Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-10-18
FRAUDULENT NEWSPAPERS.
The Comment on an Example From tn
ST. Innis Cnnrts

The Comment on an Example From the
st. Louis Courts.
The wrangle which has recently
broken out among the stockholders of
the st. Louis Post-Dispatch is to be
credited with some good results. Il
has at least let the public into the secret
of manufactured circulation" by
means Of which newspapers Of a GER
tain class obtain patronage from the
public. The ST. Louis Republic makes
this comment:
A familiar proverb is strikingly con-
frmed by the disclosures and unseen
ly wrGngle between the stockholders OF
the POst-Despatch has brought out.
Honest men are getting their dues.
Advertisers are gathering information
Of exceeding interest concerning the
true circulation of that paper
In an affidavit filed in the Circuit
Court last Monday the present business
manager Of the POst-Despatch, Mr. G..
w. Jones, gave a statement OF the pa
per's circulation at three specified
periods; that is. the weeks ending Sep
tember is, 1881; February 16 1895, and
September il, 1895; and. referring to
his figures, added: 'Aflant further
states that a large part of the circula-
tion shown by said statement of Feb
ruary 16, 1895, was Improbable, and, in
fact, fictitious. The Post-Despatch Of
yesterday editorially repeats this very
interesting disclosure, saying: The
circulation obtained in January and
February following the cut in price was
in large degree bogus. It was impos-
sible 20 what was and what was not
oogus
This is probably the most shameless
confession Of Misrepresentation and de-
ceit any newspaper has ever been
forced to print in its own columns. 1t
is an open admission that lies have
been backed up with alildavits and
/ tOistcd on advertisers as truths, con-
fcssiCu that the facts sustain FULLY and
completely"
The circulation affidavit has been
greatly oyerworllcd. in and out OF S..
Louis Advertisers have been de-
frauded and aeeced not only by means
of figures that We're bogus, but by
means of figures which even though
| they might be accurate in themselves,
I did not represent advantage to the mer-
chant. 4 newspaper might, for in
| stance. have a circulation of 100000
among the Chinese, and yet 1t would
not be a valuable medium for a dealer
| in American clothing. IL might circu-
late largely among the Sioux lndlahs,
and vet not be important to a publisher
/ of q cookery book. IL might be read
/ by every Anarchist in the country, and
/ yet be worthless 20 a manufacturer OF
/ SOAP. What the advertiser real
| IN wants is direct communication with
/ his customers. He wants TO reach the
| people to wh1se tastes he caters. FIRST
! class merchants seek the patronage OF
/ frs.-class BUYERS. II Is nothing TO
/ them to lay their wares before people
/ who are not likely under any clrcum-
/ stances 10 trade with them.
This case Of the Post-Despatch, how
ever. is d very different matter. into
I this the elements of wisdom and dis
elimination on the part OF the adYer
| tiser does not enter at all. The ques'
ton is one Of fraudulent pretense, pure
J and simple. The P0st-Despatch' cir
! culation. upon the faith of when 81.
Louis tradesmen patrOnized the paper,
was fictitious. 1t did not exist Inc
| business manager Of the paper now al
mits it under oath, and the confession
is confirmed editorially. The adver-
Users were not deluded as TO the char
acter of the circulation. They were
/ lust swindled Nevertheless, We NAM
( tain that merchants would save them
selves O great deal Of money ana WIN
draw from dishonest and direputaDle
newspapers a great deal OF temptation
! by adhering to the very simple rule OF
giving their patronage TO the publica-
tions that VIGOROUSLY go to the houses
OF intelligent, industrious and well-to-
do people. Those are the people who
deal with them-the only people whom
it is their interest to reach. Washing
| ton Post.