The Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4013, 6 January 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1876.

We can sympathise with the ‘Daily Times in its article this morning concerning the transfer of its monopoly of the Bankrupt notice advertisements. Brethren in misfortune generally bear each others’ ills, and a word or two of consolation tends to soothe the wounded feelings. It is amazing how perceptions are quickened when position or interest is attacked. This is one of the uses of adversity, as theologians and poets tell us.

Sweet are the uses of adversity, V* hich, like the toad, ugly and venomous. Wears yet a precious jewel in his head: iud thus our life, exempt from public haunt, -hxnds tongues in trees, books in running brooks, a Sermons in stones, and good in everything. We confess the good of having some hundreds a year transferred from self to another is difficult to discover as an ordinary rule ; and we doubt whether the shareholders of the £ Daily Times ’ will agree with the “immortal bard,” although those of the ‘ Guardian ’ may find some gratification when, in addition to profit, they see that one blessed effect has been fco convince our elder contemporary that the utmost publicity is the end and purpose of advertising. It is really mere waste of money to pay for advertisea newspaper that is fitful or small in its circulation. We remember the time when this salutary doctrine was pooh-poohed by the • Daily Times ’ —when this journal, for instance, by the proprietors of which application was made to be allowed equal rights only, as a ‘ Bankrupt Gazette,’ was designated as an “obscure journal” in a letter to one of the Government Departments, although its circulation even then doubled its own. We recollect the time when the ‘Daily Times’ sought by every effort, and by the exertion of every variety of influence at its command, to induce the Land Transfer Department to break a contract entered into by it with this journal, although a fair opportunity of competing was given prior to the agreement being entered into, “The obscure journal ” plea was somewhat arrogantly put forward; we leave our readers to judge with what justice. We should not have alluded to these matters had we not desired to demonstrate the evolution progressing in the economic theories of the ‘Daily Times.’ So firmly fixed in fact was the exclusive privilege of advertising bankruptcies, that although when real publicity was sought an occasional half-dozen lines found their way into the Star, the country people, almost exclusively, were informed of legal processes chiefly important to the town ; and though the injustice of the monopoly to the public was lard before the fJudges in Appeal Court assembled, they decided to continue co vest it in the ‘Daily Times.’ During all

that period, seven years at least, the ‘ Daily Times ’ was writing strongly against the Government of the day, casting contempt upon Mr Yogel and predicting ruin to the country. The Bankrupt notices were rife, not only in its advertising but its leading columns. No doubt its managers thought themselves safe reposing in the arms of Justice. But the Bankrupt notices are taken out of Court, and to its cost our morning contemporary has found out there is such a thing as retaliation still in existence. The Government had nothing to thank the ‘ Daily Times ’ for, although our morning contemporary had much cause to thank the Government. Long suffering and patient it seemed to do the most for those journals that did the least for it. Still the heart of the ‘ Daily Times’ was ,not softened, although there were seasons when it wavered and seemed to repent of its political sins. But now, at last, the coup is given, repentance is of no avail, the wavering is over, the Bankrupt advertisements are gone, the ‘ Daily Times ’ has thrown the Government over, and m&y become consistently Provincial in its politics. We cannot endorse the justice of all its complaints. With a circulation of three times that of the ‘ Times,’ and having supported the general policy of the Government, this Journal has been comparatively overlooked. The * Daily Times ’ has received far more support than we have. Many of the Journals enumerated by it as favored really have the largest circulation in their respective districts, and very possibly the issue* of the ‘ Guardian ’ may equal that of our sick contemporary. Thestatements in its columns must therefore be attributed to the soreness consequent upon so malevolent an attack. Never having enjoyed the sweets of Bankrupt advertisements, we have luckily escaped the bitterness of being deprived of them; but being in the same boat with our contemporary, we feel for his chagrin. We see, however, that he is not without hope of getting his pets back again, but looks forward to a change of Ministry and trusts that— When a future Government bribes, and the present Ministers are in the cool shades of Opposition, the latter will never regret the precedent they have established.

This is rather a weak point with our contemporary, and detracts much from the moral purity and clearing of its business vision that is manifest in the earlier part of his Jeremiad. As he has flourished through opposition to the present Ministry, he had better continue his tactics and try to secure the Bankruptcy advertisements by opposing the next. Verbum sap.