Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1913-04-04
Help For The Editor

| OAtO ~ eA@N AiAAI l'llO fAAsss..t.lOlk
ton has made with the rural
press is an order from the post
office department forhidding
cS!!Te~y by nail 10, subscribe rs
1 more than . year in arrears.
This gives ye editor the opportun-
lty for a most energetic and de-
cisive dun to the dear but unre-
numeratve reader. 1t enbles him
to stop the paper of the old sub
scriber and to shelter himself
from wrath behind the orders of
a beneficent and potent govern
Iment.
Bad subscribers and destroy
ing forces of the ever amiable.
long tolerant country news
papers, which really are the
most useful and loved of all
publications and the final makers
of public Sentiment, are of four
varieties
First, the people who know
they can not pay and have no
notion of trying to pay, but will
go on taking the paper and
reading it so long as it is sent
to them. These probably get
more real enjoyment from their
reading than any other class.
Second, those daed-beats who
could pay if they would but DO
not intend to pay, have arranged
IN their minds always to tell the
editor, when he approaches them
Tor q little on account, that the
paper is no good and who know
they will not be sued because the
amount is too small to make an
action pay for itself.
Third, those who intend to nav
some time but postpone until,
because there are several hun
dreds of them, it is impossible
to collect enough to pay the
white paper bills and the sheet
starves or the editor and his
family are subjected to mortifica.
ton and deprivation, if not ruin.
Fourth and worst, and most
ruinous of all, those who car
pay and intend to pay, but who
postpone payment from year IL
year good fellows, good people,
good natured, well meaning,
Knowing they are amply re.
, sponsible for their debts. care.
lessly taking advantage of then
social and financial strength tc
deprive and Cypress those who
can not afford to be deprived.
These citizens know that nobody
will sue them or offend then
and the unhappy editor, as he
sees the account mounting ur
and his public and private plea
disregarded and contemplates
his empty till, awaits with
mournful and dubious hope the
sudden outbusrt of generosity OF
timely recollection of the bill
SO much to him, so little to the
debtor that may come in time
to relieve his sore need.
With the authority of the
government behind him. with an
enforced law to protect him
from the appearance of offensive
dlstrust, with the power to cut
of delinquents and refer them
to the post office department, the
country editor has his chance.
He is using it. The delinquent
subscriber circular is the most
popular, the most cordially en-
dorsed, eagerly welcomed and
assiduously spread public docu-
ment ever issued. May it WELD
ample returns and give the
editors. who are imposed on and
despolled so cruelty, the nerve
and opportunity to trim their
circulations to a cash basis.
1t is the cash circulation that
pays the advertiser. A merchant
does better sending the story of
what he has to sell to the homes
OF 800 substantial, business-like
people who are careful and
prompt in meeting their debts
and who have cash to pay, than
by having it scattered among
1000 people who are below or
above debts too small to sue for
or who are dead-beats, parasites
or small grafters bent on getting