The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-01-19
CIRCULATION ESTIMATES.

The object of the AMERICAN NEWSPA-
PER DIRECTORY is not very different from
that of the well-known mercantile agencies
which exists in all the leading cities. The
latter keep their subscribers informed of the
character, habits, reputation, business abili-
Nv and financial strength Of persons with
whom they are likely to have business trans
actions, enabling them thereby to so regulate
those transactions as TO secure probably
profitable dealings, or to avoid such as will be
likely to result in ultimate annoyance or loss.
The DIRECTORY conveys the best OBJ.
tanned information concerning the character
and value of newspapers. Its patrons are
the men who expend money in advertising
"a large and important class and ii is from
them that the publishers of the DIRECTO-
RY in their capacity of advertising agents
derive their support. 1t is 10 them and
not TO the newspaper publishers that they
owe the duty OF faithful service. The theO-
~ that advertising agencies are the servants
of newspapers, and should advance their in
terests first, is annihilated 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 competitors in the same field,
without the consent of those already occupy
ing it.
As the most important part of the infOr-
nation supplied by a mercantile agency con-
sIsts of a report of the financial strength of
persons about whom information is asked, so
is the circulation OF a newspaper generally
considered the point upon which intorma-
ton will be of most value to the advertiser.
There are, among merchants, some who de-
nv the right of mercantile agency to inquire
! Tito their private affairs, and who decline
/ giving any information upon which report
NAV be based; but the mercantile agency
/ does not on that account, neglect TO make g
report. IL gets from other sources the bes
obtainable information, and upon this IL
estimate is based, although II cannot be
denied that the Teticence OF the party
/ in question is almost always attrib
uted to a knowledge upon his par
that a true report would be preJu
deal to his credit. The report made is,there
| fore. likely to be less favorable than il nigh
I have been had the information asked TO
been cheerfully and frankly furnished.
So also there are among newspaper pub
| fishers some who deny the right OF any ont
| to INQUIRE into their affairs. IL has been tn
policy Of the publishers Of the DIRECTORY
to omit all information about circulation
whenever plainly and unequivOcally com
manded TO do so. In such cases the matte
{ is disposed Of by annexing to the report tn
words "ObjcctS 10 stating ctrctddttOH.' In ever,
case where the above command is not plain
" and unequiyocally conveyed to the pub
fishers of the DIRECTORY, they make vi
their report in the same manner pursued b.
the mercantile agencies in estimating tn
financial strength of a merchantand like tn
institution referred to, then decline to revea
the sources from which they have obtaine
their information.
1t is undoubtedly true that no publication
| of this character is privileged, and that in a.
instance where a merchant or a newspaper
seriously injured by an unjust or material
incorrect report the courts furnish a remedy
and both mercantile agency or Director
publishers will be held responsible for actua
damage shown to accrue to an injured part
from a report proved upon trlal to have bee
erroneous.
This is a liability which the publishers Z
the DIRECTORY cannet escape; it is there
fore one which they hold themselves at al
times ready to meet
The grestest possible care is taken to max
the DIRECTORY reports correct. - Ever
! publisher is applied to very systematically
All information is taken in form which e,
cludes any but deGnate statements whic
cannot be misunderstood while every etfoi
is made TO protect honest publishers agains
such as would resort to lying or perjured r,
ports to gain an unfair advantage.
II has rarely been found that a cause
complaint has arisen against any repol
which has appeared,in either of the seven al
nual volumes of the Directory already issue'
which has not resulted either from the NJ
glect of a publisher to respond 10 appea
for information or an effort on his part
substitute other and different informatio
instead If answering the plain question
upon the blanks furnished for the purpo'
from the DIRECTORY Office.
Publishers of newspapers who desil
to furnish the Directory with a statemeI