The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-05-27
CHEAP ADVERTISING.

M " 1S1NO,
The Camden Journal, shows up in it's
proper colors, 4 certain patent medicine
House IN New York, an agent from which,
came around some time ago, for The pur-
pose Of selling medi, ines aud making con-
tracts for advertising. The Jowrmqi states
the case rs follows,
GA few weeks ago. the travelling agent OF
Il prominent loose In New York, called TO
ascertain upon what terms VIC would aGv"r-
tlsc Tor SAID House; We stated our terms
making Il liberal discount from established
rates for transient advertisements. as is our
custom with yearly advertisers These terms
appeared to be satisfactory TO the agent, who
said that he would transmit a copy 10 the
HouRS, Cor its acceptance or rejection. 4
few days ago We received letter upon the
subject from the Proprctors in New York,
who, after courteous introduction, and au..
pie apology for not writing sooner, procec
dcd to make the following proposition:
awe enclose YOU Il sheet containing -
communications, which we wish to appear
one Lmc each per month in your paper as
icGdcd reading matter IN Ms editorial rage,
SET up IN he same KIND gj type as your etiito-
riais, for which we will pay you the sum of
pay the compositor :or his labor. The ital-
cS are ours.
Self respect and professional dignity FOR
bid that we SHOULD state iac pitilul, mcagrc
contcmptible, narrow. soulcd picayunsh,
spirited sum named, for the publication OF
of u notices, some occupying at least half
column and others quite if not moro than
column in our paper.
Such piece OF downright Ciiiontcrv, we
have scarcely or never before Witnessed. and
our friends may imagine THAI our rcpy WAS
decidedly prompt and to the point being
little animated and wishing 10 impress up
on their minds that We m.aRi what We said
IN our hist proposition.
We were served prcyiaciy In this way
and as We have reason to believe, hy the
same man alluded 10 above Upon rca.
sonaLlc estimate, we would say that the of.
Ter made us, would amount 10 about one.
fourth of.w hat We proposed to do il for,
and our tvrms Were not objected to 10y the
agent, who stated that it was wha, they had
been in the habit OF paying, which was so
much per line. He first applied for the
editorial columns, whch We refused TO set
price upon he then proposed 70! that
page, his notices to appear once each. He
stated that he had succc"dcd in arranging
10 advertise in tho editorial columns of sew
oral papers, hat he pamed East Of this, bu,
as yet he has not appeared in these papers,
and we are constrained tu believe that he
made Slight mistake in his statement to
US.
We have one idea in reTcreuce TO this af.
fair, and VIC communicated it ia This House
when we answered trrir insulting rroposi>
ton. 1t is this A part, at least, of the
agents business was TO sell medicines, and
Inducements were held ont to the merchants
here, that they would be- advertised through
the paper, aRd IN this way, doubtless, he
sold more than he otherwise would have
done. This may have been the plnn pur.
sued at every place II at he went to--a made
up aiiur between the agent and the proprie.
tors, and ,he trihing offer afterwards
made 10y the latter, was n means Of getting
out of the implied obligation 20 the mcr-
chants. Or, il we adopt the Other and
more charitable understanding o. it-that
they really wIan~d 10 get their advertising
done upon such miseraby low terms then
we mus; conclude that the agent did not
understand his business and was but !it:r
acquainted with the low, grinding and par
simoniOus character of tie House that he
was acting for In our reply to them, they
were informed that they had asked for aud
obtained our Lowest terms, which were then
lower, perhaps, than would justify us, and
that we we're not quite reduced TO the ne
"sssiy Of taking up any and every proposi.
ton, especially whcn made under such cir
cGns'anceS as the above.
1t is species of advertising (patcnt med.
cincs in gcncraD That we IRE by no means
partial 10 some Of them are doubtless
good medicines, but many are intolcrnLe
humbugs, and were the Southern people
imbued with the same spirit of advertising
appreciated It's importance, and did they
practice il as do their more energetic neigh
bors OF the North, then the Southern press
would not, from necessity, be forced 10 bar
ter its columns for class of advertising,
which in many cases they regard as hum
buggery and which is Objectionable TO the
eye OF the intelligent reader.