The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-22
TRANSIENT RATES
SATURDAY.......MARCH %. 1902.
A WORD TO THE WISE.


At a meeting of the Chamber OF
Commerce of Quincy, Ill.,, recently
Mr.. H. n. Wheeler, a publisher of
that city, delivered a speech in which
he called attention to the lack OF
support accorded newspapers by
business men. Among other things
that this honorable editor had to
say was this statement-Wereit not
for foreign patronage the newspapers
of Quincy could not live He also
called attention to the fact that the
newspapers of that city are almost
barren of local advertising. He said
every project that is being proposed
in Quincy gets the instant and con
slant help OF the papers. and that
every old Quincy concern that needs
encouragement or help, or advertls-
ing, or a boost of any kind gets 1t
freely from the papers. The bust
ness men of the city have doubt
less come to look upon free adyer-
Using as their right.
The remarks OF this western editor
leads one to believe that he had at
one time run a Virginia newspaper,
or else the business men OF Quincy,
ILL.,, were born in some Virginia city.
While Mr.. Wheeler's remarks are sad
ly true and applicable to many other
cities throughout this Nation. 1t Is
with pleasure that THE FREE LANCE
makes the statement that Freder-
icksburg is an exception TO the rule.
Nearly every business concern IN TINS
city believes in advertising,and these
firms are always willing to pay hy-
mo rates for their advertisements.
Indeed we are in love with the busi-
ness men of Fredericksburg, and
while many people believe that our
merchants are a little slow the con-
trarv is true. 1t is fact that III
many Virginia cities the people
seem to imagine that the newspa-
ners should be sort of free hack
upon which every man should have
the privilege OF riding, and as rule
those who want to gain prominence
through the local columns OF a news
paper seldom advertise-in some
cases do not even subscribe to It,
We do not believe that in these
DAYS of progress and Intelligence
that any will dispute the fact that a
local newspaper is a necessity to
every city or town. Fit is a neces-
sitv then it should receive the united
support of all thepeOple, both moral
" and financially. The old custom
Of borrowing your neighbor's paper
in order TO read the news OF the day
is we'll nigh obsolete, and 1t ought 10
be. 1t is just as honorable to ask
your neighbor to furnish food for
your table or clothing for your back
"a il is to ask him to furnish reading
matter for your satisfaction and III
formation.
Then again, every town or clty
should be thoroughly advertised, and
the best means by which to accom-
nlish this end is the publication OF a
frst-class up-to-date newspaper The
time is past when men go into the
newspaper business simply for thelI
health or past time. They invest
their capital and their brains in this
work in order to gain a livelihood
for themselves and their families
Tbav face all kinds of weather in or
der to get the news so that their
readers may sit by their firesldes
and keep in touch with their nelgh-
bors along all lines both public and
nr;vate. In order to have a successful
town we must have successful news
naners and in order to have sue
cessful newspapers we must nave 'he
united support of all business men
As we stated before the business men
Of this city are standing by their pa
ners with marked loyalty, but there
are a few left who ought to JON
hands with those whoareno adver-
Using and make the movement
unanimous. A word to the wise is
sufficient.