South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-31
Elkhart Newspapers Forced to
Reduce Prices to Old Standard
When News- I lines Enters Field

The high cost of newspapers in Ekhart has received
tremendous jolt result of The News Times entering the
local field The ciys two papers controlled by practically
the people, and catering TO the exclusive set
have found expedent to enter into cut-rate COmbna
ton whereby they have reduced prices by looping off
third of their subscription income that is they start
Monday to give their readers of five per week to
each subscriber.
1t is due entirely to the fact that The News Times pub
fishing all the Elkhar local news in addition its
passed general and editorial features that the cyS
local papers have been forced to retreat from their war
prices" established some months ago under the cloak of
1.-The high cost of print paper"
AS matter of fact the increase in the cost of print paper
amounted TO only few dollars each week to the local pa
per but they have for months charged the Ekha readers
aggregate of approximately $3.50 week above the
NAL and legitimate rate. The raise made through
combination of interests just the cut in prices is now
made IN the hope of saving the ScapS OF the interests
To be more explicit the home paper which claims the
largest circulation in the city, buying print paper under
contract at the rate of about 81 per hundred weight and
has been using approximately Is tons month With the
cost OF print paper increased to the extent of few dollars
ton the paper loaded to the Ekhart public increase
in subscription price which brought in added of
500 week or $4,000 year.
The conditions involved in this increase of rates needs
further to be analysed From s2tO per hundred weight
the biggest increase the Ekhat papers ever had in paper
pound Il takes about 90 pages of Ekhart paper to
weigh pound and that is about the number published per
week by one paper while the other only prints about 4S
pages 1t takes about pound of print paper per week,
them to supply each subscriber to one paper and little
over threetourthS of pound to supply the other.
Yet few months ago they jumped their subscription
rates from cents to IS cents week-fve cents; more
than enough to supply all the paper used They have ac
ally been making cent and third off from each SubScrb
each weeks print exclusively out of this fvecent
raise to be loppepd off, this saying nothing of the
two and oneenh cents per pound that the paper cost
ing them before the increase to S3.65.
The people of Elkhar will surely enjoy this bit of light
on the manner in which they have been eeced under the
false preenSe of its being necessary due to the increase
of news print cost They promised to drop back
paper conditions would warrant but there has been
reduction until now. 1t is merely under the stress OF Cir
cuSanceS that the public is promised that will not be
hedup any and that the price of the local papers
both making the announcement at the tme-wil be
cut to the old figure.
Outside papers especially The NewSTimeS forced this
change in policy But what has the public, in
the event should be hypnozed by this ardy repentance
that the local newspaper trust will stick to its present
emergency arrangement?