The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-01-20
CIRCULATION ESTIMATES.

The object of the AMERICAN NEWSPAPER
DIRECTORY is not very different from that Of the
leading cities The latter Keep their subscribers in IN
formed OF the character, habits, reputation, bust
whom they likely to have business transactions.
s hem there6 to SO egsae host
avold such as will be likely to result in ultimate an
The DIRECTORY conveys the best obtained in
formation concerning the character or value of
IN "a large th na a0
REcTo r yrom them them that the of the D
derive their profit and support. 1t is to them and
not to newspaper publishers that they owe TIE duty
agencies the servants of newspapers and should
advance their interests first is annihiated by the
system long adopted by publishers, almost without
exception, of ignoring any idea of protecting the So
called agency, and maintaining the right to appoint
those already occupying it.
AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION OF THE INFoRMA-
TON SUPPLIED BY A MERCANTILE AGENCY CONSISTS OF
REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF THE PERSON
ABOUT WHOM IMPORTATION is ASKED, so is THE clRcU-
LATioN OF NEWSPAPER GENERALLY CONSIDERED THE
POINT UPON WHICH INFORMATION WILL BE OF MOST
VALUE TO THE ADVERTISER.
There are, among merchants some who deny the
rlght OF mercantile agency TO inquire into their
ton upon which a report may be based; but the
mercantile agency does net that account neglect
best obtainabIe information and upon this its est
mate is based although it cannot be denied that the
attributed to knowledge upon his part that true
report would be prejudieal to his credit. The re-
than 1T might have been had the information asked
Tor been cheerfully and frankly furI ished,
30 also there are among newspaper publishers
some who deny the right of any one to inquire into
their analrs 1t has been the policy of the publish
ers of the DIRECTORY to omit all information
about circulation whenever plainly and unequivo-
caly commanded to do So In such cases the mat
ter IS disposed OF by anneXing to the report the
words, objects to Eating circulation. In every
where the above command is not plainly and une-
aulyocay conveyed to the publishers of the DIkEC-
TORY, they make up their report in the same man
ner pursued by the mercantile agencies in esti-
mating the financial strength of a merchant. and,
like the institutions referred to- they decline to re-
information.
1t is undoubtedly true that no publication of this
character is privileged, and that in an instance
where merchant or "A newspaper has been seriously
the courts furnish a remedy and both mercantile
agency or Directory publisher will be held respon-
slbie Tor actual damage shown to accrue to in
lured party from report proved upon trial to have
been erroneous.
This is liability which the publishers of the d.
RECTORY cannot escape; it is, therefore, one
which they hold themselves at all times ready to
meet.
DIRECTORY reports correct. Every publisher is
applied to very Systematically. All information is
taken IN a form which excludes any but definite
statements which cannot be misunderstood, while
every EFFORT is made to protect honest publishers
against such would resort lying perjured
ports to gain an unfair advantage.
1t has rarely been found that a of complaint
mas arisen against any report which has appeared,
IN either OF the seven annual volumes of the Drec
tory already issued, which has resulted either
from the neglect of publisher to respond appeals
for information, effort on his part to substi-
tute other and different information, instead of
sWerlng the plain questions upon the blanks fur
nlshed for the purpose from the DIRECTORY office.