The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-01-11

The object OF the AMERICAN NEWSPAPER DI
RECTOEY is not very different from that Of the well
known mercantile agencies which exist In all leading
cities The latter keep their subscribers informed
the character habits, reputation, business ability ant
financial strength Of with whom they kel,
to have business Transactions enabling them thereby
40 regulate those transactions to probably
profitable dealings to avoid such will be likely
result in ultimate annoyance or loss.
The DIRECTORY conveys the best obtained informa
concerning the character and value of newspapers
Its patrons are the men who expend money in advers
Ing "a large and important class) and 1t is from then
that the publisher, of the DIRECTORY in their capaci
ty Of advertising agents. derive their profit and support
Is to them and not to newspaper publishers that they
the duty Of faithful service. Tie theor, that I'D
ersng agencies are the servants Of neweparers and
should advance their interests first annhilated by
system long adopted by publishers. almost without
cepton of ignoring any Idea Of protecting the socacd
agency and maintaining the right to appoint compett
ora In the same field without the consent Of those al
ready occupying it.
As THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION OF THE INFORM
ALTON SUPPLIED BY A MERCANTILE AGENCY CONSISTS
PERSON ABOUT WHOM mp EMATIoN Is ASKED, SO is
| THE CIRCULATION OF ANEwsPAPER GENERALLY CON
slDERED THE POINT UPON WHICH INFORMATION WILL
BE OF MOST VALUE TO THE ADVERTISER.
There are. among merchants who deny the
right OF mercantile agency to inquire into their prt
|
on which a report may be baeed but the mercantile
agency does not that account neglect to make re
port. It gets from other the best obtanabe In
formation and upon this s estimate Is based, although
it cannot be denied that the retcencc Of the party II
question almost always attributed to knowledge up
on his part that true report would be prejudcia to hill
credit The report made s therefore, likely to be lee
avo able than 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 to inquire into their az
fairs 1t has been the policy Of the publishers Of thu
DIRECTORY to omit all Information about circulation
whenever plainly and unequivocally commanded to dc
In such the is disposed by anne1lna
to the report the words obects stating circulation
In every where the above command Is not plainly
and upequivocal!y eyed to the publishers OF The
DIRECTORY, they make up their report in same man
ner pursued by the mercantile agencies In estimating
the financial strength Of merchant, and like the in
situations referred to- they de line the
from which they have obtained their Information.
1t Is undoubtedly true that publication OF this
character is privileged and that In instance where
merchant or newspaper is seriously injured by an un
just materially incorrect report the furnish
remedy, and both mercantile agency or Directory pub
Usher Will be held responsible for actual damage shown
to accrue to Injured party from report proved
trial to have been erroneous.
This Is liability which the publishers oil the DIREC
FOXY cannot escape; it is therefore which they
hold themselves at all times ready to meet.
The greatest possible care is taken to make the DI
RECTORY reports correct. Every publisher is applied
to very systematically. AL Information is taken in
orm which excludes any but definite statements whcl
cannot be Misunderstood while every effort is made It
protect honest publishers asans tuch would resor
to lying peured reports to gain unfair advantage
1t has rarely been found that of complaint ha
arisen against any report which has appeared in either
OF the annual volumes Of the Directory alread,
issued. which has not resulted either from the negec
Of a tn 1fo~
An effort his part to substitute other and different
formation instead Of answering the plain questions up
on the blanks furnished for the purpose from the DI
RECTORY office,