The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-23

THE average literary" paper of the
day is becoming to be as much nuisance
and as injurious to youth as the dime
novels which were all the rage among
the poorer and least-informed persons
some years ago. For instance, the num-
Der of trashy and blood and thunder
and improbable love stories published
in the so-called literary weeklies, under
caption of I" a true story" are often
found to be as demoraliZing as they are
nOnsensical, and it is really no wonder
that there are so many idiots to be found
in the world when grown people and
children indulge in the light literature of
the day in preference to that which
would entertain and instruct. 1t is lust
such papers as we have here made refer
ence to which confidence people seize
upon and patroniZe in order TO make
dupes.
In recent number of Boston literary
production, published weekly, are fully
half dozen columns of advertisements
fifty cents per line each insertion, and
they are intended chiefly to catch the
eyes and the dollars of the foolish people
who delight in reading stupid stories of
fiction instead of familiarizing themselves
with the study of literature and history,
which is a combination of something use
full to the student, the pursuit of which
is source of knowledge as well as
pleasure. In the literary weekly we
have before mentiOned-it is not neces-
sary to name the paper-sOme of the adj
vertlsements are novelties in their way.
For instance: One advertiser, signing
himself the g Importing Company,
- Broadway, New York" agrees to
send half dozen fine hem-s stitched hand
kerchiefs, "worth and usually sold for
IS per Dozen" to every subscriber of
cheap literary weekly for seventy-fve
cents. The weekly is blind induce
ment. Read the order:
CUT THIS OUT-GoOD FOR HALF DOZEN
HANDKERCHIEFs.-The - Importing Com
pany, No. - Broadway, New York: This is
to certify that | am a subscriber of this pa
per, and am entitled under your premium to
half dozen fine hemstitched handkerchiefs,
with my monograph initial on each. | in
close 20 cents to pay cost of initiating and
express charges.
On receipt of this order and Is cents to
pay cost of initiating and express and pack
half dozen hemslitched handkerchiefs, and
which we guarantee will be the same as we
sell to the trade at SO per dozen.
Signed - MANUFACTURING co.
- Broadway, New York.
Any sensible person must know after
reading such an advertisement that the
scheme is swindle The advertisers
agree to sell the handkerchief as a pre-
MUM to the subscribers of any paper in
which the advertisement appears. No
doubt the recipient could purchase the
handkerchiefs at any Cincinnati store for
a nickel each, or twenty five cents for
half dozen. They could be mailed to
any part of the United States for three
cents. The - Importing Company is
no doubt myth. They sail under false
cOlors and should be avoided.
The other day the Commercial con-
tanned in its local columns complaint
about the dealings of the Cincinnati
g Monitor Manufacturing Company"
Here is the advertisement the company
utilities in those cheap literary weeklies
to trap the unwary:
WANTED-MEN TO TRAVEL AND SELL
goods to dealers No peddling $50 month"; !
hotel and travelling expenses paid. Cincinnati, o.
These are very hard times, and many
young fellow with no experience, who
secs the advertisement, would hasten to
reply toit. The advertisers have invited !
him, like the spider did the fly, to walk |
into a net He gets heeced before he
knows it. So do thousands. Only the |
wise beware. Any sensible person can
read fraud on the very face Of such an
advertisement. Here is another:
geo A WEEK-MALE OR FEMALE. NO |
spOO capital We give steady work that will |
bring you $40 month at home, day or evening. |
N. Y.
Others advertise that their agents can |
make from eight to twenty-five dollars
day selling some article which the adver-
tisement does not state, and the idiot |
who answers such an inducement' of |
course finds that all he gets for his pains
are few mysterious circulars, which
cost him dollar or so; but he obtains
the worth of his money in experience
and wisdom
Then there is the bankrupt Milton gold
jewelry swindle, where the advertisers, !