The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-12

| Glued to probe our contemporaries. But
the Telegram circulation statement has
reached an attitude that makes it impera
tive upon some one to inquire as to its ac-
ouracy lest 1t proceed still farther into
what appears to be the realms OF fancy,
and ca culated, unless its figures are
for which the advertisers who patronize
its colxnns are liable to pay heavily. We
do not care to make any charges We only
ask for Information. To secure, if posi-
BILE, such information and present it faith
fully appears to us to be SO clear a public
duty that we cannot longer avoid or evaue
it. We are aware tat the amenities Of
journalism often seem to require the
covering Of amultituds of journalistic sins
from the public gaze and we recognize
too, that persons TO whom the methods of
The News are not known so well and so
favorably as they are to the major part OF
this community. may fancy that we are
prompted chiefly by motives of newspaper
rivalry. As against any such suspicion Of
lack of good faith, however. we are
confident that in the end the duty per
formed will rrove its own justification
and that. in view OF the facts. no expla-
nation or apology will be in the least
necessary.
That duty knocks at our door only be
cause another OF our contemporaries, the
Providence Journal, declined an envinble
opportunity to throw light on the sub
ject, to serve its advertisers and the pub
lie, its failure to take advantage
of the opportunity being chiefly due to
its false sense Of superiority to all things
affecting any other interests but its own.
We refer, of course. to the well remem-
bsred occasion, two years ago about this
time. when the Telegram issued its boast
full challenge to the Journal and Bulletin
offering to pay $4,000 to "some public
charities" II three claims that it set up
could be disproved These claims were f:
Q) that the Evening Bulletin did not
then have a circulation so great as 25, 600;
(2) that the Telegram had a larger circu-
lation than the Bulletin. and CD that the
Sunday Telegram had circulation three
times larger than the Sunday Journal
In its cheerful gall The Telegram offered
to submit these propositions to a COM
mittee of three, two of which might he
selected 10y the journal, IL only the latter
would be pleased to accept its wager.
The Telegram at that time claimed TO
have had a daily average circulation dur
ing 1895, for the evening issue of 20, 800
and for the Sunday 80, SOs.
Recslling that incident, 1t is not going
too far to assert that the business men of
the city at that time confidently expected
sho eouhoA w tohc up the kduulltt tnuS
thrown down and general disappoint-
ment was expressed that the defiance was
not accepted. Hedged around as 1t had
for so long been with Its own assumption
that there was no other newspaper in its
field, the Journal relied upon that aud
upon it's undoubtsd integrity as to it's
own circulation statements to feel privi-
legged to refuse to pay attention TO the
Telegram wager.
Thus was lost the chance tn forever
settle the claims that the Telegram mad
already so lonr made rs to its eircula.
tion and, at the same time, perform
distinct public sarvice by discovering the
true facts In the interests Of the business
community who were invitCd 10 use the
Telegram nc IN advertising medium on
tho bass of such claims. Did any
one for n moment believe that the Tele.
gram could prove It's statements. except.
perhaps. as to the SBntay issue, which.
" no, "thre, times ns large hs that of
the sunday Journal" was likely SO
much larger that the Journal did not