How to Run a Paper

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 74, 2 December 1884, Page 3

How to Run a Paper

[''imam Herald.]

Some people have curious i'.eas of the functions of newspapers. Th«rn are those who thiuk thmn to be public property, aud consequently that anybody lias a right not only to d - muml but to insist that his or her opinions or places, or things, no mutter how- red-hot and libellous they may be, shall be published, and any explanation on your part that you have been, in the wisdom of Pruvii dence, supplied with mind and reasoning powers of your own, is looked upon as downright impudence, i'ou are told your place is to listen. 'J here is nor a tew societies, and public bodies, whose secretaries and other officers come to you with an item of local news, possibly a report half a-yard long that will cost you rive or ten sliillinu-s to set, and wheD politely reminded that it is usir.il. as akindof quid pro quo to advertise these things before asking for accounts of tuem to be published, open their eyes to their fullest extent and look at you with an expression on tneir lac, a3 mush as to say, " Well, it you hay. -n't got a c^ol cheek I'm" bianked ! Here, Iv pune to tho Trouble of briii-uig this this valuable inionnaion a'lout our club or Lodge 10 you, knowing it would be of use to your readers, and you want me lo pay you ! What i< your paper male for ? There is still another class who think the newspapers hove discovered ?ho secret of perpetual motion aud money or no money, can always jay their way or get along somehow. Oue of these folk camo into our office the other day. He had lost a sum of money and d- sired to advertise it. We wr >te out the advertisement for him and iold him the cost. "< h, I'll pay that win n I get the mon y, ' said he.. " Hut supposing you don't recovmit ? " Why, then, the adveiti-.einont will have been of no use to me, ami it's not likely I'm goi-ig to pay for anything useless." We declined to do business on these terms, as it premised to be too much a caso of •' heads I win, tails y-u lose," and we told him so. He also seemed to wonder what newspapers were made tor.