The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-01-11

The object of the AMERICAN NEWSPAPER DI.
RECTORY is not very different from that Ct the we'll
known mercantile agencies which exist In all leading
cities Thelatter keep their subscribers informed Of
the character habits reputation, business ability and
financial strength of persons with whom they are
likely to have business transactions, enabling them
thereby regulate those transactions to
probably profitable dealings, to avoid such as will
be likely to result In ultimate annoyance or loss
The DIRECTORY conveys the best Cbtainable In
formation concerning the character and value of
newspapers. Its patrons are the men who expend
money In advertising Ga large and important CLASSY
and 1t is from them that the publishers of the d.
RECT0RY, in their capacity Of advertising agents,
derive their profits and support. 1t is 10 them. and
not to newspaper publishers that they owe the duty
of faithful service The theory that advertising agen
ses the servants of newspapers. and should adj
their interests first Is annihilared by the sys
TEN long adopted by publishers, almost without ex-
ception, ignoring any idea of protecting the So
called agency and OF maintaining the right to appoint
competitors in the same field without the consent Of
those already occupying It.
AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION OF THE INFoR-
NATION SUPPLIED BY MERCANTILE AGENCY con-
sIsTs OF REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF
THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM IMPORTATION is ASKED,
SO is THE CIRCULATION OF A NEWSPAPER GENERAL
LY CONSIDERED THE POINT UPON wHICR INFoRMA-
TIoN WILL BE OF MOST VALUE TO THE ADVERTISER.
There are, among merchants, some who deny the
right of mercantile agency to inquire into their pri-
upon which report may be based; but the mercan-
tile agency does not that account neglect to make
report. 1t gets from other the best obana-
BILE Information. and upon this its estimate is based,
although cannot be denied that the rccence of the
party In question is almost always attributed to
knowledge upon his part that true report would be
prcjudicial to his credit The report made is. there.
fore. likely to be less favorable than it would have
been had the Information asked for been cheerfully
and frankly furnished.
who deny the right Of any one to inquire into their
affairs. 1t has been the policy of the DIRECTORY to
omit all Information about circulation whenever
plainly and uneQuvcally commanded to do so. In
such cases the matter is disposed of by annexng
the report the words. "oscts sdtsg circulation"
In every case where the above command not plain
ly and unequvocally conveyed to the publishers of
the DIRECTORY, they make up thor report in the
manner pursued by the mercantile agencies in esti-
mating the financial strength Of merchant and like
the institutions referred to, they decline reveal the
sources from which they have obtaed their informa
ton.
1t Is undoubtedly true that publication of this
character is privileged and that in Instance where
merchant or q newspaper is seriously injured
by an unjust or materially incorrect report courts
furnish a remedy, and both mercantile agency and
Directory publisher will be he'll responsible for &C.
tual damage shown to to Injured party from
report proved upon trial to have been erroneous
This Is a liability which the publishers of the d.
RECTofsY cannot escape; IL is therefore one which
they hold themselves at all times ready to meet
The greatest possible care is taken to make the d.
RECTofsY reports accurate. EverS publisher is an.
piled to very systematically All Information is taken
In form which excludes any but definite statements
which cannot be misunderstood, while every effort is
made to protect honest publishers against such as
would resort to lying or perured reports to gain an
unfair advantage.
1t has rlrdy been found that acause Of complaint
has arisen against any report which has appeared in
either Of the eight annual volumes OF the DIRECTO,
KY already issued. which has not resulted either from
the Legect OF the publisher to respond to appeals for
Information or an effort his part to substitute 9TH
er and different Information, instead Of answering the
plain questions upon the blanks furnished for the mr.
pose from the DIRECTORY office.