The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-12-27
SUBSCRIPTION GOES Up.

We have had to come to it. 1t is
a matter OF sink or swim. The cost
of publishing The Labor World has
doubled in three years. Rent alone
has gone up 40 per cent in four
months. White paper cost has
nearly trebled in three years. The
mechanical cost is twice as much as
It was one year ago. We have had
to bear all this Increased cost our
selves. We could not pass it on as
most other lines of business have
been able to do.
The subscription price of The
Labor World has remained I'M
changed for more than 20 years. The
advertising rates have been but
slightly increased, not sufficient,
however, to meet the exceptional
advance IN the general cost of edit
ing, printing and publishing We
have hoped against hope that by in"
creasing our volume Of business We
would be able to offset the loss in
profit caused by the increased cost
of production, but there is basic
cost we can not get away from which
increases with the addition Of every
new subscriber.
At the rate OF 81 a. year the pres
ent cost of white paper, of soliciting
and collecting, and OF Bookkeeping
considerably exceeds the amount OF
money we receive from subscriptions.
Every new subscriber we get costs
us money, and this loss can not be
passed on to the advertiser. as ma
tional publications may do, for the
advertising rates Of city weekly
newspaper printed in the English
language are based not SO much on
its own circulation as on the price
paid to daily newspapers circulating
In the same field. A weekly news
paper Of a certain circulation printed
In Duluth is paid for it's advertising
considerably less than is paid to the
same sort of publication with a like
circulation printed in the Twin Cit
les. The daily papers in St. Paul
and Minneapolis have higher adver.
Using rates than the Duluth daily
papers.
CT course we will expect our
patrons to pay more for advertising
to help in meeting the increass ed
costs. They know conditions and
they are prepared to meet them. We
can sit down with each OF them and
explain in detail our reasons for ask
ing more money for advertising
space. But we can not have q heart
to heart talk with our subscribers
except in the manner taken in this
editorial. This is a ground hog case,
1t is one Of compulslon. There is
no choice.
We first considered boosting the
price of The Labor World last June
When we saw our balance dwindling.
Then VIC thought We could weather
1t out, hoping all the time that some
costs at least would come down, but
1t looks less hopeful today than ever.
Indeed at this moment there are
rumors of another raise in the prizes
Of paper, with some newspapers
forced to skip every other publica
ton and others compelled to suspend
entirely because they can not ge
sufficient paper on one hand or NEE,
the new cost on the other.
Our subscribers, we are sure, will
Judge us rightly. We have laid on,
cards on the table. We have with
neld nothing. 1.-The laborer is worth,
OF his hire We are entitled to ,
fair compensation for our effort, ant
our readers are willing to pay al
honest price for good thing. Wher
conditions become normal we viii
be the first to reduce the subscrip
ton price.
On and after January 1, 1920, TIL,
Labor World will be delivered t,
subscribers at the rate OF 81 a year;
81 for six months and so cents fo,
*1hree months. A subscription is
contract and understanding it as sucl
every subscriber will be continue,
at the old rate of 81 year until BIZ
present yearly subscription expires
whether it is paid for or not. Re
neWals will come under the new rate
Those who subscribe hafore the So.