Gratuitous Printing

The following very sensible remarks from an exchange almost every publisher will heartily endorse. We have had considerable of this kind of experience ourselves:

“It has been the custom of all associations and individuals to impose upon editors the publication of resolutions, obituary notices, advertisements of benevolent enterprises and various other articles of limited or individual interest without charge. We have done quite our share of that kind of work. If associations consider it due to deceased members to pass resolutions testifying to their virtues and condoling with their relations, they must henceforth consider it due to publishers to pay for them; and if literary, school and other associations cannot exist without gratuitous printing they must be too slightly prized to promise substantial benefit to the members. – Until we find teachers who teach gratis; butchers who furnish steaks and roasts without charge, lawyers who counsel without fees; farmers who donate their wood and produce, &c., we must decline being in the list of printers who print without compensation.”

A sensible publisher, that – [Gate City]

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa June 18, 1864