The morning call., 1895-02-05
PUBLISHING THE CHARTER.

The wide difference between the bid
made by The CALL for publishing the new
charter and that at which it was let will
doubtless attract the attention of every
intelligent reader this morning. 1t affords
an illustration of the policy which THE
CALL intends to pursue in matters of this
kind, and that policy may as well be I'M
derstood at once.
We are publishing newspaper. Our
advertising rates are fixed on business
basis. They are the same for the city as
for individuals and for individuals as for
the city We enter into competition for
advertising only on that basis. We know
there is tendency on the part of officials
all over this country to try to get news
papers to do their advertising as if it
were the publishing of handbills or dodgers.
We have never had any respect for
that tendency. We scorn it. The city
does not ask merchants to sell goods for
it ask newspapers for space at less than its
value. We put in our bid for publishing
the charter at $4,000. That is just what
the space is worth in THE CALL, and there
is no reduction to be made for the city any
more than for any one else.
If we ever undertake anything for char
ity or generosity we will not haggle about
prices. We will not offer thing for half
its value. We will give it away. When
we begin giving away space and advertis-
ing, however, we will not give it to big
rich city full of tax-shirkers as well as tax
eaters. We will give tito those who deserve
it; to the honorable and progressive mer-
chants who carry on the trade of the city,
promote its industry, give employment to
the people, help all public enterprises and
pay more than their share of taxes.
If there is any one who has q right to
ask for reduction in advertising rates it
is the business man who constantly adyer-
tises, who is called on to subscribe to every
charity, to every church, to every banquet,
to every civic reception or enterprise; who
is subject to demands of all kinds, and
whose stock of goods is too plainly in sight
to escape assessment, and who therefore, in
addition to his contributions to thousand
things during the year, has also to pay a
proportion of the city taxes out of all pro-
portion to his wealth.
We repeat, then, that whenever we are
prepared to lower our advertising rates, or
have space to give away, we will give the
merchants of the city the benefit of it. At
the present time we have no such space. The
subscribers to THE CALL are entitled to live
news and live advertisements, so that they
may know what is going on in the world
and what bargains are offered in all lines of
trade, and we do not propose to deprive
them of any portion of the space necessary
to give them that information.
We publish the charter in full this morn
ing as matter Of news, without cost to
the city. 1t is printed in clear, easily read
type, and our readers can study it at their
leisure. This is the only time it will ap-
pear in THE CALL, and this copy of the
paper, therefore, should be preserved for
future reference. 1t is document which
cannot be mastered in business day, but
must be taken up from time to time, when
leisure affords.
THE CALL will discuss the general princi-
pies of the document and its salient feat
ures, as occasion serves, between now and
the time that it is to be voted on, and in this
way will keep its readers as well informed
on the merits of the proposed scheme of
city government as if it were to republish
the whole charter every morning.