The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-12
CIRCULATION ESTIMATES.

The object OF the AMERICAN NEWSPAPER
DIRECTORY 10 not very different from that OF
the welI-known mercantile agencies which exist
in all leading cities. The latter keep their sub
scribers informed Of the character, habits, repu-
taton, business ability and financial strength Of
persons with whom they are likely to have bust
ness transactions, enabling them thereby to 80
regulate those transactions as TO secure probably
profitable deslings, or TO avoid such as will be
likely to result in ultimate annoyance or loss.
The DIRECTORY conveys the best tanned
information concerning the character and value
OF newspapers. Its patrons are the men who
expend money i'll advertising Ca large and i'm
portrait CHASE aud IL is from the m that the pub
lshers OF tho DiREC TORY, in their capacity of
advertising agents, derive their profit and sup.
port. 1t Is to them and not to newspaper pub
hshers that they owe the duty Of faithful service.
The theory that advertising agenc es are the
servants or newspapers, aud should advance
their interests first, il annihilated by the system
long adopted by publishers, almost without ex-
ception, OF ignoring any idea OF protecting the
so-called agency and 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 IN
FORMATION SUPPLIED BY MERCANTILE AGENCY
CONSISTS OF A REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL
STRENGTH or THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM INFoR-
NATION Is ASKED, so Is THE CIRCULATION OF A
NEWSPAPER GENERALLY CONSIDERED THE POINT
UPON WHICH INFORMATION WILL BE OF MOST
VALUE TO THE ADVERTISER.
There are, among merchants, some who deny
the right OF mercantile agency TO inquire into
their private affairs, and who decline giving any
information upon which report may be based;
but the mercantile agency docs not, on that &C
count, neglect to make report. IL gets from
ether sources the best obtainable information,
and upon this its estimate is based, although it
cannot be denied that the reticence of the party
DO. iii ta1 10
knowledge upon his part that a true report
would be prejudicial TO his credit. The report
made is, therefore, likely TO be less favorable
than it might have been had tho information
asked for been cheerfully and frankly furnished.
So also there are among newspaper publishers
some who deny the right Of any one to inquire
into their affairs. IL has been the policy Of the
publishers of the DIRECTORY to omit all in
formation about circulation whenever plainly
and unequivocally commanded to do so. IN
such cases the matter is disposed of by annex
ing to the report the words "objects 10 stating
circulation" In every case where the above
command is not plainly and unequivocally con-
veyed to the publishers Of the DIRECTORY,
they make up their report in same manner pur-
sued by the mercantile agencies in estimating
the financial strength of q merchant, and, like
the institutions referred to, they decline to re-
veal the sources from which they have obtained
their information.
1t u undoubtedly true that no puDncatlon OF
this character is privileged, and that in an in
stance where a merchant or q newspaper il
seriously injured by an unjust or materially in
correct report the courts furnish remedy, ant
both mercantile agency or Directory publishes
will be held responsible for actual damage shown
to accrue to an injured party from report
proved upon trial to have been erroneous.
This is q liability which the publishers OF the
DIRECTORY cannot escape; it is, therefore
one which they hold themselves at all times
ready TO meet.
The greatest possible care is taken to MAKE
the DIRECTORY reports correct. Every pub
Usher Is applied to very systematically. Al
information is taken in form which excludes
any but definite statements which cannot b,
misunderstood, while every effort is made Il
protect honest publishers against such as would
resort to lying or perjured reports to gain al
unfair advantage.
1t has rarely been found that a cause Of com
plant has arisen against any report which hal
appeared in either of the seven annual volumes
OF the Directory already issued which has no
resulted either from the neglect Of q publish @
TO respond to appeals for information or al
effort ON his part to substitute other and differ
ent information instead of answering the plsil
questions upon tho blanks furnished for til,
| purpose from the DIRECTORY office.