River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-01-11
CIRCULATION ESTIMATES.

The object Of the AMERICAN NEWSPAPER DI-
RECTORY Is not very different from that Of 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
to have business transactions enabling them thereby 10
regulate those transactions as ~ secure probably
profitable dealings or avoid such will be likely to
result in ultimate annoyance or loss.
The DIRECTORY conveys the best obtained informa
ton concerning the character and value Of newspapers.
Its patrons the who expend money in adycrts
ing large and important Glass; and IL is from them
that the publishers the DIRECTORY in their eapaei
ty of advertising agents. derive their pro and support
1t is to them and to newspaper publishers that they
owe the duty Of faithful service. Tie theory that ad
yertng agencies the servants OF newspapers. and
should advance their interests first IS annihated by the
system long adopted by publishers almost without
cepton of ignoring any idea of protecting the soeaed
agency and maintaining the right TO appoint eompet-
in the field without the consent OF those al
ready occupying ii.
As THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION OF THE INFORM
ALTON SUPPLIED ny A MERCANTILE AGENCY CONSISTS
OF REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF THE
PERSON ABOUT WHOM INF RMATIoN is ASKED. so is
THE CIRCULATION OF A NEWSPAPER GENER ALLY CON
sIDERED THE POINT UPON WHICH IMPORTATION WILL
BE OF MOST VALUE TO THE ADVERTISER.
There are, among merchants, some who deny the
right of mercantile agency to inquire into their pTi.
vate affairs and who decline giving any information up
on which a report may be based; bat the mercantile
agency does not that account. neglect TO make re
port It gets from other the best obtanable IN
formation and upon this its estimate is based although
ii cannot be denied that the reteenee of the party IN
question is almost always attributed TO knowledge NJ
on his part that report would be preudica to his
credit The report made is therefore, likely 10 be less
favorable than II might have been had the information
asked for been cheerfully and frankly furnished.
So also there are among newspaper publishers some
who deny the right Of any inquire into their af
fairs II has been the policy Of the publishers OF the
DIRECTORY 10 omit all Information about circulation
whenever plainly and unequiyocaly commanded TO do
In such the matt is disposed OF by anlleNhg
to the report the words 'ohecs TO stating circulation
In every case where the above command is not plainly
and upequivocally eyed TO the publishers OF me
DIRECTORY they make up their report In same man
ner pursued by the mercantile agencies in estimating
the financial strength of merchant, and. Ike the in
situations referred to- they decline to reveal the sources
from which they have obtained their information.
1t is undoubtedly true that no publication Of this
character privileged and that in an instance where
merchant newspaper is seriously injured by an un
lust or materially incorrect report the courts furnish
remedy and both mercantile agency Directory pub
Usher Will be held responsible for actual damage shown
to accrue injured party from report proved upon
trial to have been erroneous.
This is liability which the publishers oil the DIIsEC-
TORY cannot escapes ii is therefore one which they
hold themselves at all times ready to meet.
The greatest possible care is taken 10 make the Di-
RFCTORY reports correct Every publisher is applied
very systematically. All Information Is taken IN
form which excludes any but definite statements which
cannot be msunderstood while every effort IS made 10
protect honest publishers agains such would resort
to lying OF perured reports gain unfair advantage
1t has rarely been found that cause of complaint has
arisen against any report 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 to respond to appeals for information
an effort on his part substitute other and different in
formation instead of answering The plain questions up
on the blanks furnished for the purpose from the DI
RECTORY Office,