The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-11-06
From the Minneapolis Penny Press.
SECOND ANNIVERSARY.

our patrons, nor unintereStlng to Strang-
ers. for us to give a brief resume of the
history of the paper-its struggles and its
triumphs. as we'll as more or less de-
tails involved in the upbuilding of a
newspaper of this character in field like
that presented by the Northwest.
In October, 1893, there were being pub
lished in the city of st. Paul five daily
papers-three morning and two evening
In the city of Minneapolis, there were
being published one all-day paper-the
Tribune-one morning paper and one
evening paper-practically four papers
all told, making nine daily papers in the
two cities.
The circulation of these various papers
did not exceed an average OF 10000 copies
to the four morning papers, and the even
ing papers ran about in the following or
der:-The News of st. Paul, 10000 copies;
the Dispatch, $4,000 copies; the Evening
Tribune, $4,000 copies, and the Evening
Journal, about $4,000 copies-thus max
ing a combined circulation of $4,000
copies all told.
1t seemed to the writer that in news
paper field embracing the whole, or
portion of six great states, and involving
a population exceeding three millions Of
people, 1000 daily papers were not
what should be circulated among the peo-
pie. In discussing the proposition, the
writer came to the conclusion that what
the people wanted was "a penny paper"
Hence, the proposition 10 establish the
Penny Press" which resulted on the
21st day Of October, 1893
Every publisher of the above named
papers proclaimed loudly, openly, en-
phatically and we presume, honestly,
that there was no legitimate field for
another daily newspaper in the Twin
Cities and that there was no call for
penny paper" If the publishers of the
Twin Cities had manifested the courage
of their convictions and maintained their
"old prices" the Penny Press would
have had $4,000 circulation now and
would have been one of the most profita-
BILE newspapers published west of Chica
go! They did not have ''the courage of
their convictions" as the result very
promptly proved.
The Penny Press" began it's first pub
LEGATION October 21st, 1893, but for the
first ten days permitted its carriers Ito
sample" their field at will; but on the
first day Of November, every carrier was
compelled to pay for his newspapers, the
same as the newsboys had been COM
PEELED to do from the first. Hence, the
Anniversary of the fiscal year" always
occurs on the first of November. AS the
first day Of November occurred on Fri
day, the Anniversary" reminders were
saved until today.
At no time during the year 1898 were
there published less than 5000 copies per
though they were but two
months remaining of that year. In
March, 1894, the paper had grown to 49,
900 circulation. BY the first of June it
had reached nearly 10000. During the
time intervening from March list to July
LIST, the publishers of the Pioneer Press,
Globe and Evening Journal manifested
their anxiety. The Pioneer Press on the
first day of May cut it's price right in tho
middle, or even reduced two-thirds. The
next day the Globe saw the Pioneer
Press and went it one better"-it reduced
from ten dollars a year to four dollars,
and from five cents per copy to two cents
per copy. On the first day of July, the
Journal, being wholly unable to reduce
the price of their paper without Destroy
ing all hopes of profit, purchased "The
Times" and presented their patrons
with Sunday edition without additional |
charge. This they could do at a cost
of about thirty thousand dollars a year,
when every item of expense attached !
thereto was considered-and that was a
good deal better than reducing the price
to lone cent per copy
1t was the first of October before the
publisher of the Tribune made up his
mind that something must be done TO
meet the inroads which the cheaper
priced papers were making upon his
paper. Mr.. Murphy made up his mind
hat the thing to do was to "cut every
hing to the core"-hence, the price of |
he morning paper was reduced from Sc
4 year to SO, and from cents a COPY to
a penny" copy.
Thus it had occurred within eleven
months and ten days, that every single
me of these publishers, with the solitary
exception of George Thompson, of the St.
Paul Dispatch, had acknowledged an am
Die field for a penny paper, and practic-
lily demonstrated that acknowledge
nent by reducing the price of their
papers to meet the inroads which the
Penny Press" was making upon them.
We have frequently said that the peo-
lie Of the Northwest are today obtaining
heir daily papers, published by the same
men who published them in 1893, at a
aving of $24300O per annum-all grow
ng out of the "cut prices" compelled by
he publication of the Penny Press"
Another feature of still greater impor-
ance is the fact that by reason of the
establishment of the Penny Press" and
he reduced prices named above, there
ave been added to the daily patronage Of
'apers quite $4,000 per diem. If it be
Omitted that "the da ly newspaper stands
'ext to the schoolmaster as public edu-