The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-09
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1908.
New Paper In Columbia.

We see notice in the newspapers to the ef'
feet that Messrs. T. Larry CAN'T and E. II.
Aull are to open Job Office in Columbia,
from which q new weekly newspaper will De
issced, These gentlemen are experienced
newspaper editors and practical business
men. II they had asked our opinion as to the
sdvisibility OF the move, we should have said,
Don't"
IfMr, Aull and Mr.. CAN'T had suggested the
propriety Of enlarging the job Office of the
Herald and News, we might possibly have
said: "Go ahead"
Long ago, a small Investment In material
would put up good printing Office, but now
with the improved machinery and the expen'
styeuess of the outfit, the cost Of the plant
must be great. And then the competition
from established houses is strong. Where
sork is let out to responsible bidders, the
profit is small or no work is done.
The original cost OF the secondhand ONCE
where this editor learned to set type nifty
years ago. was 1926, and at that time 1t was
regarded as fairly good newspaper OUTFIT
The Office from which this newspaper is
published cost considerably more than 1926.
And We have no linotype either.
The prices paid for printing is much lower
now than they were six or eight years ago.
And, the reduced price at which such WORK Is
done, is too near the COST to encour age new
enterprises In the cities, where all the ex.
penses are greater than they are In country
offices As q matter OF fact, no city printer
can compete with we'll equipped country
printer. who understands his business.
For instance: II the Press and Banner
can realize price equal to the actual cost ol
the average pamphlet in the city we have al
good profit as we would ask.
The city printer cannot hope to do work
where the edition is small. as cheaply as II
can be done In the country.
But, where the edition OF book runs W
into the thousands. the city printer, with hi'
big presses and his foldingsmachines, may
beat the country printer.
Where the edition Is not more than few
thousand, no city printer need bid against
this office.
As It is, We get fair show. OF work. But
We made the efforts which a man Of Mr.
Aulps or Mr.. Gantt's energy:would exert. VI
could get more work than we could do. Our
work and prices bring us reasonable share
OF business without our sending out agents OF
drummers.
II Mr.. Aull and Mr.. CAN'T have enough
ready, cash to put up hrst-class office, we
would suggest that they Invest 1t In mortga
ges on land, or other good securities. and en-
large the office at Newberry.
Ifthey will not adopt this suggestion. ther
We offer another. See II arrangements cam o
be made with some of the printers already IL
business In Columbia, to do their press work
The interest, wear and tear, and depreciation
In the value of press would likely be muct
more than the cost Of having the press WORK
done by somebody already owning press
and which may now be .idle much Of the
time -four friends will bear in mind that 9
secondhand press is the hardest thing to sell
and that when sale can be made 1t must HI
made at an insignificant figure when com
pared with the original cost, they will ref1ec
on this matter. II they do not forget that joi
type goes out Of style about as often as th
style Of .woman's hat, they will hesitate
again.