The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-08-29

home and every business within tn,
radius of its circulation. 1t is the ii,
that binds all together for happiness
prosperity and progress. The citizer
or business man who withholds sup
port from a well edited communit,
newspaper is either blind or very un.
grateful.
Some Editors Are At Fault
Besides those who lack the vision
of community usefulness, there are
some who lack the means of realizing
it. Not all who are in the business are
fitted for it; there are to many mis-.
fits in every calling. Others have been
hampered by lack Of money to make
q good start, and have lacked the en-
ergy and ingenuity which, coupled
honesty, are often a means Of getting
the needed capital. Therefore, for the
existence of struggling weeklies edi-
tors themselves must accept a portion
of the blame
But better day is coming. Editors
before, and they are solving them,
too, in a businesslike way. Attend one
are studying their problems as never
of the meetings of the Buckeye Press
association, and you will have all
this revealed to you. The editor who
did everything at haphazard is pass
ing, has almost passed now The new
editor is ever studying how his tasks
can best be done. He is checking up
on his efforts and reporting results,
exchanging ideas and experience with
others.
This refers to community CORES
pondents, local advertising and farm
advertising. circulation, office man
agement, cost iinuing, editorial poll
cy, and all the rest of the problems
with which the editor and publisher
of the community newspaper must
wrestle. The new editor knows that
there is always something for him to
learn. His mind is receptive and his
learning is quick to adopt better me-
thods which have succeeded else
where. Communities differ and edi-
tors and publishers are different The
persona lelement must be always con-
sidered, for it is important. But the
fact remains that methods are to an
extent being standardized, and the
business of publishing community
newspaper is bing rescued fro chaos
and uncertainty.
And this is of the greatest slgni-
ficance We may well go into costa
sizes about the beauty of service, for
there is nothing finer. But service is
based on business success. No one can
helpj others until he cam himself
stand with strength upon his own feet
The editor and publisher must be com
plete master of his own business and
must feel it strong at bis back ha-
fore he can move confidently to the
service of the community. And when
he is master and does feel the sup
port of his business, and moves for
ward with the other dOers of the COM
munity, he will come daily into new
happiness and power for good.
What Cost Finding Means
Cost finding is based on the simple
fact that nobody can spend more than
he receives and long serve. 1t seeks
to fin dout what the costs are before
and advertising rates and
Job printing prices are fixed. 1t marks
the line below which no publisher can
go with safety 1t may be carried into
such detail as to be burdensome, but
there is no office in which it should
not be carried to the point of assur-
ance. fora profit. And rates once es-
tablished should be maintained for all
Corners. Reaching for popularity with
propositions is vain and
may be fatal.
A paper must have circulation be-
fore it can get advertising. The pub
Usher must have something to sell be-
fore he can sell it with satisfaction to
The buyer or content to his own con-
science. But the federal government
9y it's postal regulations, has proved
@ every thinking publisher that the
nan who does not pay for his paper
S liability and not an asset. Many
publishers have gone further and
shown that the subscribers worth hav-
ng are willing to pay in advance.
They pay in advance for shoes and
.lothing and other things that they
Use a year. Why should they not in
he same way pay for newspaper
hey read all the year? This is the ap-
,lication of simple business prluci-
lie to the production of newspaper
md a further demonstration OF the
act that, while journalism is pro-
ession, it must be based on success
ul business.
AS a community newspaper be-
ONES a business success, 1T gains IN
he power of usefulness. 1t becomes
and is respected, and
t arrives for the performance of its
eal function of leadership in the
hought of the community. The print
d word, always having some author
ty, has more when behind it there is
successful business. More people
cad it seriously, more persons like to
e heard through it or mentioned In
/. 1t is more talked of and advertis-
d. 1t becomes the hub of great NOV
n