The Daily Empire

We have had occasion to remark in a previous issue, on some very erroneous ideas held by people generally, regarding the press. The Janesville Gazette talks very sensibly upon this point, and says there is a class of well meaning, but thoughtless persons, who regard a newspaper as a sort of benevolent enterprise, gotten up by some liberal-minded gentleman, for the sole purpose of doing all the good possible, and who has selected the million-tongued press to accomplish it. They are the regular poachers upon the press—men who always want their favors gratuitously, and are always ready to inform the publisher that he has engaged in publishing a news paper, and they are always sure to have something of a business nature that they believe to be good news which ought to be given to the public at once. One man has just patented a new heating apparatus which will save half the fuel now used, and of course it will be a great favor to the poor if the editor will just tell the people free of charge where such apparatus can be bought. A man engaged in the manufacture of reapers recently sent the editor a communication of two columns, solid matter, setting forth the saving his machine would be to farmers over the common reaper, which he wished inserted gratis. It would be helping the farmers, don't you see! Then there are numberless organizations and associations of individuals that are clamorous for free rides in the publisher's wagon. The different religious denominations want all their notices of meetings, conventions, and festivals, published free; first, because they are too poor to pay; and, second, because they are engaged in doing good, and it is the business of the publishers to help on the noble work. Firemen get no pay for watching the property of citizens, and must have their notices of elections, meetings, &c., given them pro bono publico. The temperance organizations are busy in the noblest work that can engage the efforts of men—that of uplifting the fallen and ruined of our race.

John Doe takes a weekly paper, for which he pays two dollars a year, and gets five dollars' worth of reading. His wife and he asked the editor to print an obituary notice that cost at least two dollars to get it up in type. John might as consistently ask the undertaker who furnished the coffin for his poor wife, to throw in a small one for his youngest child, simply because he was a patron of his, as to ask such favors of a newspaper without pay. A mean man is nominated for office, and mighty mean men get into office sometimes, and he expects the editor to put on the best possible face on his fitness for the position, whitewash his character, print his tickets, and vote them, &c., all for the good of the cause and success of correct principles.

We beg all whom it may concern to remember that no good newspaper can be made without it has the whole time and industry of those engaged on it, and its expenses are comparatively larger in proportion to its gross receipts, than almost any other sort of business. If you read a paper, pay for it; if you need its facilities for getting your business before the public, and increasing your trade, pay for that, but don't sponge.