The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-01-12
AN AUrocRAr1c COMBINATION

If the people of Denver should COM
bine to say to the merchants of Den
yer, You must reduce the price Of all
your goods 20 per cent" what roar
would go UP from behind counter and
desk. Yet a large number Of the mer-
chants Of Denver have combined to say
to the newspapers of that city, I'VE de-
mand that you reduce your prices of
advertising 20 per cent, or we viii not
do business with you
This would seem TO be a combination
to boycott which is unlawful as well
as Infamous; 1t is a threat to dominate
the business of another ana dictate the
measure Of It's activity If these bull
doing merchants can dictate to the
newspaper what price it must receive
for its goods, it can with as much pro
priety and justice dictate the policy Of
the paper control it's expression, and
generally direct how it shall be con-
Quoted. the best to subserve the selfish
interests Of the merchant
Already the business of advertising
has assumed the form of constraint and
threat. The advertisers largely dictate
the place, and form and the character
Of the neighborhood Of the advertise
ment It has unhappily largely sue
ceeded in thrusting itself into the very
midst Of reading matter, and of setting
itself cheek by jowl with whatever ar
ticle or character of matter it pro-
poses to lie with. 1t has made cring-
ing newspaper publishers play the har-
lot, and accept any manner Of COM
panion that is offered.
The greater newspaper advertising
agencies as cooIly dictate the space,
place and style of advertising matter,
as If they owned the sheets which kow
tow before them, without, however, any
OF the burdens, responsibilities and OBJ
LEGATIONS of ownership. So far have
these encroachments proceeded that the
reading matter of most newspapers ts
so cut up, pitted, severed and scattered
that The reader Is very often compelled
to follow, tripping, dancing and stumb-
ling Hike one chasing jack o. lantern
in order to read to the end Of an ar
ticle.
Some of these advertising autocrats
have gone so far as to attempt to die
tate the character Of matter that may
appear in a newspaper next to their
own expression, concerning which, by
the way, they never submit TO the least
criticism.
It is to the credit OF journalism that
some papers still remain which do not
cringe before such injustice, that retain
their advertising pages and advertis-
ing space as such, and refuse to be
dominated by the dfctation Of another
as 70 what they shall receive as reward
for their labors. The newspaper pub
fishers OF Denver are competent to de-
termine for themselves what advertis-
ing space IN their papers is worth; 1t
is not the business OF any one but them
selves. since those who do not like the
rate are not compelled to buy. The
merchants Of Denver have perfect
right 10 refuse TO pay the rates charged
for advertising by their local journals,
but they step beyond this right and
invade the realm OF justice and fair
play when they combine to coerce the
publishers to yield to their dictation.
In California as a rule. the advertis-
er and the newspaper are on good
terms. There has been less of attempt
here to dictate: nearly all OF that sort
Of thing comes from the East, and we
suspect that this demand is encouraged
and stimulated by advertising agents
IN large degree. 1t is to be hoped that
the Denver press VIII maintain its man
hood. peremptorily refuse to submit to
the pricing OF its goods by another, and
decline to be dominated by the mercan-
tile combination of department stores,
dry goods houses and clothing estab-
lishments. all of which are represented
as in the boycotting conspiracy.