American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1868-08-08
Gift Distribution Advertisement

Some six weeks since we received q very
liberal proposition from a gift distribution
concern in New York to advertise for them.
On the reception of the first number Of our
paper containing the advertisement-which
was long one, much displayed they would
promptly remit us the amount of our bill in
cash only asking US the favor to make our
rates as low to them as we did to advertising
agents; and concluding by referring US to
the many publishers in the South with whom
they were advertising, and also to Geo, P.
Rowell & Co., advertising agents, New York.
This all looked very well on paper, but we
could MT see any greenbacks in it, and there's
fore threw it into the waste-paper box.
Since then we kept an eye ont for the ads
verlsement, and have seen it, to our sur:
prise, in not less than dozen of our Missis-
sippi exchanges. We might have been bit in
this way good many years ago, bat we are
such chat,
In the last number Of Rowells "Adverts,
ers Gazette, we find the following:
"The following paragraph appeared in the
Gazette for May, notwithstanding which we
are receiving about dozen letters per day,
making inquiries about the reliability of the
Metropolitan Gift Company. conducted by
Messrs. Harper, Wilson d Co; We repeat
the paragraph, and would add that we make
no exception to the rule in favor of the above
named parties.
r..
concerns from time to time, and occasionally some
Of them have used our name as reference. and
many publishers have made application to us TO
know il we consider such and suclAilft concerns
responsible. We take this opportunity TO say that,
so far as are concerned, they arc ALL GOOD, for
our invariahle rule Is to receive CASH IN ADVANCE
for all advertising of this character"
In the above paragraphs, Rowell &Co.,
say in so many words to their brethren Of The
press, "get your money in advancs for all ad.
vertising for Gift Enterprises" This shows
conclusively that Harper, wilson 4 Co. had
no right Cat least, no authority,) to refer to
Messts + DWELL & Co. This fastens the cons
viction upon our mind that it is-like all the
others-a swindling concern. But short
statement of their system of doing bust.
nees will be sufficient evidence of this, which
we here give: They have prizes to the amt
of $3.50 900. Every ticket dra'cs a prize. They
have three cash gifts, $40, O0Q eact ten cash
gifts, s., 900 each, twenty cash gifts, 81 900
each, aud so on down to S25. Then there
are elegant rosewood piaros, $500, Meode-
ons, sewing machines, musical boxes, fine
gold watches, ETC., etc, etc. chance to
draw any of the prizes enumerated can be
had by purchasing sealed ticket for trenty-
fee cents! and there are no 6lonts One dol,
lar is to be paid by the ticketholder upon
the delivery of the prize,
We would advise our reaaerr not to invest
even twenty five cents in such transparent
humhug as this; or in any "Gft Distribu.,
ton Enterprise"
And, if we might so far presume, we
would advise our contemporaries of the
Press, South, not to advertise for these bogus
concerns until they have the money in hand
for so doing. And even then, we believe it
to be the duty of the publishers to warn the
public against Being "taken in and done for"
by these enterprise fellows,