The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-27
The Government Advertising.

Mr.. CARL SCHURz, Secretary Of the lnte-
rior, proposes to introduce new system for
the performance of Government advertising
Hitherto IL has been given out 10 party Jour-
mails without much regard 10 their locality
or their circulation and has been paid for at
such rates as they have chosen TO demand.
Mr. SoHURz desires that it should be made u
matter Of special contract. and that an adj
vertisng bureau, either in the Treasury or
some other department, should have the
sole management VI the advertising for all
the departments; all to be done of course,
upon business principles and not in accord
anco with ordinary partisan politics.
This idea was applied, partially at least,
during the civil war, in the War Depart
ment, by Mr.. STANTON. The advertising OF
that department WAS at that time of unusual
extent and importance, and the Secretary
assigned to it special officer by whom the
advertisements were sent out and the bill.
finally audited The idea of extending this
system 80 a. to cover all Government adj
vertising Is judicious and busness-like.
We suggest to Mr.. ScRURz that in inviting
proposals for Government advertising he
should in all cases stipulate that the rate OF
pay should bear strict proportion to the
service rendered; in other words, that II
should bee determinedhy the number Of copies
of the advertisement that are actually put
in circulation among the people. Perhaps
the most judiciOus and effective method of
reaching this end would be- to establish q
fixed rate per line for every thousand copies
u the newspaper containing the advertise
ment that are delivered oactual subscribers
and purchasers. \ fair price for such service
would Doe onc-han cont per line per thousand ;
and at that price a newspaper circulating
$1,000 copies would get ~ cents line Tor
Government advertising. one circulating
5000 would get ~ cents. one circulating
$4,000 ~ cents. and 80 ON. This rate would
bc gooi deal above our regular
charge In THE SvN. since at half cent Il
line per thousand we should be entitled to
receive from s. to 10 cents line for the
Government business. But 1t would b.
rather severe to require all newspapers
10 advertise at rates a. low as jour-
nal having the unoXampled popularity
which The Sun enjoys IN all parts OF the
LAND and among every class and kind Of
people. OF course We can advertise more
choaplv then any of our contemporaries.
bccau-e our circulation AZ its lowest occa-
-onal cbO far transcend. that Of the most
successful among them; and Mr.. SEIZURE
need not suppose il he fixes his rate At
| half a cent per line per thousand copies. that
| IL will oblige him 10 pay Us that price for
such advertisements ~ public duty may
con,tum him to have inserted in our coli
mmns. Wcwlll agree 20 print al that he may
send rs without anyaddltiun 90 our ordinary
Charge and thus he may apply the prin-
,iplc- If civil service reform TO this maueI
without any fear Of changing his relations
| toward TIE Sun. which Shines Tor all, on
any doubt that it will continue 10 render
/ Justice To- him and to his Fraudulent Pre-i-
don't. after he prints all the Government al.
Yer semcnt- in its pages, just Is candidly
as Il uil before.
Let Mr. ScHuRz think those things over
like philosopher. Ii he wants a sure plaf
by which the Government advertising cal
really be reformed, we here give him one.