The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-07-18
To the Newspaper Propuetors Of Vir-
ginia.

At the annual convention of the Virginia State
Press Association, held in Petersburg in March
last, the following resolutions were unanimous
ly adopted:
Resotoed That the attempts of outside adver-
Using agents to secure advertisements in the
State OF Virginia, and to impose the same on
the Press OF this State at rates which are abso-
lutely ruinous, ought to be resisted by Iewspa-
pers generally. and that we hereby respectfully
urge the members of this Association to. refuse
to publish such advertisements except at their
ordinary rates.
2. That the chairappoint q committee of three
to bring this matter to the attention of
the Press Throughout the State.
In accordance with these resolutions the preSi-
dent OF the Association appointed the following
committee to take such action as they might
deem necessary, viz:
r. P Barham, of the Petersburg Iader Appeal.
E. H. Barclay, OF the Lexington Gazetts.
j. A. H. St. Andrew, of the Farmville Mercury.
to the proprietors of newspapers throughout the
State to cooperate with the State Press Associa-
Con IN putting down system OF eXtoftion which
unless promptly depressed is certain to prove Of
incalculable injury to newspapers. The adver-
Using agent who attempts to interfere between
newspapers and their local customers brings
disaster on both. In many instances the adyer-
tlser is hOpeleSsly swinded. He is induced to
con tract with an agent for advertisements in %
large number or papers at aStOniShingly low
rates and imagines he has made good bargain
until he discovers that he has been deluded into
paying for advertisements in lot OF patent out
side or Inside sheets which are absolutely
worth less for purposes OF publicity. 1t is i'm
possible to feel much sym pathy for advertisers
who have thus foolishly thrown their money
away, since by showing their patronage on per-
sons outside of their own State they have shown
themselves altogether unworthy of the aid of the
most powerful agency now in operation, for the
building up of industries and commerce of Vir-
glnla. Advertisers, however, are not likely to
permanently neglect their own interests, and as
soon as they discover how they have been duped
the advertising agent will find no more oppor-
tunities for plumber at the expense of the press
and the public. The Virginia State Press Asso-
citation considers that TO great extent news
paper proprietors have this matter in their own
hands. and they call upon ever respectable jour-
nalst to refuse to insert any Virginia advertisement
receiped from outside ad0ertiSing agencies. 1t is
not expected that the patent outside or inside
sheets will do otherwise than go on publishing
everything sent them at any prices. They are
not Virginia newspapers at ALL They are sim
ply sheets printed in New York, Chicago or else
where, and filled up with few local items for
the purpose of catching unwary advertisers
But the Virginia ewspapers-JournalS set up
by home printers and printed at home-by COM
nation can put down the eXtortions practice
upon them, and the lmpoSitionS practiced on the
public. This is what the undersigned on behalf of
the Virginia Association ask their Journalistic
brethren promptly to aid them in doing.
R. P. BARHAM.
e. Fl. BARCLAY,
ia. H. ST. ANDREW,
Committee