OVERHEARD!

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 16

OVERHEARD!

NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE. 'They’re all wrong,” he said. “Thousands of newspapers! and every single one wrong.” , I had always thought he was a lunatic. Evsry morning he plunged down upon the platform, bought a dozen newspapers, wound himself about with them like a Laocoon, and then sat up straight in the railway carriage and talked—wild-eyed and loose-mouthed. Undoubtedly a lunatic. It was not pleasant to be alone with him vesterday morning as his silly face emerged from the coils of the morning “All wrong!” he cried, tearing the "Times” across, kicking the “Mail” under the seat, and pitching the “Post" cut of the window. What do you say?" "Every one all the time? Surely ” I began soothingly. "Every one," he repeated, "from the foundation. They begin wrong, and they must end in ruin. I’m going to start a newsnaper myself, on. the right lines.” Unquestionably a lunatic. 1 I inquired as to the lines, since the train was an express, and I could not remember where the alarm signal started. “Look here! You know something about newspapers?" "I write for them, sometimes.” "And they pay you for writing?” '‘lnvariably." “Then they’re fools!” The poor fellow was a lunatic—probably with the strength of ten sane men, so I did not resent openly, but smiled a question. “I suppose as a sensible man," he con.tinned, "you know that what all the papers want is advertisements. They can’t live without them." I admitted that 1 supposed as much. “Then you're with me,” cried the lunatic. "Certainly,” I protested. “Is it difficult to get articles and such stuff? I'm told that every daily newspaper has enough material in the way of articles to fill itself three times over. But no newspaper has all the advertisements it could cat. That’s so, isuf it?” Of course I humoured him. “Now. you see the point.” He leaned forward and wagged a finger in my face. “What is tho use of paying silly prices for what you can get more than enough of. and charging heavily for what yon lack? There never was such nonsense." “I don’t call the prices exactly silly, I murmured. "Silly ? Preposterous! Now my new paper—you may write for it if you like—as much as you like—you're fairly well off, I suppose?" I shook my head sadiy. “Then you must advertise. I like you. You shall advertise.” Here x began to be really interested. “Don’t you see the folly," he continued, "of ignoring the law o f supply and demand. There are thousands of people who want to write in the newspapers, and what the newspapers really want are advertisers.’’ A look of maniacal oi.nning crept into his eyes as the train slowed down—to mp great content. "In my new paper we shall pay the advertisers generously, and we shall charge the writer on a sliding scale—the worse he is the more he will have to pay. 'lbat’s business. Think of the advertisements! You may advertise, if you like. * It was a great relief when the madman rushed across the platform for a cao and disappeared.