The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-05-25
Newspaper Rodents.

Y
a worthless fellow who viii work for
less than the recognized rates. II is
applied, ordinarily. to journoymeu; but
in this instance We apply the term to
those starveling newspaper publishers
who are advertising for certain city
agents at whdterer price is offered 10
them' According to George p. Howell
& Co., Advertising Agents in tho city
Of New York, there are thirty Ave such
papers in Maryland. These papers
charge the business men of the town or
county where they are printed, ten cents
per line for one to three insertions; but
Rowell & Co. advertise taat for $500
per line they will insert an advertise.
ment one month in thirty Eve Maryland
newspapers. And even upon these
ruiuous rates publishers pay IS per cent.
commission. Why should newspaper
publishers discriminate in favor Of
strangers, in their business TRANSACTIONS
The case is forcibly set forth By the
CamJeriund ciraian, which says;
Every Publisher who sells his columns to
Geo. p. Rowell Il Co.. or any other agency
al less rates than he charges his own pa.
irons is entering into ruinous competition
with himself, and is breaking down his own
business. We find newspapers charging
5 100 per annum per column for ADVERT
sing, as a regular rate; yet they give the
agents u column for $50, allow them %
per cent. commission, which reduces it to
S45; and then allow still further com
plete change Of advertisements every four
weeks, whereby $4,000 ems of composition
must be done in year, at IS cents per
thousand, amounting 10 S2G.25. and the
publisher has left $40 IS for column oil
his paper for one year, which scarcely pays
for proof reading. What has resulted from
this state of affairs? Just this: the bnsi.
ness OF advertising has been materially
damaged. Solid, respectable papers refuse
to take such starvation prices third rate
sheets do take them, but fail to make them
pay the newspaper business is damaged
and George P. howell L Co., are making
fortunes and driving from the field nearly
all the advertising agents who were willing
to pay publishers fair prices.
Our columns cannot be filled by Rowell
Co., at less prices than We offer other ad
yertisers. and we trust the newspaper men
OF Maryland will at once take u stand, and
exclude from the State every agency thai
seeks to rob the fraternity in this way. 70,
can get fair prices ii you refuse unfair ones
and the sooner you undertake this thu
better.
We hope the editors Of our State viii
take this matter in hand, and give expires
sion TO their views on the subject. Ant
when the Editorial Association meets Thu
Summer, we propose to introduce the sub
ject for official action.
The ADVOCATE has excluded all Thu
class Of advertising from its columns
We will publish nothing below our ad
vertiscd rates, and the humbng advcr
tisemcn,s from New York aud othel
cities, which arc flooding the columns
of the country papers, will not be ad
mitted to our columns ut any price. w
think VIC owe duty to our residcu
patrons paramount to that to strangers
aud We will not overlook the interests
Of subscribers to crafty odrertiscrs, cs
pecially those who are unwilling to PAL
the same rates paid by resident patrons
Hence We give more reading matter
than any Of the newspapers that lumber
their columns with trashy city adver
tiscments which are of no interest I,
their readers. Aud this rule We mean
strictly to adhere to. Scarcely week
passes that we do not reject advertise
mcnts sent to US BY these agents, and
it We chose to admit them, we coalt
gil cur columns with them, at the ex
pcnse Of the Interests Of our subscribers