The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-07-14
JOHN SON.
CHIL Il A ND
FEVER TONIC
Cures Feve.
in One Day
Just for Fun

Just for Fun
Mr.. John j. Chapman, of New
York, having written to a Chicago
| paper that the magazines are edited
entirely from a commercial stand
point. The Month. "a '.journal Of
cultivation, I" published liz New York,
remarks:
81 have heard this complaint be
fore, and should like to know what
would be the effect of editing maga-
zens from the standpoint of Mr..
Chapman and others who share his
opinion. If man can be found who
is willing to invest money without
asking a return, such magazine
may be published, but not otherwise
Why should publishers be expected
to work for love any more than any
other class of business men? Would
MIR. Chapman-who is painstaking
lawyer-devcte bis time to cases
that he could MT win. or to clients
that could not pay :? I do not be
lieve he would-ttrougb know of
no one who would be more likey to
do 80 -
Magazines are business enterprises,
and if they are to succeed they mcst
be run on business principles 1t costs
great deal to produce them, they
employ large crops of editors and
writer's and agents. they charge a
fair price for their advertising space
and are sold to subscribers and read
ers at nextt to nothing They are not
supported by public taxation as are
the public schools, and in order to
exist they must be conducted from a
commercial standpoint AS with
magazines so it is with newspapers
They are business enterprise also,
and must be managed on business
principles They should not sell
themselves to the promotion Of nn-
worthy objects, or aid in advertising
the interests of unworthy men, but
it is necessary that they shalt manage
their affairs on strictly business liues.
We sometimes fear that the busi-
ness end of a newspaper is not ap
preciated even in the most apprecia
tive communities; that newspaper
Office is regarded as place for the
free distribution of unlimited infor
nation upon all sorts of subjects;
that newspapers are printed to give
away to any one who might be good
enough to ask for them Let news
paper publish two column article
in which Jones happens to feel a
special interest, and Jones is aim most
certain to appear with request for
half dozen copies Of the paper.
Print three column account of the
celebration of military, aud jenkins
will ask for one hundred and fifty
copies 70. distribution, Jenkins name
having figured somewhat prominently
in the newspaper account. Invest.
ing fifty cents in an advertisement.
and Smith will think it hard that he
cannot get ter dollars worth of notice
..among the locals.'' Working off a
long official report of semi-public
undertaking on an amiable reporter
report which could be covered in a
dozen lines-and Brown will want to
know the next day what reduction he
will be allowed on twenty-five pa.
pers
As the New York magazine puts
it: "Why should publishers be ex.
pected to "work for love any more
than any other "class of business
men ?' No one would go to cigar
store and ask for cigar without ex-
pecting to pay for it or TO a shoe
store for pair ofshoes, or to choth-
ing house for pair Of trousers, or to
dry goods establishment for bolt
ofc!oth. without paying for the goods.
Why should there be free magazines
and free newspapers ana not Tree
cigars and free shoes and free trous
ers /? We do not mean to say that
such state of things obtains in the
electric City by the Sea-perish the
thought But we have heard that
in Augusta and Savannah and other
towns in the outlying provinces there
ia disposition amoug some to think
that newspapers are public conven'
ience and are published just for fun
News and Courier.
The strike of coal niuers in Penn
sylvapia, Ohio and adjacent states is
spreading and the officers of the miners
association are endeavorlng to secure
j L.