The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-03-19
SJTIlS(RIPTIOG
We desire live agent and correspondent
at every pt,stOftice in Vance and adjoining
MACH 10, 1896
AIDING THE ENEMY.

We regret to see the advertisement
of the Battle AK plug tobacco in sew
eral of our exchanges. 1t is we'll known
that the American Tobacco Co. IS
making this brand at heavy loss and
with no other object than 10 force our
local manufacturers to the wall. Two
or three hundred thousand dollars has
been set aside by the Trust to be used
in that way. We know that our local
papers need all the advertisements they
can get, but it is the poorest kind OF
business for them to cooperate with
Trust that is making war upon local
manufacturers, upon whom SO much
depends. If our manufacturers 60
down, the newspapers patrons, the
farmers and merchants, will go with
them 1t is bad enough as 1t Is; yet
it would be far worse if the Trust
should absorb the plug business. The
Weekly was not offered the advertise
ment; we would not take it at any
price, for We do not intend TO be used
as an instrument in breaking down
home factories, the life blood of Reds
vile, Danville, Greensboro, Winston
and other Piedmont towns The
Trusts cigarette advertisement was
refused admission To the columns OF
this paper year or more ago and
hence the present advert lsement was
not offered us.
The above is taken from the Reds
vile Weekly, and we agree with what
Brother Webster says. But the mere
fact of publishing this advertisement at
all is not wherein the greatest cause
for complaint lies, as we see il. We
have reason to believe many papers
print it for almost no:hing-at a much
lower price than they would charge a
home smerchant or manufacturer for
the same space. This is manlfestly
unfair to say nothing of the suicidal
policy of giving aid to the rnem, iii
=,
destroying competition and working
serious injury to the farmers interc,l.
When we say many papers in this
State are lending their influence III
this direction by publishing the airrr-
tlsement of the American Tobircn
Company at a lower price than the,
would charge their home people 60
whom they should give the pref renee
when they go about bestowing lavors)
we Judge by the offer made us. This
business is placed through Geo. p.
Rowell & Co.'S advertising agency.
1t occupies space of inches, double
appear on specified page, "always at
top of column and next TO pure read
ing matter, and whenever possible at
top of column and between two col
umns of readil G natter But this is
not quite all. A provision of the con-
tract is that "the advertisers shall have
privilege of increasing or decreasing
space or time of contract at any time
during the year, at PRO rata of con-
tract price"
The cheeky and unbusiness ma
ture of such proposition carries its
own comment. But that is eminently
characteristic Of both Rowell & Co.
and their clients. They would make
yearly contract rate, based on GER
tain amount of space, and,lhen reduce
same or discontinue the advertising al
together as they see fit, and pay long
time, I6-lnch space rates for transient
business. Was ever such an aLvertis-
ing proposition suggested by or grant
ed 10 local patron?
And for this service IL months we
were offered the munifcent sum of
$1,000. Our reply was that if the fig
ures were multiplied by 2, we might
consider it. The offer was increased
to $4,000; then to 10000 and upon
the ground that we would not give
the advertisement the position de-
manded the order was cancelled and
the matter dropped. This is why the
sign of the big Battle AK with which
the mighty Ajax of Trust hopes to kill
out competition and have 4 monopoly
Of the plug business as they have in
cigarettes, is not seen in these columns.
We do not g. SO far as to refuse
business from the American Tobacco
Company simply because it is Trust.
We are in the business for business,
and business that is legitimate and
decent will be accepted on purely
business principles; but when we do
accept their advertisement they will
at least pay as much as others do for
the same service.
Beyond doubt the present Congress,
making all proper allowance for the
shining eyceptionS ic the ,,,oct ,,o,