The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-05-09

1
publishing it for the benefit of their
readers. For this service alone, the
local press merits the most liberal
support from all classes of the com
munity, for the prosperity of one
class is the prosperity of all.
Hence, 1t is not heard to decide
that of the two the local paper pei.
forms the most important office IN
the locality. But this fact seldom
strikes the average thinker.
II 1t did the value Of the local
paper to the community would be
fully appreciated and the commnnl'
ty would feel that 1t 10 OF as much
sent to their half million of subscri
btrs at 81, per annum. The matter
in The RIP Shorter takes In the cur
rent events Of the world and the en-
tire field of fiction, science ana 1T
erature From this tremendous
coign of vantage, The Rip Snorlers
have made most of the magazines
reduce their subscriptions to 81, per
annum and depend upon advertising
for support. Per contra, other mag
azines have had the backbone TO
stick to a 50, rate and they have
not only maintained their circula-
uon and resources but have increas-
ed their popularity. by this, the
latter class of magazines have given
an object lesson that the local coun-
try paper might adv antageously fol-
lo~, instead Of trying to compete
with The Rip Snorters by means of
che 10 plate matter and patent out
sides, and with these appendages,
reducing their subscription to 81.
Imagine the country weekly with at
most 1000 subscribers, yielding
$1,000, not enough to pay for the
plainest editorial writer, engaging
IN this sort of contest. The pigmy |
wrestling with the giant. In the
earlier, non progressive days of the
Republic. a single thousand of per-
sons paying IS, per annum, could
have an organ to voice their opin-
ions, and a chain Of these organs
which no outside influence could
shake, guided the public opinion
nd upheld the principles Of the re-
public and the liberties Of the peo-
pie in all their pristine purity. Now
adays, not infrequently, The RIP
Snorters have other interests to look
after, and the managing editor has
but 10 lay the word and the forth
coming morning and weekly editions
Will present the line Of arguments
that will hammer away to change
the thoughts OF the millions Of read
ers throughout the country.
Is it not in great measure due
to the expansion Of The Rip
Shorter that some Of The biggest
publishing houses in this coun-
try have gone to the wall!
Surely, the glitter Of the expan-
ding yellow Rip Snorters is daz-
zling, but rs not this expansion of
the American metropolitan press
portentous with danger, since it is
concentrating the power
Of influencing public opinion in
great aggregations ofcapital WELD
ng the means and labor saving
TO crush the modest
competitor Of small means. It'll
must be evident then, that if the
masses of the people wish to have
'ther opinions considered than
hose emanating from great metro
'olitan journals, they must make /
p their minds to pay more for
Inality of reading matter than for
mere quality. In other words, as ;
hey must extend more liberal
upport totheir local papers, as b
hey used to do in former times. Q
The correspondent Of the metro 9
olitan journal gives little more
han the more striking events oc-
urring in the rural communities. \
lerein lies the opportunity of the :
ountry journal to occupy a field
'hich the metropolitan journal =
annot successfully invade. The Ii