The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-22
On tho way 10 Freedom.

Ting 1t rapidly--but you'll never get
enough advertising to pay your Bills
let alone give you profit
On May NTH Nell. Butler and Ash
man came over and spent two days
with Austin and me to study the az
fairs Of the Sun. listen to our account
Of what we had done and what had
happened to US during our first year
in st. James and MAKE plans for the
future. Set down on paper. our rec
ord was AZ follows
May S. 1905. TO May 8, 1905.
Advertising receipts .....& 6I.229.1s
Circulation receipts l2.A22.o1
Total receipts ..-....$ 7s.861.1S
Operating expenses ..$lO4,s46.2S
Net loss .....-.....s za'e@4'V0
Cash in bank, May s. 1906; 100000
Less net loss ............ s5.32A.oS
Cash In bank, May s. 1865 3%,676.Sl
Circulation. May S. 1905 s.l4S
Circulation, May s. 1906-22.232
Average daily receipts from circu-
lation. May, le05--331.39
Average daily receipts from circu-
iaaion. May. ls0s-$sa2i.
II was In the circulation figures that
we found our consolation and builded
our hope for the future. Once more
Nell. Butler and Ashman approved
everything Austin and I had done. ex-
pressed confidence In our ultimate sue
cess. told VIZ TO keep making the
kind OF q Newspaper we had been
making. and left US to work out our
own destiny with $34.675.Sl Of their
money still left.
Though my effort to find men to
run for mayor and assessor had failed.
so far as the immediate redemption
Of the city was concerned. my journey
among the thirty-eight whom found
In sympathy with US proved big help
that summer and fall, when I con-
Quoted a campaign for = legislative
delegation that would work for new
charter and a municipal primary law.
using my thirty-eight as nucleus
organized the Greater St. James
Committee"
or course I did not personally form
the organization. but induced dozen
OF my thirty.eight to issue call FOR
& mass meeting TO consider the new
charter and municipal primary aues-
tions. Soothing less than two hum
dred citizens attended. but from that
number we culled out a hundred who
gave promise OF standing hitched.
furnished the newspaper backing and
the committee employed secretary.
oened ornament headquarters ana set
TO work to place In the hands OF every
person In st. James the reasons for
! new charter and for legal protection
Tor voters In the nomination OF can
aidatcs for city Offices
illustrated by Vaux Wilson,
II was while the Greater st. James
Committee was busily engaged in
campaign for "A Bigger. Broader,
Better st. James, campaign. by
the way, that the other papers even
tualiy had TO take coEnixance OF be-
cause their readers became Interest
ed in it--that I had my most serious
conflict with the big advertisers One
Sunday afternoon. about the middle
Of the summer. again took trip
10 Riverside Park. This time there
were no drunkards on the car coming
home. but I was impressed by an
other condition. Going down. the
conductor collected one fare for the
ride from the city to South st. James
IND another fare for the ride
from South 81. James to the park.
Coming back he collected but
one fare. 1 had known for some
time that the street railway company
charged ten cents to 60 to the park
and i've cents to come back. but the
ahyurdity of the arrangement had
never before struck mo. The next
day got out the reports OF the COM
pany and studied them carefully. II
was in highly prosperous condition.
1t paid taxes on ridiculously low
assessment. 1t kept up the pave
mAnt between Its tracks. but It paid
nothing whatever for the use Of the
strect4--no franc hise tax. no car tax.
no license Of any character. 1t had
been granted an exclusive, perpetual
franchise free Of cost, and II wal
making big returns on q vast amount
Of excess capital. Therefore l began
q campaign for five-cent fares to
Riverside Park.
Tho Monkey, the Cat and tho Chest
nuts.
had been publishing editorials
every day for week. explaining
the capitalization. assessment, taxes
and earnings Of the railway company.
when / was waited upon by COM
mittee from the Retail Merchants As
ISOLATION. My old friend. Harry
Street, was chairman OF tho delega
ton. and his honor. the mayor. was
one OF the party.
I'VE want to know whats the mat
ter with you fellows up here any
way" said the mayor. by way OF In
PRODUCTION.
What do you mean" ! asked.
why are you always raising sand
with something or somebody"
Though don't accept that rs Q
definition OF what we are doing"
replied, IL you want to call 1t that
I don't mind saying It's because we
think something and somebody needs
IL"
..well. We cams up to tell you its
rot to stop"
THAT sounds interesting" ! said.
Have seats gentlemen: let's talk II
over"
managed TO find chairs for most
OF them and tho rest sat on my re-
portera' deskA
Now" / said. what have you on
your mindsf''
ats like this" said Mayor
Schneider. hitching his chair forward
and taking command Of the afiirma-
tive side Of the debate. We repre-
sent the Retail Merchants Assocta-
tion. which 10 composed OF the hfty
leading retail establishments in town.
We've been watching the Sun ever
since you've bson here and we don't
like the Kind OF Newspaper you're
running. 81 James hasn't ever had
that kind Of = newspaper