Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-20
THE CHR0Mo-PREMIUM BUSINESS.

The publication of newspapers may be
said to have very nearly reached in this
country its highest possible development
The rivalry is so great, and the reading
public has been educated up to such high
standard of demand, that there now re-
mains but the narroweSt possible margin of
profit. Only papers Of very broad circula-
ton, and the heaviest advertising patron
age, can row afford to offer outside induce
ments But all such papers should be
assured a cHcntage on their merits A
thoroughly good weekly should have no
need to offer catch-penny premiums. For
newspapers are now furnished at so low a
price, it may he taken as certainty that
no good paper for the famil y-such, for in
stance, rs the WEEKLY UNIoN-can be
furnished at the price asked for that jour
nal for d year, post prepaid, at margin of
profit sufficient TO warrant the bonus of a
gift of the value usually attached, in add
ton. Publishers, therefore, who bid for
subscribers by the promise to give with
their journal chrome, or series of chro-
mos, proclaimed to be of high value, a
watch worth anything. or gun or pistol
that is not Of pot metal really belittle
their business, and, in one sense, practice a
fraud upon the people Thus the offer to
furnish paper which, if worth having at
all, is fully worth the subscription price,
cannot honestly promise the subscriber a
fine picture or a good watch in addition.
In about every case the gift, if picture,
Is found to be very cheap affair, not de-
sirable as an art work or an ornament, and
the gift of other goods practically value
less. The chrome business especially is
played out" These cheap productions
are bought by the thousand for few cents
each, and really do a deal of injury by
perverting the taste. Their announced
value is deceptive, fraud So, too, with
other articles they cannot be of practical
or lasting usefulness. and sooner or later
the man who has been induced to sub
scribe" by such means arrives at the con-
clusion that he has been taken in. The
natural desire to procure something for
nothing is seldom gratifed, and publishers
who pander to ii really do the publishing
business = grievous injury.
The whole fraternity owe it to an honor
able business to frown down the chrome
and gift frauds The people worth having
As readers should be induced to subscribe
upon the merits Of the publications of
fered. There are unobiectionable methods
of soliciting such as clubbing the allow
ance of fair commissions, the employment
of agents, etc, and these cannot in any way
be operated to deceive the patrons. But
as we have said, in the rivalry Of publish
ing in this day in the multitude of good
papers at low prices, the people are pretty
sure to be swindled if they fall in with a
publishers offer to give values equal to- or
in excess of, the subscription price.
1t is said that there are some cases where
the publisher, in the interest Of very
large advertising patronage, can afford to
give his paper away by exPending the
subscription in gifts; but it would seem,
in such cases, that he could better afford to
mail the paper free out of hand, if he is
truthful in the announced value of his
"premiums" The guild of publishers
should be actuated by such business and
confraternaI sentiments as will prevent the
extension of the gift schemes, which, in