The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-15
A BLESSING TO NEWSPAPERS

the only practical method on which to
conduct a newspaper business, and he
is more than gratified with the Gov
crnment's war industries boards late
order which virtually places all Amer
lean newspapers on that basis, says
o. Bryan Copper, in his department of
Newspaper Criticism in the October is
sue of the National Printer-Journal-
list.
iSincc prompt compliance with the
war boards rules is q patriotic duty,
it will be complied with by every in
telligent newspaper maker in the
country, and thus, while the nation
benefits through the amount of print
paper thus conserved, the publishers,
too, will benefit, because they will at
last be forced to free themselves of a
costly waste and begin to do business
in a business-like way by delivering
their goods only to such patrons as or
der and pay for them.
With the average newspaper man OF
yesterday circulation had become an
obsession. To boast of big list was
ever a publishers greatest joy. But
of what benefit is large subscription
list, if each and every subscriber is
not bona fide? By "bona fide" | mean
subscriber who takes the paper be-
cause he wants it, and we must con-
cede that men, as rule, expect and
are willing to pay for whatever they
want.
OF course know it is argued, and
not without reason, that circulation
| -, ol,,, 10 &c cit ca
much as a source of revenue, as for
the efficacy which is thus gained by the
sheet as an advertising medium; but
modern advertisers are fast learning
that there's a great difference be-
tween calculations; that ofttimes q
paper of smaller circulation brings
better results from the same copy than
papers of large calculations.
The reason for the difference is re-
suits is that the big lists are often
composed of lot of people who take
the papers, ont because they mant
them, but simply because of that nat
ural, human habit of procrastinatior
in matters that are the least bit I'M
pleasant lot of people who per-
nit the papers to keep coming on to
their addresses, just because they're
too blamed weak-willed to order them
stopped. They do not want these pa
pers, nor read them, but the papers
continue to come, and the subscribers
ca continue to permit their coming
Some day these folks may pay-and
they may not How very often il
turns out they do not! The publisher
merely gets the postmasters card no.
tice, Form No. 1878, checked, Re
moved-Left no address," which
is not very agreeable compensation
for several years of sending the pa
per, but about all that's due mar
who will do business in so shiftlcss s
way.
But the immediate point is: Of
what worth or benefit is list padded
up with these deadheads? Such sub
scribers(?) bring nothing to the ed
itor, nor do their names on the sub
, scribtion list actually mean anything
to the live advertiser.
To sum up then, the only sort o.
: circulation that's good for the adver
tiser is one that is profitable to thu
publisher-and that's the paid-inad
vance subscribers. Such subscriber
are subscribers-we need no intreoga
ton point after the term in thei
case. They take the paper because
they want it, and, wanting it they'll
gladly pay the price.
Now, Pm we'll aware that hundreds
of newspaper men besides my sell
have long since recognized the cash
! in advance -when-up basis as tn
: ideal system; but comparatively few
who have thus cherished the idea il
, their hearts have the courage to put i
, into practical application.
To be sure several have resolved t.
p. do so, and have gone so far as t.
{ boldly announce the plans adoption
only to gradually fall back into tn
old style of "send it as long as they'll
; accept it and get your pay when yol
| can and if you can"
At the end of the month, when sew
eral hundred names have to be set of
the live mailing galleys, unless mai
is blessed with the courage equal t.
his convictions, he's apt to find hi
good resolutions oozing. But the onl,
way is to "stand pat"; set the name
off, and, provided the paper is goo,
enough to be desirable, the dollars OIL
subscription will soon begin to roll in
But now that the pulp and pape
section of the United States war in
dustries board has come forwar
with its intelligent order, adoption o
the cash-in-advance plan is made cas-,
for all publishers who hitherto lacke,
the courage to adopt it. There's mag
ic in the fact that the Government i
back of the innovation, and simulta
neously the publisher is relieved Of al
personal responsibility--each one o
US can blame it all onto the kaiser
And perhaps the most important ad
vantage is the fact that it will be
: universal change. Thus, like prohibi
, ton (Which nationally will prove
, success, whereas, otherwise those font
of their cups, though dwelling within
dry territory, could always import a
J plenty of booze from adjoining we
territory and because the plan ap
plies to all publishers in the United
States, it is assured a success. Here
tofore, though you inaugurated tn
cash-in-advance system, | would re
fuse to take your sheet, because
| ohp1J GILL rot tro,1r nnn1 otitnr,c