Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-21
MAKING NEwsrtrEEs HONEST.
New California Law Intended to Prevent
Frauds on kdvertf.er..

San Francisco pisp.tch to tie New York Times
The legislature. which has just adjourned
passed bin unique IN legislation. the effect OF
which is awaited with much interest BY the
newspapers OF California. The bill merely adds
a new section TO the penal code and is parricu-
lary brief in its provisions. IL reads:
An act TO add a new section OF the penal
code, 70 be numbered 5}s. relating to misrepre-
sentat.ons as 10 circulation by p-oprietors Of
newspapers and periodicals fo- tho purpose OF
obtaining patronage"
The people OF the state Of California. represented
in senate and assembly. do enact rs follows:
Sec. i. new section is hereby added TO the
penal code. to be known as section 5Ss to read
as follows:
Sec. 5SS. Every proprietor or Publisher of
any newspaper or periodical who shall willfully
and knowingly misrepresent the circulation OF
such newspaper or periodical for the purpose of
securing advertising or other patronage shall
be deemed guilty of misdemeanor.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in
force immediately from and after its passage.
In advocating the passage o. the bill Assem-
blyman Afford Of Tuiare said:
This Is intended law to make the news
papers honest. and If there is ANYTHING which
requires little squirting in tina: direction more
than legislator, IL is .he Newspaper"
California has for years been afflicted with
I
big San Francisco dailies had greater cir
cuiation than all the others combined This
was proclaimed from every fence and dead wall
in the cities. The fashion of preyarcasion has So
spread IN this exuberani climate that
every newborn sheet tossed of bv
some rattletrsp press in q town of more
| expectations than inhabitants at once laid
claim TO the largest circulation in all the coun-
try side and sent lis paint pot and brush out
/ into the world TO besubber the claim over
| everything of scenic prominence.
The general public regarded the ert-avaeant
assertions as SO much hulnor, bat the DYER
! tisers became bewildered in the effort to pick
some bits OF truth out Of the mass Of prevarica-
non. They could not really tell. when they
gave out an advertisement TO a persistent
solicitor, whether or not the paper be repre-
sented had anything Like the enormous circuls-
! ton he said it had
About three years ago the Examiner con-
cluded that little honesty would be good
business policy. and, as it hsd achieved circu-
iailon OF respectable proportions. gave ont its
exact figures. took oath TO their correctness
ana invited It's patrons TO step IN and examine
the books Its rivals improved the opportunity
offered by the show OF figures, aud quickly
raised them a few thousand all around. placing
| the ELGiatner IN the position % having less
circulation :han either the CGH or the ChrOn,cIe
This did not suit at all, SO the Examiner pre-
pared the bull making tine misrepresentation of
circulation a misdemeauor and went with it be-
fore the Legislature at Sacramento.
1t is generally reported that jus. as soon as
one of its contemporaries makes a statement OF
| circulation believed 10 be false the Examiner
will cause the arrest OF the offending proprietor
and make him acknowledge his guilt or bring
his books into court 80 that eyerybo will
know just how many papers he really circu-
lates.
In this way the claiming OF the largest circu-
lation viii be made extra hazardous and adver-
| tisers viii be able TO ascertain just how much
service they are paying for. IL is expected that
other states Will follow California m adopting
/ similar statutes, a. there has been much inquiry
from several cities regarding the provisions Of
| the bill