New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-06-08
The Euening Mail
At3Cents- and VIM
ANNOUNCEMENT BY
HENRY L. ST0DDARD PRESIDENT THE EVENING Man

II L. CIOUUANU, rNESlUENl HE EVENING
The price of The Evening Mail is adj
vanced to three cents per copy, effective
to-day
1t is no longer possible to produce The
Evening Mail for two cents; therefore we
fix the price at three cents, and briefly
state the reasons.
Two years ago this month-when The
Evening Mail sold at the same price as
now-print paper cost us three cents per
pound.
The lowest cost to us at present is
cents per pound; the average is over six.
On July 1st our lowest cost will be "a
cents, and the average for total circulation,
very much higher.
These figures show that the cost of
news-print has doubled in two years, while
the newspapers selling price has not
changed.
News-print is the largest single ex-
pense in the production of newspaper.
10 put one instance into figures: the
increase just announced by the paper
manufacturers means $15O,OOO wear
addition to the present news-print bill of
The Evening Mail.
The same story can be told of labor
costs They are fixed by trade agreements
1or the year to come on a basis substan-
TALLY higher than ever and, like news
print at least double that of two years ago.
The condition, therefore, is not one Of
theory; 1t is cold inescapable fact.
The figures are not old, but new.
They apply to the present and the future.
Whatever influences, if any, may be
operating for price recessions in rnanufac-
turing lines, the contracts now in force for
print paper and for labor for the year to
come fix newspaper costs far above exist
ing levels.
In these circumstances, we are sure.
the new price of The Evening Mail needs
no apology. 1t certainly prompts no plea
by US that the superior merit of the paper
Justlfles it. We make no such claim.
Our hat is in the ring, not in our hand.
The figures quoted above compel the
change; nothing else would.
Production costs forced all morning
and evening papers to three cents on Aoril
Fl last, outside the city limits. and Sunday
papers to 10 cents
The Journal and Globe have since ap-
piled the three-cent price to their city cir
culation as we'll.
The Evening Mail had hoped to avoid
doing likewise; that hope, as we have
shown above, is futile
Advertising volume and rates, of
course, could be increased to produce
greater revenue-but only at the continued
sacrifice of space that should be devoted to
news and features of popular interest
Readers of every newspaper know
that that sacrifice has reached an irtol-
cradle point It cannot go on. It is not
fair, IN order to meet costs. to penalize
readers by heavily decreased news mat
ter and advertisers by heavily increased
rates.
1t is fair to divide costs by making
an equitable charge to each for the service
performed for each-seeing to it, finally,
that the service in both instances is worth
the price asked.
The Mails change to three cents rep
resents that conclusion and that purpose.
One more factor in the new price
should be brought to public attention. for
it we'll deserves to be. A wage increase
outside the newspaper office is long over
due
1t is not generosity but plain justice
to pay adequately a hardworking force of
people who endure long hours of exposure
to hand you your fa~orite paper, which
ever it may be, or to have it for you regu-
larly at home on your arrival.
We refer to the newsdealer-rnan,
woman, boy or girl.