The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-13
TmE n PAPER.

Every morning newspaper OF conse-
quence in Chicago is now sold for one
cent. The Record was before a penny
paper and our tcleerapblc columns bave
that the Chicago Tribune,
giant of Western journals, the Inter
Ocean, the peer Of any newspaper pub
lished, and the Times Herald. an able
newspaper, have all reduced their price
from two cents to one.
We shall see no deterioration In the size
or quality of these able journals.
The penny newspaper is the paper
OF the future and Chicago is in the
habit OF taking the lead in tho
progress OF events. 1t is no secret
that the price at which a news
paper is sold figures but little in the re-
ceipts OF the business OF running a news
paper plant. The reduction in the cost of
the paper used, alone, in the past few
years makes a reduction in the price of
the product from two cents to one cent
far less significant than was an earlier
general cut down from three and four
cents 10 two. As a matter of fact il
profit or even expense-making depended
upon the sale OF copies of a modern news
paper they could hardly be sold for less
than ten cents apiece and some OF them
would have to get a good deal more
than that to ever become prosperous.
Perfected machinery and the wonder
fully increased facilities have enabled
newspaper plants 10 produce and circu-
late a vast number of copies, far beyond
anything that was possible a few years
ago. This ability, coupled with cheap
ness, have made newspaper readers.
Everybody, Ii may be said, with almost
literal truth, reads a newspaper now-a-
days-buys it, as we'll as reads it. And
yet there are newspapers sold for two
cents, every copy Of which disposed of rep
resents a loss on the price paid for the
white paper alone.
1t is, OF course, the advertiser who pays
the bills and the profits OF the newspaper
business. The modern newspaper has two
functions, one to furnish news, the other
to provide a medium for TIE snnounce-
ments OF business men. The latter Is as
important to modern methods and pro-
gress, and has welded as large an in
fiuence in the development OF trade and
prosperity, as the former is a necessity
to the people at large. There are many
ways by which a business man may
reach the public and secure patronage,
but exper fence has taught that no other
is SO ad advantageous and SO economical as
newspaper advertising. The proprietor
Of . newspaper property has in view to
sell and circulate his paper as widely as
possible. To this end he makes as good
a newspaper as his capital and talents
permit, and he sells 1t cheap. When he
acquires a clientage business men seek his
columns to reach that clientage and the
value OF his available space for advertise
ments increases exactly in proportion as
the number OF his..resders increase-with
some reservation as to the character OF
the kind OF people his particular news
paper secures for regular readers. Today
newspaper advertising is cheaper than 1t
ever was, circulation considered. To tho
advertiser the newspaper, in its ~"dodger"
function, is most valuable. He cannot
do without it. 1t Is usually worth more
than the rates charged and no other
method OF securing the necessary public
ity can take its place. The development
Of advertising as an Invaluable factor In
conducting ones business has contributed
to enable newspaper proprietors to con-
stantly improve the quality and size OF
their papers ana to sell them at what
seems an absurdly low price. And the re.