The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-01-25

general character, form, size, subscrip-
tion price per year, date Of establishment,
editors and publishers names, and
CIRCULATION ESTIMATES.
The object ~ the AMERICAN NEWS
PAPER DIRECTORY IL not very diff
fercnt from that II the we'll known
mercantile agencies which exist in all
leading cities. The latter keep their
subscribers informed Of the character,
habits, reputation, business ability and
financial strength Of persons with whom
they are likely b. have business trnns-
actions, enabling them thereby b. 20
regulate those transactions as h. secure
probably profitable dealings, or b. avoid
such as will be likely b. result IN ulti.
mate annoyance or loss
The DIRECTORY conveys the best
obtained information concerning the
character aud value Of newspapers. It's
patrons are the men who eKpend money
ia advertising Ia large and important
class, and il is from them that the pub
liaLers Of the DIRECTORY, IN their ca
parlty ui advertising agents, derive their
profit and support Ii is b them and
not b. newspaper publishers that they
owe the duty 81 faithful service. The
theory that advertising agen eies are the
servants ot newspapers, and should nd-
vance their interests tint Is aAnihilated
by the system long adopted by publish
ers, almost without exception, of ipnor-
ing any idea 81 protecting the so-called
agency and maintaining the right b APP
point competitors ia the same field with
out the consent of those already occupy
ing H.
AS THE MOST M9oRTANT PORTION or
rIiE INFORMATION SUPPLIED 81 MIR
CAMILLE AGENCY CONSISTS o. A REPORT
or TIE FINANCIAL STRENGTH or THE
PERSON ABOUT WHoM INFORMATION Is
ASKED, so Is THE CIRCULATION or
NErsPAIEB GENERALLY CONSIDERED THE
POINT UPoS WHICH INFORMATION WILL
RE or MOST VALUE To THE ADVERTISER
There are among merchants some who
deny the right 81 u mercantile agency 10
inquire into their private affairs, and
decline giving any information upon
which "a report may be based; but the
mercantile agency does not, on that ac-
count, neglect 10 make report Ii gets
from other sources the best obtainable
information. and upon this It's estimate
is based, although II cannot be denied
that the retoeucc Of the party ia qneE-
uun ls almost always attributed to a
knowledge upon his part that true re-
port would be preiudlcial b. his credit
The report made Is, therefore, likely %
be less favorable than il might have been
hal the Information asked Tor been
cheerfully and frankly furnished
So also there are among newspaper
publishers some who deny the right of
any one o. inquire into their affairs. II
has been the policy of the publishers Of
the DIRECTORY b omit all information
about circulation whenever plainly and
unequivocaliy commanded 10 do sn. In
such cases the matter is disposed Of by
auuexing - the report the words sob
.5,cfs ~ stating circulation. Ia every
case where the above command u not
plainly and unequIyoeally conveyed 70
the publishers 81 the DIRECTORY.
they make up their report IN the same
manner pursued by the mercantile
agencies in estimating the financial
strength al "A merchant. and, like the in
st.tutions referred 30. they decline b re-
veal the sources from which they have
obtained their information.
Ii is undoubtedly true that no publ
cation Of tins character il privileged, and
tliat in Az instance where a merchant or
newspaper is seriously injured by an
unjust or materially incorrect repon the
courts furnish remedy, and both mer-
camille agency or Directory publisher
viii be held responsible for actual dam
age shown 70 accrue % an injured party
from a report proved upon trim to have
been erroneous.
This is a liability which the publishers
of ihc DIRECTORY cannot escape il
j. therefore une which they hold them
selves az all times ready 10 meet.
The greatest possible care is taken q
make the DIRECTORY reports correct
Every publisher is applied 10 very sys-
temaiically All information Is taken IN
"a form which excludes any but definite
statements which csMnCt he mlsunder-
stood. while eveIS effort is made 10 protect
honest publishers against such as would
resort g. lying or perjured reports 10 gam
an unfair advantage
II has rarely been found that cause
oi complaint has ARISEN against any re-
port which has appeared, in either OF the
seven annual volumes Of the Directory
already issued. which has not resulted
either from the neglect Of publisher 10
respond % appeals for information OF
an effort on his part to substitute ether
and different information instead Of an
swcriug the plain questions upon the
blanks furnished for the purpose from
the DIRECTORY Office.
Publishers Of newspapers who desire
to furnish the Directory with a statement
of circulation are supplied with a blank
which takes for gnnted the following
conclusions: