Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-31
PASSING or THE oNr-CrNr NEWS.
pAnnm-

IL revolutionising conditions IN q host Of
directions. This is as true Of the press as
Of other institutions. One Of the most
table things in all the world 10 the circu-
ton price Of q Newspaper. which changes
It's price only a. q last emergency. other
values may constantly 90 up or down
with changing conditions. but the news
paper measure Of value does not change
with ever modified intrinsic value, based
upon various elements Of cost and con-
tributins influences that help hx the
price a paper should charge. the same as
changing values Of stocks or real estate,
or Industrial and farm products.
A newspaper selling for certain price
and maintaining certain features becomes
sort Of distinctive institution. Favor.
able conditions a. to newspaper supplies
some years ago resulted in the starting of
q large number Of smaller newspapers in
the smaller cities that sold for one cent
q copy. They were usually worth more than
that. On the other hand strenuous COM
petition led in the larger cities to the
establishment Of . cheap price for some Of
the leading papers. The disinclination Of
both classes TO change their price Is in
dicated by the fact that not until the pres
ont have the New York newspapers drop
ped the lower price. although war con-
ditions long ago initiated In favor Of such
! change
War conditions have now largely elimin.
| ated the one-cent papsr throughout the
United States. Most daily papers
throughout the country now sell for two
or three cents copy. \ host Of news
papers. both daily and weekly have been
unable TO weather the storm and have
ceased publication. During the past year
no less than 1900 papers. daily or weekly
or both have succumbed.
The Brooklyn Eagle. which Is one o.
tho high-class newspapers. philosophers
over the change in price of most New
York newspapers as follows:
| The handwriting on the wall that
doomed the one-cent newspaper in the
metropolis as we'll as elsewhere in the
United States was in evedybody's full
sight many months before the end came
No intelligent observer is astounded OF
even surprised to learn that tomorrow
and afterward he will have to pay two
cents for the World, the American, the
Times. the Sun, the Herald. the Tribune
and the same price he may buy. always
Excepting the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. which
Is three cents. and worth it, The Eve.
ming Post will shift to the two-cent level. u
These arc the prices in Greater New
York. Outside Of the metropolis the New
York papers sell for a higher price. The
Eagle continues:
with fairness due to our contempora
riss. the Eagle wishes to say that, gener
ally speaking. each Of them IL we'll worth
to the reader the price It Is going t.
charge. The one-cent plan sought to maxi
circulation returns cover white papel
costs. and in normal times. with goot
costs had to be met out of returns on ad
vertising. The advertiser was thus pay
Ing an unreasonably large part Of tn,
total expenses Of the newspaper. Nov
the !. reader will do his Bit In mos
cases he will not complain and will con
tinue to buy his favorite daily.
THE direct or immediate cause of tn
change Is swelling expenses. Of which al
increase Of close to so per cent. in tn,
cost Of print paper is an important fea
ture. Wages have been going up an,
are now on a war basis. Machinery an,
all materials used are from 50 to 100 pc
cent. higher than they were three year
ago. Largo issues are demanded to cove
war news: the ten-page daily has lon,
. been thing Of the past. Wars disturb
ance Of business has cut receipts, o
course. because investors in publicity hav
been as much beset by doubts as inves
tors in other things.
"As for the Eagle. it has had to NEE
all the problems and difficulties of tn
situation that confronted other news
! papers, but its publication price was al
ready on a logical basis. and no Alteration
was desirable. The three-cent charge
} fair to the advertiser: it is fair to tn
} newsdealer. who Is enabled to make a
honest living on reasonable number Q
sales: above all. 1t Is fair to the reade
who gets. in actual and relative valu,
the equivalent Of what he pays.
80 the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. for tn
hrst time In all the newspaper history 9
the city, 10 the only three-cent daily. morn
; Ing or evening. in town. and excepting tn
Boston Evening Transcript. the only at,
ernoon three-cent daily in the East. 1t
proud Of the distinction. It has sougt
I not mammoth circulation. but a sui
l.. stantial and discriminating class Of reat
, ers. permanent in it's loyalty. q class VIII
Q make the best purchasing public for tn
+. advertisers appeal. What 1t sought ha
K been secured and has been held; and III
buyers and readers have grown in numb.
i each year with the growth Of Brooklyn
a Looking at the whole question broad,
!. We are convinced that the trend Of to-ds
= 10 wholesome trend. Much Of insince
. ity in the newspapers Of the largest Giro,
!, lation. has been due to the need of kee,
IN nh <,ipc ,lnA