Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-15
Soreness Ofthc COMMERCIAL on CIreulation

Soreness Ofthe Commercial on Circulation.
The Commercial talks of a "letter- list con-
troversy" in the newspapers. There is
none. The letter list was awarded to the
DAILY PREss on sworn evidence of the
largest circulation within the district where
the law requires evidence of circulation, and
where only legal evidence of circulation can
be taken. The Commercial does not dispute
the award or the fact; nor does any other
paper. Therefore there is no letter-list con-
troversy.
The Commercial, however, is publishing
statements of its circulation outside the
limits where legal evidence could be taken.
That ii has a right to do. 1t is customary
for newspapers to make favorable represent
ations of their circulation. We published
the Commercials as an advertisement, and
will be glad to do it again for the same con-
sideration. But no paper has yet thought
it worth while to question it. So there is
no controversy about that. Newspaper men
understand these things. The most brilliant
bubbles of circulation are often pricked BY
tie test of the letter-list award.
The Commercial mentions what it calls
sworn statement to the Postmaster of the
total circulation of the Commercial in all
places. The postofice law requires no such
statement. 1t would be wholly impertinent.
Legal evidence can only be made of the cir
eulation within the postofiee delivery. That
the Postmaster decided to be within the
corporate limits of the city. Any other
evidence had no more bearing on the case
than if the Commercial had sworn to the cir
culation of the Dollar Commercial, or to the
number of cylinders in its press.
We need not, inform those who know any
thing of the rules of evidence, that Oaths or
afidavits taken outside the legal rules, in
any case, are no oaths or afidavits at all.
They involve no penalty, and are therefore
simple statements, and to be judged as all
other newspaper statements of circulation.
The Commereial claims to have a large cir
culation. We give it joy therefor. 1t claims
to have greater aggregate circulation than
the DAILY PREss. As far as the legal evil
dence goes, it has not so great. Unpublished
statement shows an increase of 2,O33 in the
five days next after its sworn statement to
the Postmaster. 1t is a very handsome in
crease for paper of limited circulation; and
this difference is calculated to make its sworr
Statements seem excessively moderate.
The Commercial talks of a sworn statement
of the DAILY Pass Of its circulation outside
the city. We have shown that the law
knows no such statement, and that the Post
master could not require any. He has nj
business with any such statements in hi
Office; and the Commercial, therefore, charge
by implication that the Postmaster has gon
outside the province Of his official duty, +
be used for an illegitimate purpose.
The Commercially evident soreness over tn
award of the letter list, disarms such an i'm
plication of its force, even il it could other
wise have had any.
five thought the play worth the candle
to 20 into an exhibit of circulation outside
that established by legal evidence we nigh
show some curious comparisons with thu
CommGcial-and that too, without spread
ing statement over a vast surface, but II
towns where the showing can be easily yeri
fed by the curious. We may pay littlI
attention TO this in another article.