The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-04
DAG CHEWING.

The Herald's approval OF a council
resolution to ask for bids on all city
advertising seems to have stirred up a
more or less esteemed contemporary.
In langwidge approaching violence II
says this paper formerly had the city's
business-which is admitted at once.
Moreover, it is admitted here and now
that some other newspaper would prob
ably have published the city's business
at a lower rate than The Herald
charged. But that was in the days of
wicked Democratic regime. whereas
this is the greatest reform" admins
tration the city has ever known, one
from which the people have right to
expect better things.
Besides It should be conceded with
out debate that The Herald is an au-
thority, having been the beneficiary of
the spoils system for two years and
knows whereof it speaks when it de-
clares the council can save the tax
payers thousands of dollars by asking
for bids. With the amount of improve
ment projected by the board of public
works and city council, the advertising
now is twice or three times as much as
1t has ever been. The Herald could
not hope to secure any of the business,
even in competition, because its rates
are higher than its competitors. and
it would not accept business at the
rates charged by other newspapers. so
it discusses this matter in an entirely
impartial way without fear of punish
ment or hope of reward. 1t repeats
what it has already said, that the
council can save thousands of dollars
of the peoples money if it will put city
advertising on a competitive basis. To
refuse TO do this is to admit that the
reform council prefers to use the
taxpayers money in payment Of news
paper services to political party
rather than place the city's advertising
business on a competitive basis and
save large sums.
Discussing this subject, the more or
less esteemed contemporary suggests
that we are Jealous of the strides it is
mentary things about The Herald.
Worse still, 1t devotes valuable front
page space to a cartoon which sug-
gests disparaging comparisons. Cruel
as The comment and the cartoon are.
painful as this situation is, there is
some comfort in remembering that
some of the best people in the city and
state have suffered in the same way
from the same source.
Recalling this, we shall try to be
cheerful and hope for the best. The
sun shines occasionally still; summer
is coming. the lake season is not far
away, the sky is just as blue as it ever
was and the glad wild song Of the birds
is left to comfort the respondent.
The Herald expects to go right on
publishing the best newspaper in the
west every day; it expects to be prompt
in delivery TO its subscribers and eff
cient in its service to advertisers. Its
revenue shows a comfortable increase
it's subscription list is considerably
larger than it ever was. it is making
strides, as the more or less esteemed
contemporary would put it. Altogether.
the outlook is not so gloomy as the
aforesaid contemporary would have
folks believe
Besides, life is too short to spend in
chewing the rag, as Fra Elbertus once
said. There is so much news. good and
bad, space is so valuable and people so
ready TO pay fer a good newspaper that
we can't afford TO waste much time and
energy on peevish competitors.
But we still insist that the city coun-
ell could make lots of money for the
city by asking for bids on public ad-
vertising-