The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-06-23

HENRY s. voL<MAR ExFLAlNs
MISSION OF NEWSPAPER.
HcoRREcTs. ERRoNEoussIpEAs.
Publisher Of Grant County Is. d he
vteW Thinks slt Is Time the Busl-
N ess interests of the N ewsp1-
per Were Con stdered..

ness interests of the Newsp1-
per Were Considered.
sIr. Henry S.. volkmar. editor ard
publisher al the Grant County Review,
A1ilbank, s. D., has found occasion in
an editorial in his paper to set forth
his views on the real mission OF a
newspaper and the erroneous Jews
which too often pertain thereto. and
what he says Is OF such widespread
application and will find such sympa-
thetic Endorsement by newspaper pub
fishers generally. that We reprint ne.
low the editorial. eliminating the local
references. 4.
The occasion which called forth the
editorial was criticism from some Of
the local business interests. which
took the paper to task in taking sonic.
out-of-town advertising. The attempt
to question Mr.. Volkmar's right or
lroprlety to sell little advertising
space as n pure matter of business
has caused him, as he puts 1t, "to gem
crate big guage OF steam" SO that
che simply had to explode" He ex-
I1loded as. follows:
It has frequently been observed that
the persons who know the most about
running a newspaper, or who at least
think they know more. than the editor
and publisher himself does. are those
who never published newspaper or
who do not have to rustic to earn and
collect the money required to pay the
steady. everlasting and heavy expense
of publishing 1t.
Not Public Pack Horse.
There are also whole lot OF very
mistaken Ideas and notions upon the
part of the general public concerning
what they are pleased to consider the
duty" Of n newspaper publisher
toward the public. Many merchants,
business men. and the very dear pub
/ lie generally, seriously entertain the
idea that a newspaper Is an entirely
different business proposition from
that OF any other business calling. or
vocation. They really believe that the
true mission OF newspaper Is to free.
| ~ offer itself as public pack horse
and free omnibus for the special con-
ycnience OF everybody who may have
Il hobby to ride or exploit. an AK to
grind. personal or business enter
Prise to further. and all at the expense
of the publisher.
1T Is undoubtedly the duty of every
citizen to contribute something in the
way Of time. money, or Its equivalent,
toward the advancement of The gen.
eral interests and welfare of the COM
munitr. but 1t Is only fair that each
person shdhld contribute only his just
proportion Of the obligation. 1t is a
fact. nevertheless. that more is ex.
tected and eXncted from a newspaper
tlian from any other class of BUSINESS
men OF: citizens, and perhaps the news.
papers themselves are to blame for
having permitted this opinion to OBJ.
tain.
Little Profit in Newspapers.
There Is no business which for the
time. energy. capital invested, and
downright hard work. which yields as
little profit or financial return ut that
ct publishing newspaper. big or little
Every line of type set, every sheet oil
paper printed. costs money, time and
labor, and yet the community. espe
tially In the smaller towns, has been
educated to believe that the editor and
publisher has an ever yearning desire
for something to fill up his paper
with" They do not, however, cons!h
er that the most important thin:
which he needs Is some had cash tt
FIJI his money till from which on So;
urday night he may pay his printers
and ut the end of the month pay hi
paper and type bills. to say l.lthing o
the scores of current expense accounts
and his own living bills. They quite
Z Utterly fail to differentiate between
what constitutes news" for whIcl
they pay the price of their newspnpe
subscription. and what constitutes .'atl
rertisins" which is solely for the bene
fit of either themselves individually o
o: the community collectively.
Whenever an item or an article /
handed in for publication. the effec
of which Is designed to bring som
necuniary benefit. or some pleasure
or some return. too the Individual Il
question. or to number of person
collectively. then that item or articl
: should ms pure matter of business b
paid for. II the subject matter 4
I something in the way of general new
which subscribers have n right to e,