Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-05

both of these papers have sinned
previously in the very matter OF which
The News and Courier complains.
They are persistent sinners. Many
time have we noticed in the columns
of these papers voluntary write-ups
that we felt sure were worth hundreds
of dollars to individuals, or to corpor-
ations, and for which we have no idea
that either paper received a cent.
Then again, both papers seem to hold
themselves at the convenience OF the
governor and the state house officers
10 publish any and everything that
these officials might want to promul-
gate among the people and without
one cent of cost. The state govern
ment is in much better shape than if
it owned its own newspapers. 1t gets
all the advantage and benefit without
one cent of expense.
OF course, we do not mean to say
that none of this matter should be
published free of charge. Much OF it
is legitimate news of interest to vast
majority of the subscribers of both
papers, and, of course, it is to the in
terest of both papers to publish such
matter as news. A large per cent. OF
it is matter that is of interest only to
a comparatively few individuals, and
which is really tiresome to a majority
of the readers of the papers. The
principal beneficiary is the official who
gives it out, and who, otherwise would
have found it impossible to reach the
people except at labor and expense
that would have been more than suf-
ficient To have given the newspapers
fair compensation. In nine cases out
of ten he does not even feel that the
newspapers have done him or anybody
else favor but is more apt to have a
feeling that inasmuch as the newsra-
pers did not charge for the matter, he
had rendered favor rather than 9TH
erwise in giving it out.
The Columbia State makes the point
that newspapers daily and weekly
are forced by their rivals, to publish a
good deal of matter that ought to be
paid for. 1t explains how such mat
ter as has been refused by one paper
will be published by another paper "for
spite" We do not think this point is
we'll taken. The editor should use his
own judgment about what 10 publish
and what not to publish, and he should
not be influenced in the least by what
rival might do. If he allows him.
self to be bulldozed or blackmailed in
business way, he is done for, and he
can lay it down as a safe proposition
that if his rival benefits by the publi-
cation of something he has declined to
publish, then it is merely case in
which the rival had the better dis
elimination as to the news or adver-
tising character of the article in ques-
ton. If the rival sees fit to publish
some things free Of charge for some
people and make other people pay, or
charge some one price and some an
other for the same thing, for reason of
policy, that is his business. But there
is no occasion for worry. Such policy
does not pay.
A newspaper can be conducted sue
cessfully only on the most approved
business principles. In the first place
it has to give the quantity, quality
and character of matter that its con-
stituency demands. 1t must be hon
orable, painstaking and reliable. That
is the way in most portions of South
Carolina. The newspaper that ap-
proaches nearest to these requirements
will build up for itself the most de-
sirable constituency. Then as to ad-
vertising business, it must have fair
price and stick to it. Unless it treats
all alike, it can have the respect OF
none. If in pursuing these principles, 1t
succumbs to the competition of rival,
it can correctly account for its failure
only on the ground that the rival had
more ability and better deserved to
succeed.
But there is no doubt about the fact
that most of the papers do a great
deal of free work-more than ought
to be expected of them. There are
people who would not think of offer
ing pay for numerous services that
ought to be paid for. They would not
make the same request of the mer-
chant, the lawyer or the doctor, posi-
sibly but they seem to think they
nave right to ask it of the newspa-
per. If the newspaper accedes to
these requests, then, of course, it has
done no more than it ought to have
done, and is not even entitled to
thanks. However, newspapers ought
not to complain about matters of this
kind. If they are unable to manage
their business successfully themselves,