The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-08
A STATE PRESS EMBLEM
CFrom Leesburg COMMERCIAL

|
the State Press Association amount
to something and to stand for some
/ thing more than 2 junket once a
year and few talks on job print
ing, the Commercial believes there
should be a State press emblem and
! that every newspaper affiliated with
the organization shou4tearry this
emblem at its masthead. We ex-
pect t. present this su2 gestion at the
Kissimmee meeting.
1t was decided, among other
things. at the Jacksonville meeting
of the various organizations that all
weekly newspapers in the organiza-
lions having circulation of 500 to
200, beginning tomorrow, should
charee a minimum advertising rate
of , cents an inch If this were
backed up by the parent organiza-
ton. and every member of that or
ganiZatlon carried the emblem at the
masthead of the paper, its enforce
ment would be a matter of course.
Failure to abide by the rules OF the
organization would result in loss of
tho right to the emblem and this
would not be lightly incurred. 1t
would give confidence where now
there is too much distrust, and in
case the rult was violated it would
be only a short time before agencies
wou.C be calling attention to it in
requests for similar rates Of other
members of the organization.
The Commercial does not come in
this class of 500 TO 900 circula-
ton, and we hope the discussion
will hc brought into other classes
at the Kissimmee meeting, for we
find 4 great deal Of trouble in Sc
curing rate which is only a cent
an inch above the rate for papers
of less than half our circulation We
do not believe that many papers are
living up to the rates outlined on
the rate cards. Let us hope they
will stick to the new rate after to-
day.
1t is possible that the parent body
may get into trouble over this fix
ing Of rate, for it has all the ear
marks of the gentleman agree
mepts' we heard so much about in
the days of spectacular trust bust
ing INDUCED in by gentleman
named "He-who- must-b be obeyed"
But there is this difference. The
rate decided upon will stand in any
court, for decisions have been rem
dered to establish the truth that the
laborer is worthy of his hire. In
other words, capital is entitled to a
just rate of interest on it's invest
meut. and labor is entitled to liv-
ing wage. Less than Is cents an
inch is neither interest on invest
ment nor a living wage.
Take the ordiary eight-page paper
Of Florida. Usually it carries an
average Of 800 inches of paid dis
play advertising. At the 15-cent
rate that advertising brings $45.
If it is a $3.50 paper and has
a 1000 paid circulation there is an
other weekly income of little less
than 500. Add to this a pickup of
$40 a week for legals and locals
and how many average that?-and
you have the total income of $S4
week.
Out Of $S4 the newspaper must
set eight pages Of matter, totaling
$50 inches. OF this, 300 inches will
be advertising at cost of to 1-2
cents an inch. Let us say 3 cents.
That is 50. Then comes $50 in
ches of matter varying from to 7
cents an inch actual cost. Say it
averaged 5 cents. That adds $33. t
Imposition of eight pages cannot
cost less than 81. Press work and
ink on two four-page forms, printi-
ing 1900 copies, which will be nee
essary if there is paid circulation
of zoo will cost not less than
$3.50. White paper, 120 pounds at
1925 delivered, adds $500. Fold I
ing and mailing will range from SO
to $40, according to whether there is
a folder and how much the opera
tives are paid. Say it costs $3.50,
postage included. The actual print
ing cost, without counting salaries,
has been $500, leaving S24.1O to
pay the editor, business manager,
press feeder, and for Distributing the
type, washing forms and keeping up
The Tires. Then there is the rent.
The Gasoline, for the press, the tele-
phone, the electric lights and sew
'ral other little items that crop up
rom week to week. Besides, the
lmodnt put aside for the cost of
composition is not enough to pay
lumber of compositors necessary and :
he newspaper manager must skirm- ,
sh arund and get some other work :
or these men to do between times. :
Use he cannot afford to keep them. !
Suppose you cut that advertising =
ate down to 10 cents an inch. That /
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