Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-07-30
and now Kester says he is fighting
Governor Ellerbe because the govern
or is a characterless teacher.
UNREASONABLE CHARGES.

The alleged stln prices tnat lHE
ENQUIRER charges for advertising
has been a choice argument for the
manufacture of prejudice against this
paper during the past ten years.
These alleged high prices have been
commented on so persistently, and
repeated over so often by gentlemen
of supposed respectability and intel
ligence, that even close friends of
THE ENQUIRER have been disposed
to accept the alleged condition as
fact.
These friends, of course, have not
been especially worried about the
matter. They recognize that by all
the laws of business, an advertise
mert in The ENQUIRER ought to cost
more than in any other newspaper
in this county, and, of course, are
not disposed to question the justice
and equity of our charges. They
believe they will get value received,
and they know that the scale of
prices in this Office operates on all
alike. All understand that the man
who wants some concession that we
cannot afford to grant to the public
as business proposition, is politely
told to 90 elsewhere if he so desires.
We know it to be fact that one
of the gentlemen who has for years
been most prominent in his efforts to
establish an organ for himself and
others, has given as a justification
that he wanted "cheaper advertising"
He thinks he is getting it, no doubt,
and perhaps he is; but somehow we
have always been disposed to laugh
in our sleeve at this gentleman. He
is not the poor creature whose incen-
tive is to "cost 'em money" He has
other objects in view but somehow
we have always been disposed to con-
slider him as pretty nearly "witless."
Well, few weeks ago the graded
school trustees sent the same adver-
tisement to both of the local papers.
The advertisement was to be inserted
two times. When the bills came in,
that of The ENQUIRER, was $1.50,
and that of the "cheaper advertising"
paper $500. The trustees could not
understand the discrepancy. They
thought, of course, that if there was
any difference the bill of THE EN-
oU1RER should be the larger. AS a
matter of fact, one of the trustees is
reported to have said that his idea in
the matter was to have the notice in
THE ENQUIRER for the benefit of the
public, and in the other paper to avoid
unpleasantness.
The bills were paid, of course.
There was nothing else for the trustees
to do. But the story got out and crea-
ted some astonishment. The gentle
man whose incentive is to "cost 'em
money!" explained with the statement
that "THE ENQUIRER had knocked off
something from its regular price in or
der to prejudice the other paper" But
that this is not correct, we are sure.
The rates of THE ENQUIRER for such
advertisements are advertised at 81 a
square for the first insertion and so
cents for each subsequent insertion.
The size of the type is indicated, and
square. is defined as ten lines. Well,
as this advertisement made exactly ten
lines, almost anybody can figure that
the price for two insertions is $3.50.
Somewhat surprised at this little
development, last week we made in
quiries in the office of the sheriff, and
at our request we were permitted to
examine the receipt book of that
official. We found sheriff's adver-
tisement that had been published in
the Rock Hill Herald and for which
the sum of Sc had been paid. At the
rate which THE ENQUIRER charges,
this particular advertisement would
have come to $3.50. We found an
other advertisement that had been
printed by our local "cheaper adver-
tising" medium. The original charge
in this case was $3.50. AT the request
of the lawyer in the case, the sum of 30
cents had been deducted, leaving the
bill even 50. At the regular advertised
rates in THE ENQUIRER the original
bill for this advertisement would have
been SS.25.
Next, the representative of The
ENQUIRER investigated the office of
the clerk of the court. Here we found
where advertisements had been paid
for in the Rock Hill Herald, our local
"cheaper advertising medium" and in
THE ENQUIRER. The bills rendered
and paid showed up in about the same