Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-07-16
THE BUSINESS OF PUBLICITY
New Conditions Make Necessary
New Methods.
IMPORTANT WORK POORLY PAID
Recent Act Of Congress Taking Away
Alleged Charity to the Newspapers,
Brings Newspapers to Realization
that They Must Depend Upon Their
Own Merit for Existence.

] Manufacturers Record.
In announcing the raise Of the sub
scription price OF the Manufacturers
| Record il Is we'll to call attention to
some facts in regard TO the publishing
business not generally known 10 the
masses of the people. often not under
stood 10y men who are familiar with
all other lines Of industry than that OF
| newspaper and magazine work.
II is fact. we believe. not to be
successfully controvcrted, that taken
as n class the worth while publishers
Of this country. whether this term be
applied to the publishers Of the great
dailics. or the weekly or the monthly
periodicals Of business. science, pro-
grcss or fiction. are leaders in the
constructive thought of the nation.
Consider. for one moment. what 1t
would mean to the life of the nation
and of the individual. and to civiliza-
ton itself. If these publications did
not exist. The light of the present
would he supplanted by the darkness
OF the middle ages. and chaos would
reign.
The publishers of America meet
their responsibilities in way that
docs credit to American genius, and.
| beyond n doubt, they make possible
the great advancement We see In our
national life. They. do II without a
question as to the sacrifice of profits
for the nations welfare.
Despite the popular thought that
publishers make fabulous profits. the
business is at all times measured by
| the work and capital involved. one OF
the least remunerative in the land.
And today. in war times. poverty
trcads rapidly upon the heels Of near
~ every publication in the country,
with cost of raw materials and all
other items which enter into publica-
tinn work lcapinG forward with seven
league boots.
The publication business calls for
display of energy and nervous force
and hard thinking and quick acting to
keep abreast of the times. that is not
imposed upon any other business. II
is bcyond all question n business Of
specialists: highly trained, dependent
every day upon the nerve force and
the thinking Of the men who run 1t.
! And yet these men must. perforce.
work on 4 lower basis Of rcmunera-
ton, by virtue of conditions which
have surrounded the publication busi-
ness, than any other set of men of
equal ability and equal nerve -racking
work N the country
Because of circumstances. due, in
part. to the early history Of publica-
ton work. in part to the modcsty or
lack of courage on the part OF pub
fishers themselves, this business has
been conducted on n basis where II
II has not been in the position OF n
suppliant, il has TO say the least.
never had the courage to demand n
fair price for the product that ii is
sues and n due recognition by the
world of the dignity and responsihili-
" of it's work and OF the fact that the
worker is worthy of his hire.
People have been educated to pay
but a small sum for n newspaper or a
magazine, no matter how meritorious
it may be, and without regard to how
far below the actual cost Of the white
paper and the printing, the price may
have been.
The average man has come to feel
that he has a right to ask for n free
copy of newspaper. when he would
never think of going to his grocer and
asking for n free pound Of sugar.
Many men, even some business men,
WHO would view with horror the sug-
gcstion that they invite from their
grocer o. butcher n free contribution
of food for their table. take It for
granted rs n matter of course that
they have right to ask of the news
paper free food for their brain; and
thus they put the feeding OF their
brain as far less important than the
feeding Of their stomach.
The newspapers themselves are
partly 10 blame for this condition.
Many of them started without n dol
lar for capital and in early struggles
sought business on the basis Of help
the paper" when. in reality. the paper
was helping the community in which
IL existed far moro than the business
men could possibly help the paper"
Growing up from those early days.
there came into the newspaper world
spirit which permitted subscribers
and advertisers. and even those who
wanted TO use the paper without be-
ing either subscribers or advertisers
to take it for granted that the news
paper was q purely philanthropic in
stitution upon whose resources they
could draw without limit. however
great might be the burden thus placed
upon the brain and strength OF the
editors and publishers.
Many who have been ready to run
eagerly to the newspaper office for Its
aid in furthering their work OF their
plans have yet somehow held them
selves as superior beings to the men
who made the papers and thus held
in their hands the power Of what is
really the superior element Of the
nations life.
The time has come in the history
of the world for q new declaration OF
independence which shall mark a
revolutionizing change in the relation
between the publishing business anJ
the public.
1t is time for the newspapers ana
the magazines which are worth" TO
exist to place a true value uron their
services. and upon their part in main
tanning the very life Of the nation.
This new declaration of independ-