Connecticut western news., 1906-12-20
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 20. 1906.
HEAP BAD. MEDICINE MAN

December 18th, the date of last weeks issue of The News, was the day on which expired the last of sev- eral contracts for patent medicine ad vertising which the paper was carry ing when 1t was purchased by the Canaan Printing Company. While m common with other newspapers The News is ever desirous of selling Its advertising space, yet 1t was with a feeling of the utmost satisfaction that we witnessed the termination oi the contract above alluded to for the reason that in our experience we have never come in contact with a class of advertisers who are more un- reasonable, more greedy or more stIngy than the manufacturers of these medicines
 Some weeks ago we alluded to the methods they employ in making con- tracts with the country papers, and we then stated that those methods cannot be put into effect by these fel- lows when making contracts with the News. And we have not changed our minds since then. We do not mean to De understood, however, that we will not accept their business. We will accept 1t, but only on the con dition that they pay the rates that are paid by other advertisers and take advertising under the same condi- lions. The patent medicine agent who drops off here to make a con- tract with us to run his notices in our editorial or local columns, is wasting his time, for this paper is not yet reduced to the strait which makes It necessary to mix corn cure, pills, plasters or what not, with its person. al, social and religious matter. This hashing of news disgusts the reader and there IS grave question in our mind as to whether such an arrange ment is profitable to the advertiser Mine readers out of ten skip this un- welcome matter in the news columns when they have read few words and discover it is advertising.
 In support of our statement that the patent medicine man is an ava ricious individual we have but to look into the past a few weeks and call to mind the instances where he has walked into the sanctum with a iordly mien and endeavored to make his own rate, usually SIP for $35 worth of space. And he's mighty par Gcuiar where he gets that space. When he finds he can't get it ID the local or editorial columns, then he wants a pill or syrup adver- tisement sandwiched between the news items, sent by the vicinity cor respondents. Here he strikes an- other snag, then changes his tactics and wants the reading notices tread ers' in print shop parlance, placed at the bottom of any column of read .4 L. L., -. advertisement in that column and, at the rate he prescribes, would net the printer about ten cents per week per reader, while about fifteen cents worth of time would be spent in plac- ing the advertisement in that par ticular location and this work would come when, in struggle to catch the mails, minutes are worth a half dol lar each. The patent medicine man sits down and tells how easy all these things are, and gives much informa- ton on running a newspaper. When he reaches this point, there is not a man living who can justly claim that the disciple of disease annihilation is not the personihcation of liberal 1ty- As for us, we never received so much gratuitous advice on how to conduct our business, particularly the advertising end of 1t, and making mp the forms" as has been dealt out to us by the medicine man and when he paIses for breath we hurriedly in- teuect the query: Are you a practi- cal printer?" He takes another puff at his grocery store cigar and reluct- antly admits: Well, no, not exactly He is simply trying to tell how to do something he don't know anything about.
 When he finds he will receive the same favors that are extended to oth- CT advertisers and no more, then with renewed vigor he takes up the dis eussion of rates. They're always toe high no matter how low they are. He tells the printer his concern cannot afford to pay local rates and canno be expected to.
 Right here is where we always oc cupy considerable time we might ust to better advantage and argue witt local rates and he invariably tells u that it is because his concern canno get as much benefit from the circula fion as the local business man. Thei we point out his error by telling hin that his concern is in a position tt get more benefit from their advertis ing than the local merchant can pos
 sibly get for the reason that thes
 patent medicines are sold in all part of the Union and the man who read
 the advertisement in the papers w
 send to Wisconsin or Indiana or Cal jfornia, or any other distant state, car Ff he believes this medicine is "goo