The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-21

CONVENIENT ADVERTISING MOVEMENT IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION. perceive by the pro-
ceedings of the Common Council. on Monday
evening last, that the Board of Assistants passed
resolution directing that certain advertisements
be published in two of the newspapers OF this city
having the largest circulation.
tits great pity that this body did not 60 lit
tie farther, and insist on all corporation adver-
tisements being published in that manner. The OBJ
ect of advertising to convey information to the
public at large; and It follows, OF course, that
none but papers of the largest and most comprehen
sive circulation should be selected for the purpose.
What use is there in advertising In journals hav-
ing little circulation! An advertisement In the
Herald, for instance, is seen and read by at least
two hundred thousand people, while, II It were
published in certain papers that we could name, 1t
would not be by ten, or perhaps not FIVE, thou
sand. We hope this Is only the commencement Of
a reform which the common sense OF the commu-
NIFTY has demanded for a number of years past. If
publicity is the object and end of advertising, why
not advertise the papers having the largest cir
culaiionl Heretofore, the political journals of
each party have been selected for advertising pur-
poses. In ten thousand cases we have seen money
thrown away In this respect, because the political
organ of the party In power, wing or democratic,
was seen but by few people, as it had compa-
ratively very small circulation To continue such
a system, is to continue OF corruption and
waste If editors have not talent or ability
sufficient to command circulation for their
journal, it Is a fraud on the public to expend
their moneys in advertising in such newspa-
pers. A paper that is the organ of political
party is read almost exclusively by that party,
whether it be wing or locoioco, and never can
have an extended or comprehensive crcua.
ton. Not so with independent journals. All par.
ties read them, and their circulation Is among all.
Hence 1t follows, matter of course, that if the
public moneys are expended judlciously as far as
advertising is concerned, the independent journals,
having the largest circulation, ought to be selected
Since this reformatory step has been taken by
the Common Council, we trust il will be followed
by other legislative bodies, especially by the Legs.
| lature at Albany and the Congress at Washington
| We have advocated it for long time past, on the
! plain principles of common sense and public ad
vantage. Light seems, at length, TO be breaking ID
| upon one legislative body, and II is to be hoped
that the same result will follow in other places
What is to prevent both branches of Congress from
passing law compelling the agents of the govern
ment to select for government advertising purposes
newspapers of the largest circulation! 1t Is Of the
highest Importance that the government advertising
should have the utmost publicity. There never
was more popular measure than that requiring
the post Office advertising to be published in the
way we refer to. 1t has caused great saving to
the government, and in every respect is popular
We trus; Congress will look into this matter, and
do in the premises what common sense points out,
and what the interests of the public require.