The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-16

The net saving is s105 There is no
sentiment or Imagination about the
transaction. 1t is n clear, cold matter
of arithmetic. We formerly used the
one-cent stamp wherever we could. but
experience and close observation has
taught us that IL was a bad policy"
The reporter talked to several other
business men on the subject and found
them Of practically the same opinion
The change is largely due" said a
well-known wholesaler ITO the in
creased cost of advertising matter in
tended for distribution through the
mails. Not long ago most business
houses contented themselves with very
simple pamphlets giving prices and
perhaps embellished with a few small
cuts. The whole thing was cheaply
gotten up, printed on very ordinary pa
per and cost a mere trine. The modern
booklet as ii is generally called, is
quite a different affair. The cover de-
sign is drawn by a first class artist.
the illustrations are frequently equal
to those of the magazines, and the mat
ter is probably prepared by a high
priced expert. Needless to say, the
mechanical work must be i'm accord.
and the expense of such a publication
is IA serious item. Here, for instance,
is one of our special catalogues, with
pictures Autographed in six colors. The
SILK ribbon drawn through the back
alone cost more than the old-time price
list, all told When we incur such an
outlay, we must be reasonably certain
that the booklet is at least seen by
the people to whom Ii is addressed,
and under the circumstances ii would
be foolish to use n one-cent stamp.
That would at once suggest something
cheap and common.
But we use a two-cent stamp at
present" he continued, ito carry even
simple little slip giving certain ship
ping directions to our customers. Our
idea is that il catches the eye of the
man we are after. \ goou many busy
men have their mail sorted by con-
tidential clerk before they see it, and
unsealed envelopes with one-cent post
age are apt to be thrown aside then
and there as of no importance. If it
has two-Cent stamp. it is fairly GER
tain to remain in the batch that
reaches the head of the house. Sam
pies of dress goods were formerly sent
in unSealed envelopes, almost invari-
ably, but they We're so apt to slip out
and get lost that the practice has been
generally abandoned. Some of these
samples are quite expensive, and it
doesn't pay to take chances"
y theatrical agent contributed
fragment of curious information to the
store. The big dramatic agencies,
and, in fact, the managers of all the
more important attractions" he said.
keep lists of newspaper editors and
critics all over the country and send
them regularly little tissue slips con-
tanning notices printed in imitation of
sent out under one-cent stamp to
save postage. but the results were so
unsatisfactory that the two-center was
adopted instead. OF course the cost Is
something enormous. as the lists are
large and the slips are sent out quite
frequently, but the returns most Justify
the extra outlay, as nobody has gone
back TO the old plan. In fact, the one
cent stamp was hugely illogical for
that particular purpose, as the imita-
ton of the typewriter was intended to
give the inclosure personal air which
was at once defeated by the appear
ance of the envelope. Even marked pa
pers mailed by the dramatic agents at
stamps. They attract attention and
make the package seem extra import
ant