Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-10
ARE UNFIT TO READ.
It Pays a Newspaper to Refuse
Unclean Advertising.
COURIgR'S GRATIFYING EXPERIENCE
Now Comes Similar Testimony From
the Scripp's.NIcRae League-Ehect
of Desirable Advertising Ruined
by Filthy Associations.

Dy Nlltny Ass0clatlOnSs
A few years ago when $500 looked
very large to the Courier the publisher
of this paper determined to discontinue
the publication of private disease and
all offensive medical ADVERTISING
class of advertising that is to be found
today in many of the most prominent
and widely circulated newspapers. We
took such action because we thought
advertising of the class referred to was
unfit to go into the homes, there to be
read by children and young people.
The course taken meant loss to this
paper of hundreds of dollars u year,
and we did not know whether or not
the matter would receive any appreci-
alton from the public. We were firm
ly convinced of two things, however:
| First, that all advertisements in the
Courier were carefully read.
| Second, that the publisher did not
want his own children, or the children
of his patrons, to read the filthy stuff
Offered him for publication at big rates.
| Hence the refusal of all advertising
of this character. Several years exper-
l Hence has shown that the course taken
| was III >iSSoA u, Jill Ollly Will SOOu luOI- =
ais, but with good business policy as
well. The public has given substantial
appreciation of the fact that the Cour-
Ter is clean newspaper-clean not on
lily in its news service, but in it's adj
vertising columns also. Advertisers
have come to realize that association
in advertising is an important consid-
GRAFTON, and that the all-benefcial eff
fects of a good advertisement, may be
ruined by it's publication adjoining or
near an advertisement Of the objection
able class above referred to.
After a few months, instead of the
Courier losing business by the course
which it had adopted in this matter,
| there was a distinct gain in the Cour-
ier's advertising patronage which has
continued ever since. In this connec-
ton, it is interesting to note that the
Scripps-McRae League-one of the
biggest newspaper corporations in the
country-has found profit in similar
policy as regards filthy advertisements.
A recent issue of Newspaperdom says:
"An experience of something more
than a year in rigid censoring of copy
from general and foreign advertisers
is considered by the Scripps-McRae
league, in its results, to have abundant
1 ly justified their determination to cut
out from their papers all advertising
in any way Objectionable. Consequent-
ly the representatives of the league,
to whom was intrusted, April 1, 1899,
all outside advertising business of the
Cincinnati Post, Cleveland Press, St.
Louis Chronicle, Kansas City World,
Kentucky Post, and Akron Press,
have definitely notified Advertising
agents and general advertisers of their
instructions to eliminate from the bus
mess of their papers the Objectionable
features in any copy offered, in case
editing of his copy.
Naturally the adoption of this rule
has involved a heavy loss of business
amounting to $150,0OO, in the line OF
nasty medical ads" This is big
|sum to throw aside within single
year, even for papers as successful as
those of the Scripps- McRae league, but
1T was nevertheless the right and cour-
Iageous thing to do-a long step in the
/ direction of that high standard Of
Journalism which DEGREES that adver-
Using matter shall be as clean and i'm
defensive as the most conscientious ed
itor would have his news column. OF
course there has been gratifying COM
lpensation for the adoption of such
worthy policy, since the papers named
have all gained in both advertising
of the choicest nature and in the COM
mendation of readers, who have shown
their appreciation thru marked i'm
crease in circulation of each of the pa-
pers named.
| cit was the conviction of the
Scripps- McRae people that the class of
advertising to which exception is taken
keeps out clean and more desirable
business, besides creating such feel
ing of disgust in the average readers
mind that he or she would be led to
avoid all advertisements in the read
ing of daily newspaper. So far the
crusade. if it may be so called. has
been prosecuted for the past year, not
lonly as a desirable reform, but, as
stated above, as a matter of business
|policy, undertaken with the belief that
results ultimately, in strengthening
the mediums in the good opinion of
Reputable advertisers, would abundart-
lily repay temporary loss. Interested
publishers prophesied that serious loss
would be the outcome. but experience
so far proves that the move was sa-
gacious one. More than ever before it
Auo DSCll dCluOuSUIdlCu llldU duvcTLlS.
ers of the best class like to appear in
good company, and moreover judge of
la newspaper by the sort of company
among whom they are invited to take
their place.
aside from the inevitable increase
of confidence and respect on the part
of readers-so important an assent in
the capital of a newspaper whose pub
Usher shrewdly determines to get the
best possible circulation among the
buyers in the home-there must be in
the Scripps-M cRae league papers a
steadily frightened value, for the sort OF
publicity they offer, in the mind of the
large general advertisers who seek not
only purchasing power but intelligent
discrimination
ID
Many Exposed to Smallpox.
!, Rock Rapids, May 5.-smallpox has
appeared in the family of w. II, At