The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-11-16
The Newspaper Situation

The South Carolina Press Association,
at meeting held in Columbia Friday
morning, October 27, decided to issue
the following statement:
TO the Advertising Patrons and Read
ers of Newspapers in South Carolina
The Press Association of this state
wishes to bring to the attention of the
advertising patrons, readers and friends
OF the press the serious situation con.
fronting the publishers at this time and
point out some facts that we feel should
be communicated to you in our attempt
to meet conditions that have been thrust
upon us. We do this after giving the
matter careful consideration, and find
ing ourselves powerless at this time to
take any other steps whereby the news
papers may be continued, and feeling
that we are acting both for the good of
News paper in the past eight months
has advanced from $43 per ton until at
the present time it is quoted at $l3O per
ton and almost unohtainable at that
price, some wholesale paper houses hav-
ing none to offer at all and some of the
mills refusing to take, on any new con-
tracts. There may be slight excuse or
ample excuse for the advance in prices
on us, but the fact remains that we are
paying from SO to 500 per cent more for
paper stocks, ink, metal, type and things
that are used in the publishing business
than we were eight months ago.
The only thing that will save the
newspapers of South Carolina is the ad-
vancing of advertising and subscription
rates. Some of the larger dailies have
already made advances in both. The
small dailies and weeklies will have to
do likewise or go out of business, and
we ask you, in the Interest of free
press and the best interests of yourself,
community and state at large, to meet
these advances cheerfully and to coop
crate in every manner possible.
"Paper-makers insist that there must
be curtailment of the demand upon
them; that they are working three shifts
a day, and at this season of the year,
when they should be accumulating a re-
serve stock, they cannot supply the de-
mand Large publishers are trying to
meet the suggestion of the paper-mak- :
ers by cutting down their papers and
economizing, and the commission ap-
pointed by congress, after Investigating
the situation, are alarmed, but so far
have been unable to offer any sugges-
ton that will in any way relieve the
matter. Small papers have had no op-
portunity to economize, as they only
buy just what they are obliged to use.
and under the existing conditions few
newspapers can exist long unless they
find some immediate remedy, and the
only remedy at this time is an advance
in the rate Of both advertising and sub
scriptions, No matter how much pub
Usher may DISLIKE to do this, it is his
only sal walton if he continues in bust.
ness and continues to be of service to
his advertising patrons and subscribers.
I'VE have confidence in the patrons of
the various papers throughout South
Carolina and believe that they will
stand by them and cooperate in any
manner possible to keep them going un-
til there can be- readjustment And
in conclusion we call on all perons who
believe in the mission of free press to
cooperate with us in adjusting our
business to these new and unheard of
conditions, SO that we can continue to
serve you.
The South Carolina Press Associa-
tion."