The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-04
PAPERS CONSOLIDATED.

under the name OF the PreSS ana DdnneT, IL purchase
price of the office being $4,000.
The Abbevile Medium was started in 1870 by r. K.
and J. c. Hemphill.
In 1904 1 sold the Press and Banner to W.. W.. and
w. R. Bradley, 1 agreeing to render whatever assistance l
could for the next five years. That time has expired, and
I am now no longer its editor, though 1 am its friend, who
is willing at all times to render any assistance that may be
possible. The Messrs. Bradley are men of ability and ed
ucation. They are competent to make the Press and Ban
ner equal to every demand. Honorable and high-toned,
they will leave nothing undone to render a faithful service
to the people. 1 hope that they may be in the Office as
long as 1 have been, and that their success may be greater
than any success that may have come to me in the past.
May their lives and their labors be pleasant forever.
NEWSPAPERS COME AND GO. 49,.
NV testimony would be that an old-establshed news
paper is the hardest thing on earth to kill. An old paper
may not answer the requirements, and there may exist a
demand for another and a better paper which would more
~acceptably serve the public. In that event there are gen
orally men who are ready to 60 into the newspaper Dusl-
ness, and such men, knowing very little OF the Practical
business of publishing, often rush in where angels fear to
tread.
For one reason or another within the last fifty or sixty
years, the third newspaper has been tried in nearly every
town in this section of the State with the re-
suit that no town has yet supported three newspapers.
Speaking for myself For many years before | sold the
Press and Banner, l felt safe in the idea that no man hav-
inc the elements of success in him would start a third pa
per at Abbevile. If such an one was determined to go
into the business at Abbeville he would buy one OF the
established papers. Holding this belief, 1 have not even
attempted to account for what an inexperienced man might
do. There is no telling what a man who is not familiar
with the business may attempt to do, but the RECORDS
of the past would assure me of what he would be sure TO
fail to do. : "a. -.
Every town needs two newspapers. competition IS
the life of trade, and where able men can be found VINO
are willing to do an indefinite amount of work tor small
pay, two papers will be found. A man of ability and bus
mess tact, however, can make more money at any other
business.
A MISTAKE.
One great mistake which competing newspapers too
often make, is in the cutting down of the prices to a inquire
at which neither could live if it had all the business.
While my competitor, Gen. Hemphill OF the AbbeVllle
Medium, and 1 we're seldom agreed in politics or other
matters of a public nature, yet we were agreed on one
thing, namely that we would not work for starvation
nrices. He often provoked me and l assume that I as
often pulled his hair the wrong way, but in business we
we're as one. If either ever cut the price to secure an ad,
the fact has escaped my memory. A more honorable bus
mess competitor no man ever had than Gen. r. r. Hemp
hill. Long ago we agreed upon a uniform price tor busl-
ness ads, namely 10 cents a square for leach insertion.
$40 a page, S. for half page, 81. 50 for quarter page, all
for each insertion.
The old rule used to be to charge half as much tor
months as for a year. We charged 81 an inch tor
transient ads. for first insertion and half-price for subse-
uuent insertions.
The increased business at the lower fixed rates, and
the satisfaction to customers, made the rule a profitable
a pleasant one.
1 think the fairest and best way to pay printers is by
the piece. l have no experience with %linotyPes, but l
think as long as type can be set ii a reasonable price per
thousand ems, the average country printing office does not
need a linotype.
IN CONCLUSION.
WhiletT have been deficient in the arts OF the
nolitic;sn have striven to be fair in maintaining what
/ condeived to be the right. l have not mallclously
assailed any mans character, but have criticised acts
of individuals, while giving them credit tor honesty OF
purposa. And if l could not present my cause, 1t was De-
cause of lack of ability and not because OF any lack
of faith in the justice'and the correctness OF my contenuon'
In Saving "Good-bye" to the brethren, do SO with
kindly feeling for all. feel that my work has been I'M
ished ahd that l am nearing the end of a life that has met
iti full share of battles. But notwithstanding all OIL
nv er4ors of omission and commission, the people nave
been gbod to me. For this reason | love the people OF the
arid county of Abbeville as l love no other. l thlnk
afe the best on earth.