The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-12-01
orn supscR1rrfnx Irsr.
A few weeks ago Bro. Smith kin,

of our editorial cOi;imHs, aud SIN the
course of his gentle criticism serrow-
fully stated that on account of our
erroneous me, lrrds the list of subscrib
ers- t. THE GRAPHIC was steadily
diminishing. while OIL the other hand,
by reason of the rel!:irkai''e ability
and sapirnt discretion he hid exliihi-
ted III the infringement uf the .hey -cury.
his list If subscribers WAS rapidly. ;,in!
steadily increasing. When We read
his article We felt very glateilH tn
Bro. Smith for the warm ItilereSt in
our welfare he had sd kindly taken; rs
pe Ia y when We ,nsidssed the -tfD,,ble
he mist have incurred to ascertain tile
condition of our subscription list III
order that he might intelligently ;,d-'
wise us. At first We were somewhat
at Il loss 10 understand in what manner
he hal obtained !; sufficient know ledge
Of The private affairs vi Vt,r Office to
enable him to refer to our subscription
list So authurilaliveiy. as we had never
cOnversed with him upon the subject,
but we finally concluded that as BIO
Smith has /: .ery inquirIn. mind, and
is also noted for his accuracy in de-
tails, that he desired to I've fully ill.,
formed Of the facts of our condition
before advising us as to tile proper
Course IL pursue, and had therefore
carried on II little investIsl, ion of our
private affairs on his own ACCOUNT,
either by al examination of our Ruoks
during our absence. or by lniprma tiyn
obtained ut the pOstofiice lis r0 the
hummer of papers we We're sending
out as Compared with former this,
or possibly 10y subjecting sumo of our
employees to il rigid cross sxamInation
AS we found none OF our eulpIe, es iau
gwen the Information, We naturally
Concluded lie had gotten his informal
lion in one of the two other ways
Gould the knowledge have been d.
tanned. However, no matter how the
Information had been secured, it had
evidently taken considerable time and
trouble on his part, and when we con-
tempiated the zeal lie had manifested
i'll our behalf, and then called to mind
the fact that We had never entertained
even a conjecture Or surmise as to tile
condition of Bro. Smith subscriptions
list, our conscience smOte US over our
selfih indifference and lack III interest
i'll his welfare. Recovering our spirits,
tweI-r, after IL period Ut deep lnedi-
tdtion, we resolved to avail Ourself Of
Line r!ch store Of journalistic learning
Oh which lie had 50 generously Invited
u, To partake, aud i'll the nope that ia
Time We might reach The high standard
OF uigIiIied and uec.ruS journalism,
tial had brought the Mercury such d
large and lucrative circulation, placed
before US the iies of that journal and
with eager avidity pured over its col
umns, striving to catch the spirit OF
that matchless style which, once made
ours, would 'lead us OH to l;lm. and
fOrtune." But ere we had reverently
connel over many issues Il paragraph
met our asto,Iislled gaze ..ti,;lJs,t,or;e
paral, zed US with amazSinent ard dis
PEELED our roscate dream of future
prosperity.
1t WIS Il dry, terse notice stating
that after the election Bro. Smith
would lnaugurate new deal and drop
all subscribers who failed to pay their
subscription by the end of the year.
This Was supplemented by the infor-
nation that he Was printing about 500
copies and only getting $3.50 year
out Of his subscription list; that one
fifth of his Subscribers pay up aud the
rest expect to dead-llei,d, and that he
had nearly $1,000 on his subscription
books; that this WAS not business and
he was going to get down to cash
basis if lie only had ten subscribers
left.
This slen Was the large and incre;,s-
ing circulation the Mercury had at
tanned through the marvellous methods
of Bro. Smith, and which we were
advised to strive for, rs for Il pearl of
great price. One Apnared and fifty
dollars! FOur-fiths of the subscribers
dead heads! Too dead apparently for
even Bro. Smith to skin! .~Oh what
fall was there nay enuntrymen." Cur
fonniest hopes we're blasted, and the
rich fruit Ut expectation, like the apples
of SodOm, turned to ashes on our lips.
The knowledge that this wonderfully
increasing circulation which had been
raised to its present gigantic prepor-
tons only by The exercise of tue un-
exaRpled skill of tAe present editor of
the Mercury, was bringing into his
Golfers "a yearly income only equal t.
one-half of the yearly cash receipts
taken in from the subscription list of
TRE GRAPHIC under our own mediocre
management, brought us to Il viyi,,
realization IF la f.at tl,.e