The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-01-06
BUSINESS.
Fountain Inn Tribune.

*x** n M n n 1888
Fountain Inn Tribune.
The public does not fully under
stand the why and wherefore of the
newspaper business. People who are
too proud Of ask grocer for a pound
of sugar will unblushingly ask
newspaper for something OF more
value.
The newspaper business is unique.
A publisher enters into contract
with the United States government
and secures a cheaper rate of mail
ing than a private individual can pro-
cure. Armed with this cheaper mail
ing privilege, the publisher can en-
ter the market and offer his services
as a disseminator of information,
manufacturer of publicity.
The services he thus renders is of
considerable value. Indeed, it is n
service that could not, at present,
be rendered by any other agency.
Time was when a planter, desir-
ing to have a sale of personal prop
erty, would write a notice to that
effect and paste or tack it on tree
alongside the highway. A number
of people would see the notice, these
would tell others, and the desired
result would be accomplished-af-
ter a fashion. But today the plant
er can, and usually does, invest twen-
ty-fve cents or more in newspaper
publicity and five thousand people
learn that he intends having a sale,
where perhaps one hundred would
have found it out by the old method.
A similar service, though in great
er degree, is sold to merchants. A
retailer of merchandise can, at a
very small expense, keep his name
and business almost constantly be-
fore several thousand people. If he
has special bargains or goods of un-
usual quality to offer, no other sys-
tenn so far devised will quickly or
cheaply carry this information to the
people.
This ability to act as special mes
senger from one merchant to several
thousand possible customers is what
makes the publishing of newspapers
possible.
Subscription receipts do not. as a
rule, pay for the blank paper and
mailing OF any publication. SO that
1t can be truthfully said that pub
licity Is the newspaper mans sole
stock in trade. BY manufacturing
publicity he makes his living-and
his profit. This publicity has a GER
tan established value to persons in
business, and the publisher cannot
be expected to give IT free OF charge.
Various publications have various
rules as to what sort OF stun shall
be charged for, and what sort print
ed free. But the general system Is
to charge the regular rate for print
ing anything that will be OF value to
hn MI
The Tribune has followed this
rule since its first issue.
Some persons have thought 1t un-
Just to charge church societies or
schools for notices of entertainments
or suppers. But these same societies
or schools charge the public, and
therefore the publicity they desire
has hard dollar value. Where no
admission is to be charged, no ar
ticles to be sold, no collection taken,
notices are printed free.
Cards of thanks have been anoth-
er source Of misunderstandi The
person who desires to thank his
neighbors for certain kindnesses
could write a letter to each of them.
But this would take considerable
time and cost somewhat for postage.
The cheaper way is to invest twenty
nNe cents In newspaper service. but
how can any reasonable being eX-
pect this service free?
Frequently this paper receives
through the mail notices or cards OF
thanks, unaccompanied by payment.
These have always been printed, and
a statement OF the cost sent to the
person who asked for publicity. But
in most cases these statements have
been ignored, and the cost OF the
work has been carried on the books
as a loss.
In order to obviate this sort OF an
noyance, in the future The Tribune
will not print notices or cards OF
thanks that are not accompanied by
the cash.
In order to determine whether the
notice you want printed will be free
or charged for. ask yourself this:
"If this notice is printed. will 1t save
me annoyance? VIII II save me
time? Will 1t save me expense?
Will IT benefit me in dollars and
cents?"
II It will do any OF these things
you may depend on paying for its
publication.