The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-01-05
Not q Deadhead.

Many people look upon the newspaper frater-
nifty as professional and recognized dead
heads " as mendcants on charity and bounty of
the public, so says the Journalist. This is mis-
taken idea, for the press pays from ten to one
thousand per cent. return for every courtesy eX-
tended it. The fact of the matter is, the shoe is
on the other foot.
Let us take the railroads and see how accounts
balance between these great arteries of COM
MERGE and the newspapers. A road will agree
to furnish single pass in consideration of the
publication of its schedule and other advertising
aggregating hundreds of dollars during the year,
if charged for at the regular rates. Besides
the press is expected to give publicity to all
gatherings on the line of said railway, in order
to increase its travel and business. And yet
when the proprietor or editor occasionally
boards a train and presents his pass he is looked
upon as a "deadhead - when, in truth, were ac-
counts balanced with the road, the latter would
be found largely in debt to the former.
In. the matter of public entertainments the
press is expected to fill columns with notices of
the coming entertainment, and then give it a
favorable review; and yet when the reporter is
presented with an admission ticket he is placed
in the catalogue with "deadheadS.' And this,
too, after the proprietor had not only given his
space Free but paid to printers for type setting
enough cash to buy dozen tickets.
There is not public institution or entertain
ment but owes its success to deadheadng"
newspapers, and by imposing upon their public
spirited generosity; and when, in turn for all
this labor and cash outlay, a few old scraps are
thrown at the reporter, it is looked upon as a
charitable distribution.
And politicians are the most ravenOus 'dead-
heads" that prey upon the press. Because a
newspaper advocates the principles of a party it
is expected to fill its columns with all manner of
pauditS for the candidates. and spare neither
labor or expense to further their interests But
when the battle is fought and won all their faith
full service is only too often forgotten and if there
is distribution of public patronage it is as apt
as not to be given to a man on the opposing side.
We could fill columns with such impOStiOnS
upon the press. did space permit. There is not a
business in the world required to do as much
free work as the newspapers. and the only
thanks extended for the brain work and eXpend
iture of cash. is an occasional free ticket to some
entertainment, cold lunch, or table provided at
which to report proceedings And yet in accept
ing such empty and selfish cOurteSieS, the reel
pient must stand in the light of a ''deadhead.'
If every other association and business would
do as much free work for the public as is eX-
pected and required of the newspapers, the
whole country would be bankrupt or on the
biggest kind of a boom, we are at loss to decide
which.
But we do ask, as an act of justice and graft
tude, that when you accept of the great sacrifice
made by the press and so freely use their space
and influence without the outlay of a dollar.
don't look upon the fraternity as 'deadheads. -
They pay ten fold or more for every courtesy or
dollar they receiye.-NOrthfeld Ne,cs.