The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-11-07
Remarks on
Substitution.

OuU0llIQl1Oll
Paper Read Before the Chautuaqata Circle.
1t is supposed that nearly all the
members of this circle are magazine |
readers, and as such they have not
failed to notice the large number Of
articles published lately on the subjec.
of substitution. Some of these articles
take the form of full page in display
type in the advertising section, others
the form of story, and still others are
long articles by well-known writer's. In
whatever shape they appear, these ar
ticles are always very radical, and class
substitution AS something more than
a misdemeanor-yes, almost high trea-
son. The large number of these arti-
cles and the uniform stand they take
on this subject, stamp them as what
they are-the work of press agent of
large advertisers. Let us quote from
some of them and gain an idea of the
object of this vigorous campaign
against substitution.
ga moral thief is not legal thief in
the eyes of the law, and by that token
many man is at home when his right
full place Is in jail. But shall we as q
public help this sort of a mau along2 ?"
/ Meaning man who places upon the
| market substitute of some advertised
brand of goods. Other articles attack
the retailer and declare that store
keeper who does not keep a certain
advertised brand in stock has no more
right to try and influence possible
buyer to use something else, to quote
again: "Such man is q moral thief
and business coward, a man whom
decent business men shun."
! Now in the opinion of the writer this
is getting pretty strong, and the papers
and magazines which persist in print
ing such rot, without the earmarks of
an advertisement, and in all appear
ances voicing the opinion of the editor
/ instead of the opinion of the adver-
tisere, are lending their support to
many sentiments which are neither
just nor honest.
Referring to the first quotation which
deals with manufacturers. we will say
that "Uneeda Biscuit" is specifically
named as an article that has been
widely counterfeited under different
names. What is "Uneeda Biscuit p
The old time soda cracker, no better,
perhaps not so good, under copy
righted name. Now is the National
Biscuit Co. to have monopoly of soda
crackers because it advertised "Uneeda
Biscuit" and is an independent manu-
facturer q "moral thief" and "business
coward" because he continues to make
, and sell soda crackers2 This is the
question in nutshell, and applies to
all other advertised commodities. We
mention Uneeda's" as they are referred
to in most of the magazine articles
, that have come to our attention.
Substitution is wrong when an imi.
tation article is passed off as genuine
| uuuOI 0lt0 o0uO uoLAC, Out CuOotAtueAOi
of this kind is 80 rare that it is not
worth agitating. Consequently oul
friend the press agent, with the aid oi
the press, is trying to convince the
public that advertised articles are alone
! of merit, that all others are to bt
, stunned, and that the manufacturer OF
such is an imitator and moral thief
, Such nonsense will surely result IL
) more harm then good, and the violen,
attacks on retailers will only widen tht
. breach that now exists between the re
taiier and manufacturers of man,
widely advertised goods. The attach
is aimed at the retailers moro than any
one else ard goes to prove that the re
q taller is waking up to the fact that hi
position is not what It was some year
b ago, and he is now trying to breal