Morning journal and courier., 1894-01-30
No. 90

strains and disoordant combinations Of
sound, the host went past. Then the en-
ergy was gradually relaxed, the instru-
ments dropped of, and finally only the
faint echoes came back from the distsnce.
Coupon journalism, like the msrch Of
the sultsn's defenders, seems 20 have
reached the fft OF Its progression We
can scarcely take up q paper or journal,
daily, weekly or monthly, that some
scheme for the sale of copies does not oor-
front the reader. These are too nunsrous
to mention In detail. The underlying
principle, In all cases, Is the expectation
or hope of securing some gift or 'aprtEs"
which shall bring 10 the purchaser much
more than the value of the sum invested
One New York journal, for instance, Of
fers long list of prizes TO those who shall
come nearest to guessing the exact tims
which ii will take q silver dollar to fall
70 the sideuaik-au guesses of course 20
be accompanied by q certain amount of
subscription money. Another, o monthly
magazine, offers q complete novel for each
week In the year, and 90 the record goes.
The missing-word contest has Suffered o
decline since the English courts pro-
nounced II gambling, and confsckted large
sums which were sent by those swallowing
the bait. But additional Attractions" are
Der and proninencs 10 now snch as 20
lead one TO ask whore ID is all to end. Re-
ferring to the existing conditions. one Of
the leading newspapers OF New Jersey
very pertinently Esyf: "If this goes on
at fts present rate the time is not far dis
tant when great many of our esteemed
contemporaries will have abandoned all
the old and legitimate features and pur-
poses of q Newspaper, and the question
will not be which Of them CAP best record
current events, but which of them can Of
fer the uott attraction 20 the curiosity
hunter OF the seeker after ne psltry
prize. The gift enterprise feature in jour
nalism ts O confession that the newspaper
employing this method to water its circu-
lstion cannot stand on its own inertia.
The logic of this 10 90 obvious that the
gift newspaper loses more on Its perna-
nent standing than IL gains In temporary
circulation by coupon-cuttinz. Advert
sers ssk whst benefit can accrue TO them
from copies of newspapers purchased in
bulk for the sake Of the coupons and then
sent to the junknsn. Readers who are "a
lutsi every time they open q paper with
announcement of votes for the most popu-
lar policeman or Of Aliurtng gifts Of valus-
BILE articles, turn from them In wesrinsss
aud disgust. and Sigh for The time when
the fAkir and chesp jack were not the con-
trolling power In journalism"
In the same line, q proninsnt New YORK
state psper, which hss nsver felt the necss-
city for resorting 10 such means, usss per-
tinsnt language which is worthy Of
thoughtful reading. II sAyt: ''It is res
sopsbly safe 10 corcin6e that there 80
something wrong with 8 Newspaper which
cannot be uold upon its merits. IL 10 not
necessary 20 offer premiums to people TO
induce them TO buy something faht they
really want AID need" !"
And there is another phase of the mat
ter which is terseiy treHsei by . writer
who aims his remarks especially 81 the
newspapers Of large circalEfion which re-
sort 10 these Questionable means. The
Newspaper Of large circulation" be ssys,
wrongs Its public by adoption Of the pre-
MUM offer 10 gaia subEcribsrs and in
crease lie circulation. The charges of its
wrong doing are direct and plain. IL
adopts premiums tast, in Q greAier OF less
degree, nisrspresent and deceive with
false promises Of quality and utility and
of inexpensiveness; every restisr being led
by lie advertisements 20 invest money
with the belief thEt he will receive some
thing better and more than his money
ought reasonably to b;ing. IL adopts pre-
miuns that for the pact twenty years have
been ufed regularly, In one form or Anoth-
eEs by t8c NcckAy pEchts h-o were run uF
10 until the whole country, outside Of the
cities and large towns, refused them be-
Gauss Of their conesft. II adopts premi-
ums and sdvertises itself Hs q sellsr In Its
own columns, In competition with sellers
Of other goods whom Il invites and who
pay for Its columns. II sells books, pho
togrsphs and music to-day, but Il may
cell dry goods and groceries to morrow.
1t adopts premiums in dishonest c3npe-
titlon with all Journals, WHISTLER of large
or small circulation, that seek to build
and establish circulation and prosperity
on the pure superiority of their news and
literary enterprise. The Newspaper Of
large circulation is becoming rssoslly dis
honest In this respect"
These are strong words, almost TO the
border of hsrshness; but there can be no
doubt that they are spoken from q oontci-
entious and an honest motive.