The sun., 1885-02-22
Charges of False Pretences.

Mr.. j. III. BATES, an advertising agent OF
large experience. complains with good rea-
son of the impossibility Of obtaining exact
Information with regard to the circulation of
most newspapers. In fact, the number OF
Journals in the United States which publish
their regular circulation from day to day and
week to week is very smal-not half dozen,
So far as we can count them up.
The rest keep their circulation q carefully
guarded secret. and though 1t must be
known to several individuals in each Office.
1t does not leak out. Even in the newspaper
world itself the size of the editions sold by
Journals OF great prominence can only be
guessed at. Advertisers and advertising
agents, therefore, arc in the dark as
to matter which Is of the first I'M
portance to them, for, other things being
eqaul. the value of a newspaper to them de-
pends on the extent OF its circulation.
man buys other things, and he knows exactly
what he IS getting, and can compare the
prices charged with those which tho same
articles command in the market generally;
advertising space he must take "unsight,
unseen without being able to inform him
Self as to the amount Of publicity he gets.
But the worst effect OF this secrecy Is tho
distrust awakened in t he minds of advertisers
with regard to the truthfulness of newspaper
Publishers. We are sorry to say that the
prevalent opinion is that such publishers
commonly lie about the circulation OF their
iournals-even the publishers OF newspapers
which are severe critics and censors of social
and political morals. Experienced adver-
tiscrs never think OF relying on them for in
formation as to that subject, having no
wi ha
facts, but either make their own guesses
or tako the estimate OF some agent like Mr..
BATES, who gives the newspapers, as he
puts it. the circulation which - think they
are respectively entitled to-" though he ac-
Enowledaes that there must be errors in his
figures because of his own ignorance.
Now listen to what this advertising agent.
who has had so much to do with newspaper
publishers, is constrained to say to his Gus
toners with regard to them:
1t ought to be the easiest thing the world TO learn
the eSsct circulation of the various newspapers of the
country, but II i. in point OF fact extremely dcult
and In the vast majority of cases impossible This
am sorry to be obliged to say. is brought about by
the secrecy and deception of the publishers them.
selves. who for the most part either refuse exact
Information. or furnish 1t so deceptlvely that 1t
has little positive value This is not because
publishers are as class less honest than other men In
tHe orhihary hHairs OF Iite But there has
vicious practice among them of regarding tho actual
circulation OF their respective journals AZ thing to be
Kept secret or misreprssented thing tho public has
no right to know anything definite about while they
set price to advertising based circulation refuse
let their patrons know what that circulation is,
msrrpresentIt. To this there ,norabe exc tons
nen who recognize advertisers right know Just
what he IL paving for and meet It by stating true
circuatons from day to day, week week conspic
uonsiy In their own columns Hut the actual number
these Is small and the great body Of publishers do not
ook on IL with favor for the singular reason that should
they do so Their own actual circulation would appear to
disadvantage beside those ~ less scrupulous rivals
"Some OF the efforts made svoid stating the ex act
truth AMI yet obtain the advantage of some extrsord
Eary claim are almost luiicrous one would think the
great dses OF ths city could afford IN this
Tespect. and yet IL 10 not uncommon to OF
Gupte an item from country weekly refer
ring 10 itself to the effect that the morning -
Ia" reached the enormous circulation of
when tho morning - has never ventured to
claim 40 high a nyure, and could easily remove
al question and settle the matter by regularly
Printing III" facts from day to day Another deception
iso print in big figures the number OF copies printed on
some special occasion such the day after impor
tant election other great event. aud then either keep
ing that tho regular circulation else for long
time after 50 quoting 1t when applied to-"
These are very serious charges-charges OF
doing business on false pretenccs and we
cannot agree with Mr.. BATES that because
newspaper publishers are not LESS honest
than other men In the ordinary affairs OF
life." they should escape condemnation II
they lie about what most concerns their
pockets. Nor Is 1t any excuse for one pub
Aisher's deception that II he told tho truth