Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-05-05
PRESS. AGENTS ABOUND.
The Value of Publicity Recognized by
other Than Theatrical People.

The Value of Publicity Recognized by
other Than Theatrical People.
One Of the important outgrowths
of the systematic methods by means
of which the managers of large en-
telrprises keep the public informed
about matters in which they are in
terested is the press agent. Although
most people believe that they know
all about the functions of that Of
ficer, the business is really much
more widespread than is generally
known. The average man, speaking
of a press agent, has the one who is
connected with a theater in mind
He is the man who sends paragraphs
to the theatrical editors, in which
he not only gives the advance pro-
grammes, but works in, or endeavors
to do so. all sorts of views about his
particular actor or singer or the
company in which he may be inter-
ested. With many press agents who
act in keeping with the policy of
their employers the chief end is to
keep the name before the public,
and anything is resorted to, from a
description of an elaborate gown or
a stolen diamond to an imaginary
runaway or an impending divorce
suit. AS rule, the theatrical press
agent is a clever man, and to his
good work the success of many an
enterprise may be traced.
Other large advertisers We're quick
to recognize the worth of a press
agent, and the consequence is that
newspaper men have found employ
ment in that capacity recently in
lines which are far removed from
the "show business, but employ
the same methods.
One of the first branches of bust
ness to employ a press agent was
that of land booming. The large
syndicates which were organized to
develop certain tracts of land in the
far west found that, although adj
vertising brought them good re
turns, they needed something more
by means of which their scenery and
climate and country could be made
popular The press agent was the
solution of the problep2. The proper
man was found and departed on his
mission of education to the fafaway
places where men with bank ac-
counts were looking for new homes
in pleasant places, and presently the
country newspapers began to bristle
with descriptions of farm lands IN
the domain of the press agent, I'M
riyaled for productiyeness and home
sites, which in point of climate and
scenery were absolutely perfect and
so desirable that the reader was
led to believe. that every day spent
away from the place was day
thrown away The land booming
press agent has come to the east
and is an important factor in the
development of new summer resorts
and residence annexes to large cit
les.
Another field for his usefulness
was found by the press agent with
railroad corporations In one in
stance a railroad company had gain
ed the i'll will of many newspapers,
and criticism of its methods was a
daily occurrence The directors Gre
ated the place of press agent and in
stalled an experienced newspaper
man, with power to make investiga-
lions on any subject, and instruc-
tions to make public such matters
pertaining to the road as would
counterfeit the previously circulated
reports. A few months after he as
sumed control of the place the press
agent saidthat the adverse criticism
had ceased and that the newspapers
Nhad been won to the roads friend
ship
But that is not all, said a press
agent who had served in that ca
pacity for years Even society
needs its press agent, and there are
men in New York today who receive
pay for keeping the names Of men
and women who are on the edge of
society before the public. These
people are partly in the swim them
selves, but are not averse to earning
an honest dollar, and they manage
by hook or by crook to have Mr..
Nobody and Miss Wouldbe mention
ed in connection with society mat
tiers occasionally, and by that means
stimulate their vanity and give them
hope that some day they may be
able to enter the sphere for which
their press agent is preparing
them. New York Tribune.
A 1aeayy contract