Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-07-07

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fit when the present one is worn out. /
can imagine now hear some weak
brother say, "You are wrong there,
brother, for if we don't do the work
low they viii send off after it." Yes,
we will admit that there are in every
town cheap john merchants who send
away TO these cheap concerns for their
work, but am glad to say there are not
many in Mississippi who will send out
of their own town for printing when
there is printer in it who can do the
work, and all they ask is fair profit
If there are, God pity them and the
future Of their town. From our taree
years experience in the newspaper
business we have learned thut the only
intelligent way to run newspaper is
TO find out what it costs to do the work
and then get price that will leave
profit The printer who has not
learned this, and is still charging his
customers less than double the amount
he is paying the man who does the Job,
because his competitor does, is robbing
himself, his family and his creditors
This cause could be remedied by the in
dividual printer, but more effectually
through organization, because as a
member Of the same they have but to
refer their customers to their adopted
scale, This has already been expe.
rienced by every newspaper man in the
State when the price Of legal notice
is collected. In this case you simply
have to say to the kicker, the legisla-
ture fixed the price, not me-and the
money comes without murmur.
Many a newspaper has been saved
from suspension by this legislative act
alone. Such being true it is the duty
Of the association to discuss the matter,
select a committee composed of its
most successful newspaper men, and
let them get together and adopt an adj
vertisement, subscription and job rate
that will insure living and profit for
every paper and member Of the associa-
tion, who can adopt it at will To say
it can't be done is folly, for, knowing
the cost Of labor, material and circuls.
ton, any boy who can repeat the null
tiplication table can calculate the price
to charge. In proof Of what l say
refer you to page G5 of the Inland
Printer Of April land right here let me
say this is book every newspaper man
in Mississippi, whether he be editor or
printer, should subscribe for if he de.
sires to improve or inform himself on
his busiuess) and you will see rate
card made by Harry NJ. Kenny, of Car
Isle, Pa, which shows it can be sue
cessfully done. Now let this work Of
reformation and organization be taken
up at once. The president of the or
ganization should appoint committees
today to look into this matter, discuss
it on your trip to the West If possible,
and shape it for the next meeting. At
the next association let there be a
three days business meeting held in
the city from which the association will
take its pleasure trip for the discussion
and transaction of business relative to
the organization, Again, we would
suggest that the business to be dis
cussed be announced in the minutes Of
this meeting and sent to every newspa-
per in the State, so that our editors
may see that the old order has taken on
new life and that their interests de-
mand that they connect themselves with
the organization. If such a course is
pursued at this meeting feel that it
will increase the interest in the organi-
zation, reclaim many old members, se-
cure new ones, and result in general
good to all.
Mississippi owes much to the press
for the great industrial movement that
is now being inaugurated all over the
commonwealth, which portends in a
few years to rank it among the first in
manufactures agriculture and wealth.
The duty of preserving her history falls
as much to the press as it does to the
historian in giving to the coming gen.
GRAFTON the truth from living lips and
impartial pens. To the press it looks
for the unfolding of political schemes
and to the exposure of men who would
destroy the honor and integrity of the
State in order to secure office and
power. With such uties-important
duties-aS these devolving upon us it de-
mands that our meetings be given up
to something more than pleasure, so
that we may prepare ourselves to fulfill
the trust imposed and at the same time
reap from our fields sufficient harvest
to live upon and meet our obligations
while we are carrying them out.