New-York tribune., 1901-04-07
THE GROWTH OF ADVERTISING.

iHE uhObIH or ADIERIISiNG.
Much has been said in criticism of Mr..
Bryan's "Commoner" and even his best friends
would doubtless admit that thus far the con-
tents Of that curious publication are not cal
culated to add to the reputation of its editor
and proprietor. But even if its reading matter
were much better than 1t is, the entire absence
from it of any advertisements would seriously
detract from its interest. For, startling as the
statement may seem, although the editor of a
publication prints advertisements to increase
the income of his paper, and not primarily to
make 1t more interesting TO its readers. in point
of fact advertisements do interest great many
people, and daily paper or magazine that
should discontinue printing them would soon
experience a serious decline In its circula-
tion we'll its bank account. The adver-
tising columns in to-day's issue of The Tribune
represent n side, and most important side, of
the great, living pulsating world. which, for
obvious reasons. cannot and should not find
expression in its news columns; and. there
fore, these advertisements an essential
part of the daily worlds record to which all
readers turn certainly as they do 70 the
various features of news. There are two prn-
ciples at work; first, the advertisements in
terest the readers Of the paper, and second
the paper is thereby made more valuable adj
vertising medium for the advertisers. While
it is the first duty of the editor to print the
news it is no less his duty TO print all legiti-
mate advertisements. because by so doing he
will add materially TO the attractiveness and
value of his paper. And so far as The Tribune
is concerned. it may interest readers and ad-
vertisers alike to know that during the past
month The Tribunes we'll filled advertising
pages have exceeded in both space and money
loln
sixty years of this journals existence.
In the last quarterly publication of the Amer
lean Statistical Association Sidney A. Sherman
gives an instructive sketch of the great growth
of modern advertising and the important part
it has come 10 play as one of the forces of
civilization. Fifty years ago there was little
advertising in the daily or periodical publi-
cations and as n rule advertisements We're
nartistic and unattractive in form and crude
in conception. To-day it is estimated that ad-
vertising influences sales TO the amount of
Sl0W6,OOO,OOo, and that on the basis of 3 per
cent average this represents an annual
outgo for advertising of SJ0o,o00,0o0.
The largest advertiser in the world is said to
be sewing machine company, though 1t
reckons it's payments To canvassers as adver-
tlsing. One soap manufacturing concern spends
about Sl,0o0,O0O a year In advertising and
an appropriation of from 100000 10 100000
n year for advertising Is by no means I'M
common in the business world Mr.. Sherman
thinks that up to a certain point the so-called
trust method of doing business is inimical 10
Advertising as 1t tends 10 eliminate competi-
ton But the facts hardly justify this view,
because many of the business concerns, as.
for instance, iron mills. that become consoli-
dated. never advertise anyway and others ap-
against an army of rivals who want to be-
come monopolists themselves, by liberal and
constant appeals 10 the public through the ad
vertising columns of the daily press.
The progress of advertising has been great
in the United States during the last few
years and there is comparatively little of the
offensive advertising that makes the railway
stations and omnibuses in England so hideous.
Moreover the newspaper advertising in the
English papers is, on the whole, less attractive
than the advertising In American papers. The
English advertisements are too bald. too prosy
and too mechanical in their makeup The art
of writing and displaying advertisements has
made great progress in this country Adver
risng In fact, has been put in the hands of
specialists. who have made an exhaustive study
of the subject. But, great as has been the
progress Of advertising, II is by no means as
general as ii ought 10 be. Nearly two-thirds
of the large general advertisers are to be
found in the New England States, New-York,
New-Jersey. Pennsylvania and Delaware. About
n third Of them are in NewYork State. Out
side OF this State Massachusetts and Illinois
lead all the other States in advertising. II may
be added that a little more than % per cent
of all the general advertisers Of the country
centre their business in this city. But an ap
probation of the Importance rather the
necessity, of advertising is growing in other
parts of the country, and has been especially
notable since the present era of business ex-
pansion set in. Prosperity not only stimulates
old wants. but creates new ones. And those
who are in keen competition to meet those
wants find that only by constant advertising
can they hope to succeed.