The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-11
The PhIloSO phy Of Advertisements,

in the history of journalism. We allude to the
notice to advertisers which has appeared daily
in our columns, requesting them to curtail the
length of their announcements This step
had been rendered necessary by the pressure of
their favors 1t is as possible to kill news
paper as friend by too much kindness. The
number of our advertisements had in fact be
come so overwhelming that they threatened in
time to impair the character of our political and
news departments-an encroachment for which
IN our opinion no increased amount of revenue
could compensate.
This is not the first by a long number, Of the
innovations which we have introduced in the
journalism of this country. We not only ORR
ginated new features in the literary, but in the
business administration of the American news
paper press. We were the first to abolish the
credit system for advertscments--that incubus
which hampered the resources and cramped
the energies of newspaper proprietors Under
the old system there was, besides, slid
ing scale. of prices which operated injsrious-
ly upon the character for freshness
and novelty Of the daily journals. The old
plan was to charge the maximum price for the
first insertion, and to diminish it for each sue
cessive one until it reached the minimum stand
ard. This system, as may be supposed, held
out an inducement to advertisers to give Or
ders al once for certain number of announce
ments, the same matter thus appearing from
day to day. Feeling that the advertisement
columns of q newspaper might be rendered
almost as fresh and interesting as its other de-
partments, we abolished the sliding scale and
required advertisements to be renewed and
paid for daily. The results of this innovation
are before the public. 1t is needless for us to
inform them that whilst it rendered the He
RAID infinitely more amusing and attractive
than before, it gave an impetus to our BUSH
ness arrangements, to which the rapid growth
and prosperity of the paper are in no small
degree owing.
Those who look upon the advertisements of
a newspaper merely in the light of business
announcements, whose mission and whose in
I terest are at an end once they have appeared,
will be surprised to learn that there is
further use reserved for them. Even in
such apparently dry announcements there
is philosophy from which there is some
thing to be CLEANED. In recent article upon
the subject in the London Quarterly Recie,c, on
which good deal of critical acumen and re-
search have been expended, the writer very
justly observes =" In no manner can we so
well obtain at rapid glance view of the sa-
lient points of generations that have passed,
as by consulting those small voices that have
cried from age to age from the pages Of the
press, declaring the wants, the losses, the
amusements, and the money making eagerness
of the people,
II is curious illustration Of the stold and
unimpressionable character of the English
people, that in these landmarks of their social
progress, dating from the very earliest institu-
ton of journalism in Great Britain down to
our own day, we find but little alteration either
in the spirit or form of their newspaper adver-
tisements. The wider diffusion of education,
and the increase Of foreign intercourse seem
to have had but little effect in altering or
modifying their character. They all pre-
sent the same leaden uniformity of style.
UNMARRIED by those touches of humor and &C.
centricity which we notice in similar announce
menis in the press of other countries Apart
from its historical interest the literature of
English advertisements forms but dull and
embarrassing study.
1t is not so in American journalism. The
phases of our social transition are as distinctly
marked on the advertisement columns Of o,r
newspapers as in the pages of our histories
We have, for instance, only to GO half a cen
fury back TO find striking identity Of style
in such matters with the old English models
We happen to have before us file OF the
Poughkeepsie Polificat Barometer, dating from
1904 to 1897. duller or more common
place publication it is impossible to conceive
II belongs, in fact, to an epoch when American
writer's bad no taste or manner of their own.
and when they were compelled to borrow their
exemplars from the old country. In its adver.
tisements We find aa exact reproduction of the
stereotyped style of English announcements.
without any attempt to enliven them by dash
of humor or irony. One, however, is werth
quoting, because it shows, as Sam Slick says,
that "human natur is always the same, whether
in white man a niger -
TN DOLLARS REwARD--Ungratefully left my service
yesterday negro man about 10 years old, named SAM
nearly SIX feet high, OF yelwish complexion thick
ps; took With him dark brown mixed coat and waist
coat blue nankoen trowsers brown Jean cost and over
slls, white figured jean wsistcoat with pink stripes
couded cotton Stockings old white hat besides
ces This defecton q service IA base because he was
purchased by me at his solicitation % dollars
price express contract " out his freedom A.
he knew was prncpled against slavery and had mana
mt'ed several The above reward and all reasonable
charges will be paid to any person who win return said
servant secure him In any gao and send me ,ice
by mail OF otherwise. GILBERT LIVINGSTON
PouoBaszysIf, July Q, 1904.
Since the date of the above how great has
been the change effected in the American press
"a change to which our own efforts have in
no small degree contributed. Instead of the
numbering, heavy articles with which, after
English fashion, our editors used to send their
readers to sleep, our journals, to be read, must
now be plentifuly spiced with Attic salt. and
crammed full Of amusing and exciting condi-