The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

4
or, selling as many kilograms as you
were before ChristmasY'
ooh, yes" replied the newsdeaier
nonchalantly, stufling under the counter
an extra roll OF kilograms thaC had just
been thrown into the door so he would
have enough on hand to send back at the
end OF the week, "just about the same. -
why. how's thatY" inquired tho bust
ness man with a queer louk in his eyes
II thought the Telegram was having
| great boom with that piano voting con
test just before Christmas somethini
| for nothing you know" and the bust
ness man winksd at the nowsdealer :
| bard his eyesid almost cracked.
But the newsdenler returned the wink
| only with sad far away smile.
| That didn't make much difference TO
our sales, he explained with n sigh OF
resignation. "Me thought IL would and
we were told 1t would. But We got left
and that's fact.
The business man now began to show a
real interest.
''Why!" ne exclaimed In aston sh ment.
II understood hundreds of people were
buying stacks OF kilograms every even
ing TO cut coupons ana vote for their
favcrites for the piano.
well, explained the newsdealer In
Don-committal way; they didn't buv
any great shakes OF the ewstands. /
got an order now and then for patches
of few hundred. but long before the
thing ended the orders quit coming"
tA.DeH,t say =. said -the-pus4Hess- man.
why, over million votes were cast
according to the Telegram figures, and
i thought every vote represented nows-
paper sale.
"That's where you thought wrong. 4"
declared the newsdealor. You SEQ IL
was this way. You could go To the Tels-
gram Office and buy the coupons all cut
out and done up In bundles ready for
marking. You could buy barrels OF 'eIn.
They sold 'em cheaper than tho news
paper price and besides the voter was
saved the trouble OF cutting out counting
ana doing them up. l reckon they sod
lots OF votes oil right all right, down
there AT the Telegram Office but the sc-
tuHf newspapers softt over and above tfIp
regular circulation didn't cut much ice
so far az i have been able To lind out. "
Ihe business man pondered ~ little over
this. Then he turned to 90 out, remark
ing:
"Weil, that's where the advertiser got
left. too, didn't he %
bet yer boots" affirmed the news
dealer, and the little group that had drop
red in and renal ned 10 listen to the talk
laughed out LOUD when one of the COM
pany remarked: "lIe looks as IL he
might "a been one Of the advertisers him
self. T"
Some time In the tall the EveningTele.
gram announced with all the flourish of
big display type possible to newspaper
that undertakes TO print good many
more pages than 1t can reasonably hope
to cll with reading matter or paid pntron.
age that IL proposed TO give" 40 the
most popular school teacher, school pupil
lady cyclist gentleman oyclist sales.
lady member OF any secret society. fire.
man and policeman in Rhode Islapd' as
Christmas pre- sents" -four thousand
dollars worth OF .ho worlds Leading
pianos. The voting was To be by coupon
clipped from tn. Telegram.
The proposition certainly had an at
tractive sound.
1t would evidently satisfy some public
curiosity 10 be atle TO identify 1.-THE most
popular school teacher, school pupil.
etc, In Rhode Island Even the great
outside world might be supposed TO have
an interest inspired IN such a selection.
Besides, II would be pleasant for eight
good people 70 be- made the happy pos
SCISSORS of n piano piece "for nothing"
though TO declare that the eight pianos
named were worth ''four thousand DOL
lars" seemed 10 be pulling the long bow
In way TO suggest that the Telcgram's
circulation limo, sweurer. had COM
posed the announcement in n III OF men
tai cerebration as to the particular JOB he
was tackling
Moreover, IL seemed plain that the Tele-
grams circulation would have big
boom, that thousands of copies would bo
bought by persons who had before avoid
eel the Evening Telegram as they would
an evening disease germ and that while
oil OF this circulation could not be eX.
pected To continue after the contest was
over, yet some OF 10 might reasonably be
expected to hang, II the Telegram behaved
itself, aud this was To be admired ss a
good stroke OF Legitimate business with
which no one could DO disposed TO lind
fault The boys In the circulation de-
partment were reported 10 he sanguine
that during the vote-cutting excitement
the Telegram might print and sell up as
high as 40 or 30 per cent. OF the oiroula-
tion figure which tue Tslegrsm's circula.
tion limo, swearer. makes up every
week and prints on the editorial page AS
modest contribution 10 the gaiety OF
nations
And then, the advertiser
After all he IL the fellow that news
papers are printed for.
OF course, no advertiser Of more than a
week oXperiCnce takes much stock In
newspaper circulation inflated I'm such
way. In their mind's eye, the adverti ser
can plainly see stacks Of "circulation"
being carted of with no idea of being
used FOR anything else than to exercise
the scissors at cutting out coupons. Stll.
without any doubt. n good N any people
would buy newspaper engaged In sucn
AN enterprise who never saw 70 before nnd
hefe was Feasibility Of some little ma
teflhl advantage to the business men
which. though small and not at all sure
was SIN 10 be con sidUied, for the codes
sold would evidently De DO fewer during
The voting contest than tsf,rs it lssan.
80 the advertiser was tempted aud fell fo
limited number. into the IeleRrnu's
grand something FOR mining" trap
Ana then the newsdehlrr' How be did
reJoice lie didn't ears what customers
a'd WITH thr fre~rs so lung rs thFy