Herald-Democrat, Greencastle, Putnam County, 11 February 1921 — Page 2
PAGE TWO
MANY INDIANA COUNTIES IN SALVATION ARMY MOVEMENT -o-
THE HERALD-DEMOCRAT. GREENCASTLE. INDIANA
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 5—Twenty one Indiana counties tod ate have join ed hands with the Salvation Army in its 1921 service program for this state statistics, compiled at the Indiana headquarters here and announc. ' ed by Brigadier George F Casler, show To form the connecting link between the Salvation Army s institu. tions and facilities for correcting and preventing all forms of social disorder and their local cases needing such attention influential citiaens in these counties have banded themselves to. gether as County Advisory Boards nr.ri will work with an,) for the Salvation Army in its promulgation of the same sort of service which this org. anization has bee n giving to the people of Indiana for the past forty years. County advisory boards, figures on file this week show, have been formed at Monticello. Delphi, Wabash i Bluffton. Decatur Hartford City. Tip. ton. Noblesville, Lebanon > Crawfords, ville, Rochville, Brazil,’ Bloomfield < Greensburg. Connersville, Liberty. Columbus . Rushville, Greencastle, Portland and Martinsville.
PUTS REMEDY UP TO STATE LEGISLATURE INDIANA STATE CAPITOL, Feb A.—The state board of tax commisrioners has received a petition from a number of citizens of Greencastle asking that provision be made for the taxation of property of Greek letter fraternities at DePauw university. The petition is similar to one receiv. e,) by the board recently from citi. zens of Wes't Lafayette regarding the taxation of property of the organizations at Purdue university. Fred A. Sims, chairman of the board, said that the petition was re. turned to Greencastle with a letter stating that the matter is one which citizens should refer to the Legisla. ture in the event they wish the present law exempting fraternity proper ty repealed At the time of the sub. mission of the Purdue petition. Mr Sims called for an opinion from at. torney General U S. Lesh on the ouestion. The attornev general held that the property is exempted from 4 axation under an act of the Legislature
GIVES $25 TO THE EUROPEAN RELIEF FUND
"With the receipt of a check for $25 from Mrs. J E. McCurry and Miss Mary Ella McCurry. the committee in charge of the Hoover European Re. lief Fund campaign in Putnam County is enthusiastic that the Putnam county quota of $4,800 will be reach, ed The success of the Invisible Guest' banquet at which more than $1,000 was raised has given th e committee new encouragement and renewed energy now is being put into the drive The banquet did not by any means end the drive as some persons have been lead to believe .It was simply a movement to stimulate the drive. The donation of Mrs. McCurry and her daughter, today, added new inspira. tion to the workers and the receipts from this mornings Moving Picture show, given by Alonzo Cook also helped a lot
W HAT WILL RENO DO IF GOVERNOR SIGNS MEASURE o RENO, Nev. Feb. 5.—An amendment to the Nevada divorce law which provides that every applicant for di. vorce must have been a resident of the state for six months, preceding commencement of divorce action, was passed by the assembly of the state legislature this morning and now goes to the Governor for signature The amendment prohibits the “short term” class of divorce except for bona fide residents of the state.
INTERDENOMINATIONAL PRAYER MEETING o The Missionary Societies of the Greencastle churches have banded together and will hol^ an all day Pray, er meeting February 18th in the Loc. ust street M. E. Church beginning at 10:30 A M.. Special prayer will be offered that the Savior's Command ; “Go Ye into all the World and preach the gospel to every creature,” shall be obeyed
Newspaper Costs
TJie Herald-Democaat gives more for the money, to both readers and advertisers, than during 1914. This is not only true as a quantitive proposition, but when costs are considered the facts are still more strinking. Only by virtue of a larger output, only by taking advantage of what may properly be called quantity production, has it been possible for the greater value, compared to
cost, to be delivered to the buyer.
The following article, which recently appeared in several different magazines, including “Volta” the little house Organ of the Wabash Valley Electric Company. It is reproduced here and should be considered by the general public:
IDVMiCES IN NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION AND AD RATES
SURVEY SHOWS INCREASED COST OF PRODUCTION JUSTIFIES RAISE; STRIKING PARRALEL BETWEEN NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES IS POINTED OUT Newspapers which have advanced their subscription rates 100 and 200 per cent and advertising rates from 50 to 150 percent, are justified in their action. This is the conclusion after an extensive survey made at the request of advertising managers of utility companies, accessories and equipment concerns and utility invest, ment houses. The report shows the striking parralle] existing in many points between the utility business and newspaper busi. ness. It makes this important point: That newspapers and public utilities in many respects are in the same boat. . .They cannot suspend operations when production costs become troublesome or operating conditions unfavorable. A manufacturing plant can suspend. A newspaper or a utility corporation cannot; both are 24 hour services Survey Answers Questions The report on advances in newspaper rates answered these questions: (1) Why have newspaper subscription rates advanced 100 to 200 per cent and advertising rates 50 to 150 per cent? (2) Why do these rates continue to advance when the price of some commodities are declining? (3) Ho w can newspapers justify such advances, after previous big advances, in view of the difficulties that some utilities, afflicted with the same high cost problems hav e had in increasing rates?
“A manufacturing plant or retail store may postpone extensions or development work until price conditions are favorable Newspapers, like utilities, cannot. They must extend as demands of their communities require, or injure the community They must maintain a reasonable degree of efficiency at all times—high production cost not withstanding. They cannot close down but must buy “at the market” the necessities entering into produc. tion, regardless of price. A 24.hour suspension of a newspaper might abrogate advertising contracts and surely would have a depressing effect on all business in the community, as such a lapse on the part of a utility would without doubt work heavy hardship on a com. munity and entail financial loss to the citizens.” . In speaking of the substantia] increases in the costs of production in the newspaper business the report says: “The increased cost of newsprint to the newspapers is being justified by manufacturers by statements of the crease in the cost of labor, coal and other factors enter, ing into the cost of manufacturing paper. They say no decline may be looked forward to in th e immediate future, and sealers are declining to make contracts with newspapers over a longer period than six months. At this time there appears to be an inadequate supply of print paper. “The cost of production also has risen since 1914, main, tenance and replacement especially having become more costly. But while labor and iron pip e costs were soaring, the average increase in rates for water companies has been something less than 10 per cent. “It is clear the production costs of newspapers have not declined any more than utility costs have dropped. To the contrary, in all of these services^-24 hours a day service— a lapse which would mean loss to the community served as well as loss to the operators of the services, it is found that production costs have increased substantially since January 1, 1920, and in recent months the principal items show no signs of breaking. Price Decline Not General
The investigation laid bare facts that show the first question can be answered with the statement that news, paper costs increased from August 1, 1914. to January 1, 1920 as follows: Paper, 212.50 per cent; ink, 200 per cent; machinery, equipment 104 per cent; labor 91.75 per cent • And to show that this year such expenses have contin. ued to advance, it is stated that from January 1, 1920 to September 1, 1920. an additional cost was recorded as follows: Paper, 48.75 per cent; ink, 16.55 per cent; mach. inery. equipment, 20 per cent; labor 11 per cent. Regarding the second question the report makes this point: “A manufacturing plant or retail store may adjust selling price of products from day to day to meet increased costs of commodities, materials or labor. This has been attested by increases of from 100 to 400 per cent in com. modity prices since 1913. In direct contrast due to public regulation by utilities commissions, telephone rates on an average increased but 35 per cent, electric rates but 17 per cent, and gas rates but 41 per cent, In spite of th e unreg. ulated prices being charged these companies for the commodities entering into the manufacture of their services. It is clearly to be seen that unregulated prices (to which newspapers are also subject) which fose to such extra, ordinary heights have a long way to fall before they reach the level of regulated prices.” Cannot Postpone Development Another point of similarity between the utilities an^ the newspaper is that they cannot postpone extensions or developments until price conditions are more favorable. To quote the report:
‘It is clear therefore, that some lines of business are not susceptible to declines to the extent that others may be affected; it is clearly apparent that price decline so far has not been general; that labor, fuel and paper costs will hold for some time to come and that businesses affected by such factors cannot expect conditions such as will permit declines in rates for some time to come, “Newspaper advertising rates and the prices of subscription. therefore, do not appear to be exorbitant and are in keeping with higher production costs, “It would be just as reasonable at this time to ask a shoe dealer to sell his shoes at pre.war prices of $3 50 a pair; a clothing merchant to sell suits at $18; a grocer to sell potatoes at 75 cents a bushel; a farmer to sell wheat at 80 cents a bushel; a restaurant proprietor to sell ham eggs at 20 cents an order; a butcher to sell pork chops at three pounds for a quarter or a baker to sell bread at 5 cents a loaf as it would to ask a newspaper or a utility to sell its products at pre.war rates The utility business could not survive on lower rates under conditions now existing, than now charged; neither should the newspaper proprietor be expected to.
Just take
and knowledge He will know when production cost
chne to the point that enables him to drop his rates as it is certain that those in the utility business will action as soon as conditions permit, so it
.v wmi mose in tne utility business will take action as soon as conditions permit, so it is cerUin that °. bta ’ n 8 ,ower advertising rate from newspapers her the factors permitting such procedure exists.”
Indiana Committee on Public Utility Information.
TIGERS HUMBLE IRISH 31 TO 26 - o SOUTH BEND, Ind., Feb. 3 — Fought to a standstill in the first half DePauw had the punch to come back in the final period tonight and carry on to a 31 to 26 triumph over Notre Dame i n a game marked by fast passing and clever team work.
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