Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-07-13
HISTORY IN ADVERTISEMENTS.
An Interesting and Valuable Part of a
Sewspaper's Contents.


r,terestinc and Valuable Part of a
Sewspaper's Contents.
II IS no longer an objection to a news
,,onor that it contains advertisements.
H., the contrary, there is reason to be-
u l;avn that a paper which should contain
n w advertisements would be not only
#hobind the times, but fail to give it's
oadars a feature containing much cur
ont and useful information, and, withal,
,,nrh entertaining reading. Thousands
IF neople regard the advertisements in
dailv paper as part OF Its local news.
In late wears the writing of advertise
81 mants has become a special feature in
u ;ournalism-a branch of literature re-
q %j UG, information and calling for
u hriohtness and versatility. The man or
q woman who has genius in that direc
ION has a more profitable place i'll cur
rnnt literature than have many of those
q who see their articles in magazines or
q their names on the title pages of current
d frfiOn. The wideawake business man,
n who sees the great advantage of space
II in newspapers columns has come to
understand the importance of having it
d filed with matter which will be sure to
so attract the reader that he, and par
q ticularlv she, will look at it every day
8 and will experience a feeling of disap-
g nointment if it is not found.
If one should assert that a history of
u anv recent period could be written
81 from the data supplied by the adver-
Il tisements of the newspapers, the state
q mtnt would scarcely be believed until
one could give it consideration, after
8 which he would conclude that it might
g he done. From the advertisements of
81 neWspapers an expert might write the
s. history of the railroad development in
this country. The scanty cuts of loco
#mOtives and cars would furnish an out
line. while the improvements and adj
IzNantages set forth in the advertisements
would furnish writer if he possessed
@a fair amount of originality, with the
HING for the work The financial his
fn,v of the government could be fully
written from the advertisements of
IS rcasurv officers and banks dealing in
Houblic securities. Doubtless ADVERTISE
AAnncnts in New York commercial papers
would show that, late in 1860, a United
States loan could not be placed at par
Bearing per cent. interest. Similar
advertisements would show not only
"A ne rates of interest such securities bore
during different periods, but the fact of
he issue of legal tender greenbacks and
Hthe premium which gold commanded
from time to time. The results of great
hattles during the war and the popular
feeling, whether hopeful or respondent,
s <ould be told in the ups and downs OF
"a he price of bonds in gold or in cur
@rencv. Without other record, the col
lapse of the rebellion could be told from
the fall in the premium on gold and the
sS* sale Of seventhirty bonds.
# The advertisements of the treasury
I& and banks directly after specie resump-
u ton, announcing the sale of millions of
81 + per cent. bonds and of the premium
8 which these bonds commanded after a
8 brief season, tell us eloquently and &C
81 curately the story of the achievements
10y which the rate of interest paid by
1t he United States and the people was
Reduced nearly third, as did the of
III cial report of Secretary Sherman. The
development of American industries
xsan be traced in the advertisements an
nouncing novel home products. Tran
lent as are the fashions of dress, the
elever writer could tell their rise and
Dali from the outlines supplied by the
dealers in fabrics and millinery. The
enterprising dealer with an eye to bust
less has never failed to give the public
he correct thing in dress" for both
ne XeS.
In the years to come the writing of
advertisements which will always at
Iact attention will become more and
d ore literary employment, since the
bitter must not only be well read, but
pssess in high derree the literary art
II putting things. At any rate this
ranch of newspapermaking is being
eyeloped; the time is not far distant
hen it will be announced that this or
DAT noted advertisement writer will
Dntribute special advertisement to a
prthcoming issue, for the same reason
BAT publishers of magazines now an
bunce that the next number will con
in story by Howclls or a poem by
ames Whitcomb Riley.-lndto110poNs
puUdi.