The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-31
ONLY A NICKEL.

Mr.. de Young boasts of the quantity of
white paper which is wasted every day in
the publication of the Chronicle. If any
body ever believed word that he says on
that or any other subject it might be worth
while to investigate his assertion just to
ascertain how far in this instance the young
mans fancy had lightly led him to thoughts
of gain. But his want of veracIty is so
notorious that no member of this cOmmu-
nifty thinks it necessary to deny his state
mentS. They pass as the idle wind. People
whom lie asSails just laugh and mutter:
"Shoo, fly, don't bodder me!'
Il is odd, if he is as prosperous as he
SAYS, that he should be driven to such ex-
tremties of economy as are practced in the
Chronicle office. THE CALL does not pre-
tend 20 be familiar with the interior econ
omy OF that Institution. But it cannot help
hearing what is common talk among REM
beers of the newspaper profession, nor can
it donbt that the current stories have some
foundation in fact. Thus it is said that
Mixes love for the pennies is such that he
cannot afford to warm the rooms in which
his reporters sit, and that he docks his men
to defray the cost Of turning on the heat in
his new building II is added that he can
not afford to furnish his writers with paper,
pencil or pen; that they are not only obliged
to supply themselves with these tools of the
trade. but that when they leave they are eX-
pected to leave them behind as appur-
tenances of the Office. Another story says
that he has had patent burners fitted to the
gas jets in his Office which only allow a
feeble ray of light TO trickIe through-so
little that it is not easy to read by it. When
he was expostulated with by reporters, who
said that they were running their eyes by
working in such semi-darkness, the reply is
said to have been: We'll, if your eyes
give out will have to get men with good
eyes to lake your places"
These and lot of other similar stories
which are floating in journalistic circles
would not gain credence if they were not
characteristic Of the man. 1t is hardly
likely that they can have been invented.
There must be some truth in them. The
great bulk of his newspaper is written by
space men" OF these there are far more
than is necessary, aud the consequence is
that only very few of them make anything
beyond the bareSt living. They are con-
stantly confronted with the alternative of
throwing up their jobs and ri5king absolute
starvation or of going on working for wages
which most men deSpise. IfThe truth were
known, probably the Chronicle would have
teen losing money ever since it moved into
its new building but for the subsidies it re-
| ceives for putting various schemes. It's spe-
clal sphere-sen sational journaiism-has
been successfully invaded by rival. 1t
| has never been able TO work its way into
family circles. Its attempts to ape respect
| ability have only made it duh. There are
| too many men living who remember its early
| career for it ever to be tolerated in decent
! society. Its paying advertisements appear
| to be declining in number and it is not so
often seen on the ears as it used to he. Many
fine business has been wrecked by re-
moval to more ostentatiOus quarters. Provi-
| dence seems to watch for such examples of
| enterprise to give their authors a lesson. II
may he the fate of the Chronicle to furnish
| q new Instance in point.