The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-09
IDEAS ABOUT ADVERTISING
How to Make 1t Profitable Both to the
Business Man and the Publisher.
American Publishers Exchange Views of Prac-
tical Value in Regard to Business Methods
in the Management of Newspapers.

socstion, which includes membership repre-
ssnting every large city in the United States,
md few in Canada, began at the New Denison
House, yesterday. The membership is restrict
I'd to business managers and owners of papers
That have circulation of 5000 and more. In
the morning session but little was done except
10 hear read Invitations from the Union Railway
Company for the visitors 70 make a trip around
the belt, this afternoon, at 1:30 o'clock, another
from the Indianapolis Natural-gas Company to
witness a display of gas tonight at the corpo-
ration line, where the guests of the company
will be taken in carriages at 6:30 o'clock. In the
afternoon the association, with Col G. FL. Jones.
of the Jacksonville, Fla, Times Union, presid-
ing and James s. Metcalf, the business
manager for the organization at its
chief Office in New York, acting
secretary, was formally welcomed to Indianapo
lis by Capt j. B. Conner. of the Indiana Farmer.
He said if the members were minions of the
press instead of agate well-rounded periods
would be more fitting in welcoming them to the
capital city of the State. Bat business men
like the beauty of business methods, and, there
fore. his speech would conform to that wish.
Yet brief IS his remarks would be sincerity
would not be wanting in cordially greeting them
on behalf of the press and people of the city.
He reminded them that they met in city that
lies on the line of great trauscontinsntal travel,
and that it was of the large centers OF the
country for the distribution of food products
Referring. in passing to the extensive trans
portation business that conferred here, he closed
by repeating his welcome. and the wish that
every one would find the utmost pleasure in
his visit. every citizen stood ready to make
it pleasant.
H.
himself in the awkward position of substitute,
or rather in that of conscript Mr. Singerly,
of the Philadelphia Record, could not be there to
fulfill the duties Of president. and he believed
the association made its sorrow at his absence
the more keen by taking him as the substitute.
He facetiously referred to the minor positions
editors occupy in the newspaper field, for he be-
lieved the opinion prevailed among business
managers that they were meddlesome noboGies.
Were he to speak in their behalf the gift of CAB
would be necessary, but be represented business
men and therefore much speaking could not be
expectea from him. He was glad they had
come TO indianapolis When the location for
eussion the members did not want to go
90 Cincinnati, for there they would be
called upon to count the enormous circulation
of it's dailies. ST. Louis would not do,
dent aud the g. A. RS national
encampment it could not look upon more modest
gatherings. Chicago was too wicked. 1t would
do for political conventions and other disreputa-
bic affaire, but not for such representative
mblage that of the business managers of
the leading newspapers throughout the country.
When Indianapolis was mentioned, there was
spontaneous acQuiescence in the proposition.
AS for himself, he had some apprehension in
coming here. since it would, perhaps. endanger
his interest by coming IN contact with one Who
twenty five years ago. wanted his gore He
sought it with gun in hand, but he must confess
that he also tried to make Major Richards
fertilizer for Southern soil. That happened be-
fore Atlanta, but he thanked God there
more fight in him, and that the of
the North and South stood together under
the flag of common country He believed
IL there had been an organization like this be-
fore the fratrcidal war it would not have
Cured. as its influence would have been directed
to peaceful ends and not to fomenting strife,
which the press of that day did The press, he
thought. largely responsible for the war
that followed. He complimented Indianapolis
on its growth and promises of additional pros
perity, and congratulated the members COM
ing to a beautiful city where the hearts of the
people were warm and hospitality was un-
bounded
Following this a letter from w. H. Singerly
the president, expressing his regrets that he
could not be with the association, was read and
after that Business Manager Metcaf presented
q report Of the years work. which bad been at
tended with marked success, considering the
fact that at the outset the difficulty was to
create something out of nothing. He had no
comments to make on broad questions of policy,
but con fined his statements TO brief statistical
mention of what had been done. It is his pur-
pose to supply mem bers with information con-
corning the respons biity of advertisers and
others who come into contact with the business
department. of newspaper. The idea Is SINH
lar to that upon which commercial agencies
founded. In giving this information he sent out
one bulletin by telegraph and twenty-four by
mail during the year and answered $40 official
inquiries.
What in other organizations is known as the
committee on resolutions Is styled By the associ-
alton committee on business. To this reso-
buttons are referred without reading and debate.
The committee for this meeting consists of E.
=. Call, Boston Herald: l.. l.. Morgan, New
Haven Register; w. f. Beltingham Fort Worth
Gazette. VIM G. Bryant, of the Brooklyn
Times treasurer of the association. reported
that the receipts were $5.l06 "a and disburs-
ments 81, 32S 90. giving balance OF $77774.
With these features of routine business dis
posed of Maj. w. J. Richards. of the executive
committee, reported that the question of
changing the form of the organization had been
considered but the committee thought il advis-
able TO continue the voluntary plan and not at
tempt to incorporate the association. 1t was
believed that incorporation would diminish
the number of new mem bers, and that the bene-
fits to be obtained would be just as great under
the present system The report was approved,
as was that from the same committee relating
TO a form OF contract to be signed by each one
IN becoming mem Der of the association Ii
requires secrecy from every membe concerning
The information furnished him Under the con-
tract he cannot obtain this information nor per-
init it to be used or obtained for any other per-
fon. An amendment to the bylaws was pre-
scented 30 as to make the election of part of the
directors instead Of all every year With these
i've the officers of the association to act
ex offcio, but at the coming election three of
the five will be elected for two and two for one
year. Thereafter the election will be for two
years term. Another amendment presented re-
lated to the suspension OF any member by the
executive COMMITTEES for satisfactory reasons,
which action will be subject to review by the
association. AS the bylaw now stands mem
Der be expelled or suspended only after
charges have been brought against him in the
association, and then expulsion or suspension
cannot be ordered except by two-thirds vote of
members present Both propositions will come
MP to-day for final action.
Z. p. Call, Of the Boston Herald read paper
on the rate per line per 1000 circulation. and
rate for continuance. Nothing, he said, pre-
scented . greater variety than prices for news
paper advertising. Until their organization
formed the publishers had opportunity to
come together and consider a uniformity in
rates. Eyen now they were without universal
standard for comparing prices, and until this is
reached advertising cannot be looked upon as