May 6, 1863, Southern Watchman (Athens, Georgia)
The paper on which the Watchman is printed this week cost us $15.00 per ream; Paper of the same size and far superior in quality, cost us, before the war, $3.50 per ream! We could then buy corn at from 50 cents to $1.00 per bushel–wheat at $1.00–bacon at 10@12 1/2–sugar at 10@12 1/2–butter at 12 1/2@15–eggs, 5 cents, and every thing else in proportion. Corn is now worth $3–wheat $11–bacon $1–sugar $1–butter $1.25–eggs 60 cents! A hat which then cost $3 now costs $40! Shirting which then cost 15 cents is now worth $2! Calico was then 15@20–it is now $3@$4! All other articles are in like proportion. We then charged $2 for our paper–we now get only $3. Every thing we use has advanced from 500 to 1000 per cent.–our paper has advanced only 50 per cent!! Every body knows we cannot live at this rate. To bring our business upon a level with that of others, we ought to have $12 per year for our paper, and yet some people are grumbling because, in common with the other weeklies we propose to advance our price to $4 per year–just one third of what it ought to be–after the 1st of June next!
All we have to say to such persons is, to repeat the proposition we made when the price advanced to $3–which was this: Pay us in any kind of farm products at former prices, and you can have the Watchman at $2, as heretofore. If not satisfied with this proposition, have your paper discontinued when the time paid for expires. We are not anxious to furnish it at *four dollars* when we know we ought to have *twelve.*
May 6, 1863, Southern Watchman (Athens, Georgia)
The paper on which the Watchman is printed this week cost us $15.00 per ream; Paper of the same size and far superior in quality, cost us, before the war, $3.50 per ream! We could then buy corn at from 50 cents to $1.00 per bushel–wheat at $1.00–bacon at 10@12 1/2–sugar at 10@12 1/2–butter at 12 1/2@15–eggs, 5 cents, and every thing else in proportion. Corn is now worth $3–wheat $11–bacon $1–sugar $1–butter $1.25–eggs 60 cents! A hat which then cost $3 now costs $40! Shirting which then cost 15 cents is now worth $2! Calico was then 15@20–it is now $3@$4! All other articles are in like proportion. We then charged $2 for our paper–we now get only $3. Every thing we use has advanced from 500 to 1000 per cent.–our paper has advanced only 50 per cent!! Every body knows we cannot live at this rate. To bring our business upon a level with that of others, we ought to have $12 per year for our paper, and yet some people are grumbling because, in common with the other weeklies we propose to advance our price to $4 per year–just one third of what it ought to be–after the 1st of June next!
All we have to say to such persons is, to repeat the proposition we made when the price advanced to $3–which was this: Pay us in any kind of farm products at former prices, and you can have the Watchman at $2, as heretofore. If not satisfied with this proposition, have your paper discontinued when the time paid for expires. We are not anxious to furnish it at *four dollars* when we know we ought to have *twelve.*