our rates ore higher than those Of
other country papers; but there is a reason
for it. We publish more matter; we take
more pains in preparing it; we print it in
q more readable and attractive form, with
better machinery, on better paper, and we
have larger circulation than other coun-
try papers. We employ better mechanical
labor; and it must be conceded that our
work, both in the newspaper and job office,
is better done.
The editorial work alone on the Posi-
will bring five thousand dollars per an
in New York any day it is offered there
Now does any sensible man expect good
work for the same price he pays for poor
work? Can he buy silk stocking fox the
price of SOW S ear?
The Posr purchased an expensive out
fit and engaged high-priced labor with
the belief that there were q sufficient
number Of intelligent and public spirited
persons within the range of its constitu-
cncy who wanted frst-class work, and
were willing to pay for it. There arc uar-
row and short sighted people in every
community who are SO blinded by selfish
nshness and so niggardly parsimonious
that they will not pay fair price for any
thing, even though they would profit more
by the transaction. But these were
discounted III advance. We calculated
to do without them and we have made
no effort to conciiatc them. There are
lawyers-that is, they are called law
yers-who are largely interested in Big
Stone Gap, who will stick legal adver-
tisemcnt in some obscure paper that is so
badly printed it can hardly he read, and
that may not live the four weeks during
which the law requires the publication
shall be made, rather than pay Il dollar or
two more to paper that supplies twenty
times the news and that devoteS itself to
the development and advancement of the
town in which the alleged lawyers in
terests are conferred.
The same is true of some merchants and
other so-callcd business men.
That such policy is stupid ard inju
rious to those who adopt it, must be adj
mitted. But rs there arc stupid people
everywhere, their presence i'll Big Stone
Gap should surprise no one. Certainly it
does not surprise us. Their folly only
makes the burden Of supporting good
newspaper fall more heavily on the broad
minded and appreciative element; and if
this element cannot bear the burden the
good newspaper must disappear and its
place be supplied by the Backwoods
Whacker or the Bungtown Gazette.
One thing is quite certain, no commu-
nifty can get good article in the news
paper line without paying for it, any more
than it can &c, good bridge built, good
sewer system or a good sidewalk without
the necessary outlay.
So far as the opinions of the Posi- are
concerned, no one is obliged to accept
them. 1t is quite certain everybody will
not agree with them. What we try to do
is to give facts and to urge such policy
MS we think will best promote the inter
ests of the public. Those who do not ac-
cept these facts or who do not endorse
the policy advocated, arc at liberty to re-
ject part or all. But they should be
able to controycrt them, not oppose them
With mere bundle Of current and igno-
rant prejudiees. The man who does not
wish to know the truth about an economic
or political question, must be a blind
bigot. II is certainly to his interest to
get at the actual facts; and this he cannot
do III listening 10 mere ca f,aste state
n,sats end refusing % consider what is
ssld on The other side merely because IL
happens not to he in harmony with his