St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-17

of Philadelphia. and every publisher III tho
United States should see that it is furnis, G
with detailed statement of the actual-ii"C
average-issues Of daily, weekly or monthiv.
for the period of not less than three months
preceding. Only in this way can you expect
to get a correct rating: and you will surely
and honestly get it if you comply with this
simple requirement
And Lyman d. Morse, manager OF the j. IL.
Bates advertising agency, of New York, in
formed me that the next edition OF the
Quarterly Advertisers Guide Book Will be
published in September and he hoped that
every publisher in the country would send
in truthful statement OF circlation. These
agents pay the publishers millions annually.
My experience has been that there is not
an advertising agency or advertiser in the
United States but will pay more for known
circulation OF 700 than he is willing to pay
fos a claimed or unknown circulation OF 2uJ0
The matter OF known circulation is all-im-
portant. The advertiser and advertising
agent will insist on trying to know what cir
sculation they are buying, but am sorry to
say that both sometimes get left" and pub
fishers are responsible for 1T.
Pardon me, if seem to dwell too much
upon this one feature of the subject but
perhaps you will have discovered by this
time that it is my hobby" and | am taking
advantage of the situation-llke the minister
in the pulpit, or the spellbinder on the
stump-and will talk 1t whether you go 10
sleep under it or not.
A short time since out of curiosity, sent
letter to papers throughout the states (Gearly
all members of this assOciation) asking for
an estimate on certain space for one year, re-
questing a statement OF circulation for the
past thirteen weeks. This latter point l en-
phasized as most important
In a majority of cases. the managers or
publishers stated that they did not know
what their actual circulation was but they
guessed or "reckoned' that it averaged
about 500, or 1000, or 15,00O, as the case
might bel
What rotten business methods!
How could such publishers hope to secure
a contract from the intelligent experienced
advertising agent or advertiser, and thereby
increase their business? They were supposed
to have a certain commodity to sell, viz: ad-
vertisng space. the price of which is based
upon the actual circulation of the paper, yet
when asked the question, they evade IL, bite
their thumb nails and confess that they do
not know enough about their stock-in-trade
to give definite answer-or else they don't
want TO do so. which is justly construed by
the responsible advertising agent and adver
tiser, as little short of prevarication, to say
the least. A publisher that will not, or can
not, tell what his actual circulation is, mis-
takes his calling. and if | may be allowed to
say so. with all due respect, is perhaps better
fitted for peeling potatoes III an printing pa
pers.
All publishers should cooperate with ad
vertising agencies and advertisers. They are
the publishers best business friends ana
should always be treated as such.
Another point-in the letter referred to I
also requested the price for run of paper
and preferred position, l. e. next reading
and first following and next reading;" q
didn't ask top of column next reading"
next to poetry or first following pure
marriage notices. }, and majority of the re.
plies Indicated I could have next to read
ing" but first following and next to read
in3' was ont of the question; lit was too
much trouble" -" lit would mix matters up"
did not care for advertisements like that"
foreman couldn't possibly do it., - and other
replies of like tenor.
Now, what nonsense.
There is not publisher here but wants to
make money. wants to increase his business;
wants all the advertising that is going; per-
haps wants the earth; but i'll many cases it
seems that he does not want to do anything
reciprocal to gain 1t.
Herein is point showing you are not alive
to your own interests, not up to the wants
of the times in the advertising sense, so to
speak.
Few general advertisers to-day, knowing
the value of good location but supulate pre-
ferred position" and will lot go into paper
unless they get it. And | believe preferred
position is sometimes entitled to from 10 to
50 per cent extra, according to position de-
manded, and there is not publisher in the
United States but can give position just as
well as not, if he tries.
Position" in life is worth everything.
Many times the makeup kicks about
position advertisements. Does he kick when
you hand him his salary Saturday night, or
a complimentary thcater or circus ticket!
l notice few interrogatOres put forth on
the intellectual bill of fare prepared by the
association.
"IS the advertising agent an advantage or
disadvantages"
Answering the first part Of the query in
the broadest sense, l should say ''yes." en-
phaticaly. a decided advantage. Your ad-
vertising columns. | take it. solve the ques
tia IL fOr no odu
how many advertisers outside of your local
ones would you have represented therein?
'How can we improve on him?"
You can't; he's all right
Another question | note, or rather two
questions in one: Does it pay to take for
eign advertising at lower rates than home
advertising?'
The view take OF it is simply this: That
home advertiser has the whole local field at
his command. The foreign advertiser, I'M
less his goods are on sale at every store,
would be at a disadvantage If he had to pay
local rates.
Field, Mailer & Co. have the whole of St.
Paul and surrounding country for possible
customers, who would be likely to buy
great variety of goods over their counter at
good profits, whereas the foreign advertiser
who only has his specialty-generally one
article-for sale at q limited number of places
would not be likely to reach the same results
from the advertising and would thus be
placed at disadvantage should the rates be
as high as for the local advertising, while de-
cidedly smaller in comparison.
(Which pays BEST long or short con-
tracts?''
Long contracts, Of course. We are all
looking for long things; long life, long bank
accounts, etc. of late many large general
advertisers are making two, three and five
year contracts. This custom is going to in
crease. and every publisher should improve
his paper and increase it's circulation, so as
to give his customers better service every
year.
Don't go backward. You never will if you
are willing to work.
"Ought advertising and reading to be
mixedl Ought an advertisement to appear
ever as reading matter?'
Answering both. l would say that If it
means ought reading advertisements to be
placed among pure reading NATTER it is
point wholly with the publisher. Personally,
| see no objection to it.
Another: fought cuts to be excludes"
l should say no. This is the age of Art in
Advertising" and there is no reason why an
advertiser who is willing to spend money
freely for single and double column designs,
artistically pertinent to his business and
have them eectrotyped should be debarred
the privilege OF asserting the same in the ad-
vertising columns of the paper.
A majority of general advertisers to-day
are not satisfied in setting forth the merits of
their wares, no matter what line they are in,
through the medium of display type alone;
and why should they be Disseminated
against in favor of the advertiser who has no
appreciation of attractive advertising, or is
not willing to go to the expense of it; and
further, it seems to me the custom of some
of our large metr Opolitan dailies in adding
from % to 100 per cent for outline illustra-
tions which have been prepared at large ex-
pense. is not in accordance with the spirit of
progress OF the present time, and really acts
as a stumbling block. Many advertisers can
not understand why they should pay this
large additional price for artistic advertise
ments over large and some times very black
smithy' display advertisements which con-
tain type only. and which certainly do not
add to the attractiveness of the page of the
paper in which they appear. look forward
to the time when such artistic, illustrated
advertisements will be more sought after,
instead of having to pay premium for their
appearance, as is now frequently the case.
''Why should not the National Editorial
association employ its own agents?"
do not believe in syndicates; am not
English, you know. Let every tub stand on
its own bottom; let every publisher do bust
ness as best he knows how. The present
system is about as good as it can be. and as
tirna anaoa avarvthinO ic i'm Dr0Vp0