The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-10-29
NEWSPAPERS UP AGAINST TT.

The are cup against it
in the matter Of the cost Of issuing
their papers. In addition to the up
ward tendency in the amount paid to
printers and others employed in news
paper Offices, the paper trust by an
arbitrary increase in the price of paper
has put a tax of from S10.00O,00O to
S12, 900, 900 a year upon the news
papers. This is a very heavy burden
"a burden that takes away every dol
lar of profit many newspapers have
been making and in some instances
| forces such close economy as to al
most cut to blood. In addition, the
railroad companies about two years
ago changed the classification of paper
used by all weeklies Chat is a ia
vorite trick of increasing freight
rates by indirection) SO that freight
rates are much higher. The cost Of
type and metal and everything that
goes into the production of a news
paper adds to the burden. In the
case Of most North Carolina neWspa-
pers, this increased expense must
cause an increase in the price of sub
scription because the advertising field
is SO limited little increase can come
from advertising. In the big cites.
some of this expense can be borne by
increased advertising rates, but that is
very difficult even with papers whose
circulation goes up TO the hundreds of
thousands. The penny city PAPER
have always lost money on circulation
but recouped in advertising. They are
now considering reducing the number
of pages of the paper. those that
have been making big money can go
ahead without increasing subscription
price by reducing the size Of the paper
and other economies. but those that
have had a narrow margin face a hard
business problem.
In North Carolina two of the dailies
have announced an increase in sub
scription price-the Fayetteville OBJ
server from four to six dollars and
the Wilson Times has increased from
four to five dollars. In announcing the
increase the Observer y
For the past few years the cost of
everything that enters into the pro-
duction Of the Observer has increased
at a rate of from 10 per cent to over
lou per cent. In the past two years
the cost of the Observers telegraph
service alone has been increased lust
100 per cent, and. not counting any
thing for the editorial and business
departments of the paper, the total
cost Of producing it has increased by
a percentage not quite 100. We have
held u against ar increase as long
as possible; but that step now be-
comes necessary in justice to all con-
cerned."
The Statesville Mascot and Concord
Times, both semi-weekly papers, have
found 1t necessary to increase their
subscription price from one dollar to
one dollar and fifty cents. They really
ought to get two dollars Il year and
would get it If they received proper
compensation.
These increases are made because
the publishers find it necessary. The
public should recognize this and gladly
pay the additional amounts charged
knowing that even then there are no
such profits as before the prices roared
sky-hlgh. Those papers that have
large local advertising and can in
crease the advertising rates may not
increase the subscription price but
they are comparatively few in number
the others must increase the price of
subscription or reduce expenses. It
is a hard problem before them.
Mr.. #. 2 Walker oSSjcta3 ~, TT