The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-08-31
MIR. WILSON'S r
What Some Of the Newspapers Say
About It.
Neics and Courier.


In his address before the South Caro-
lima State Press Association. at it's late
meeting in Beaufort, Mr.. Hugh Wilson,
of tho .4bbeviile Press and Banner, gave
some well considered advice OF 1.-THE
''practical work of editing and publishing
"a country newspaper" His long and
successful experience in newspaper work
enables him to speak with authority up
on this subject, and his accurate ohscrra-
; ton gives additional weight to his utter
ances. The address is printed in cOnnec-
ton with the annual minutes of the AS
sociation.
Much that the address contains will APP
ply with equal force to- the practical man
agcmcnt of daily newspapers, and n"ta-
! bly, are the reflections upon the true in
"wardress" of advertising agencies in
point rs representing the actual expert
cncc of publishers. The "oxtraordinary
%ottrrS,' the alluring circulars, astounding
~iinpudencc and cheap rates of some adj
vcrtiSing agents arc too well known to
need description. Upon this subject Mr..
Wilson says:
"Eo one here can fail to be familiar
with the fact that we get nothing from
distant advertising agencies at living
rates. Tho advertising agent periodical
~ informs us that he will allow MS to buy
from him an organ, Il saw, a lathe, a Sow
ing machine, or omc other article, if We
will do Il specified alnount Of advertising,
and nav him Il small balance in cash
said balance being the full value Of the
article offered. The nd vertising agent, as
Il rule, may be regarded as an enemy, not
only 10 orr business, but to the best in
terest of the advertiser. Agents general
" give their advertisements to the papers
which have least circulation, and which
can afford to work for less pay, II which
are less likely to give 4 fair return for the
money paid to the "agcncy' by the ad-
vertiser-the printer and the advertiser
alike being injured, If not cheated.
While there are no doubt honorable cx-
ccptions, the advertising agencies, in my
opinion, are usually very adrOit-if not
unscrupnlous--in their dealings with us;
and / think it susceptible Of proof that
they more often write us impairment let
tcrS than any other class of men, thus
rendering it unpleasant as well as un
profitable TO deal with them"
Mr.. Wilson could have gone still far
Their with advantage. The publisher has
his own remedy when prices arc low and
conditions arc cXacting. But the trouble
is not over when the offer is accepted, and
the advertisement begins to run. The
. advertising agent claims a commission OF
25 per cent. for his trouble. This is
enough to cover every risk if he act with
common prudence. Yet advertising
agents, when the advertisers break down,
expect publishers to allow the contract to
be mnullcd and payment to be made pro
rutu for the work actually done. The
publisher is lucky if he is not invited to
wait for his money until the agency can
collect it from the dcflulting advertiser.
There is only one cure for This. II is, to
} treat the advertising agent as the agent OF
the advertiser not of the publisher, and
deal with him as the principal alone. The
agent is then responsible to the publisher,
no matter what happens, and this lnsur-
ance or guaranty is some return for the
commission of p per cent. allowed nm.
If the advertising agent declines TO be
anything but the agent of the publisher,
and will not guarantee the fullilment OF
contracts by the advertiser, then a COIN
mission CT 5 or 10 per cent. is more than
pay sufficient for the work the agent does.
Another class described by Mr.. Wilson
are "'The EDITORS advisers, and how to
t treat them" Upon this subject ne
speaks as follows:
"Tilcrc aru two classes OF people VINO
volunteer advice: Those who advise the
editor what to write, and those who ad-
wise him what to keep out of the paper.
While information and suggestions are
always gladly received and highly apprc-
ciateu, yet unsolicited advice is worth
less. Whenever Il man seems dCSirouS OF
imparting to me his own enthusiasm Oh
any particular question, and asks me to
write an article on the subject, l remind
MIN that he has given the matter more
thought than l have, and tell him that it
would afford me pleasure to publish
whatever he might write. l do not now
recollect Il single instance Of any iuan be-
ing willing to do himself what he WAS S o
anxious for ME to do. He almost always
shrinkS from public uotoriety or is too
busy to write. The other class may he
termed the Obieclirg Members of the
Seif-cunStituted Editorial Advisory Board
They want to keep everything of local in
tereSt out OF the newspapers. W. should
not he influenced by such people. The
true rule is, no matter how grave your
doubts, or how much he may object, if it
be a public matter, publish it. If it he a
private or personal matter, if you have
the least doubt as to the propriety, no
matter how much he may insist, do not
publish it,
There is, perhaps, no n more harass-
ed by "a multitude of cnInScllarS" than
the average editor of 4 country ncwspa-
per, and the great wonder is that more
mistakes IRE rot made. The importune
visitors have personal ends to accom-
plish, political movements to advance, fl
nancial operations to effect, social ami
nIosilies to crafty, and they all rant to
grind their axes on the printing press.
The other class referred to by Mr.. Will
son are the "Objccting members of the
"seli-constituted Editorial Advisory
"Board," who"want to keep everything
"of local interest out of the Newspapers
This paragraph must have been written
after consultation with some one who
knew the peculiar habitso many persons
in this community. The NeuS ana
Courier is Il progressive newspaper, and
cndeavOrs to be a truthful reflection Ut
daily life in the metropolis Of the State.
The public want the news, and if half the
time were spent in giving information
that is wasted on childish complaints the
result all round would he much more sat
isfactory.
We acknowledge the reception of a
copy Of the animal address, in pamphlet
form, delivered by Mr.. Hugh Wilson,
the solid editor Of the .I6Gcriiic Press and
Banner, before the State Press ASsOcia-
ton, ut its laSt meeting held in Beaufort.
!, The many subjects touched upon by the
able writer under his thcme--thc country
press--are certainly handled with con-
summatc skill and affords plenty Of good
food for thought for all those engaged in
running newspapers. Mr.. Wilson will
please accept our sincere thanks for our
copy.--Darlington S0uthcrncr.
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Southern Girls.