Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-09
public Advertising,

the benefit Of the public, some infor-
nation in regard to public advertising,
a subject with which The Enquirer is
probably as familiar as any newspaper
or any lawyer in South Carolina.
The object in publishing this infor-
nation is in order that those who may
have been mixed up or confused by
politicians, newspapers or others, may
have an opportunity to learn the truth
just as it is, free from coloring or pref
udice
According to The Enquirer's way Of
looking at the subject, advertising Is
commercial commodity, the value OF
which is as certain and as definite as
is the value Of any other commodity,
whether 1t be the goods dealt in by the
merchant, or the knowledge, ability
and experience that constitute the
stock in trade Of the professional
people.
1t Is not our purpose to enter here
into a discussion Of the considerations
that determine the comparative values
of given advertising mediums, nor to
undertake any comparisons between
The Enquirer and other papers. 1t Is
sufficient to say that while this ad-
vertising value Is not as great as we
would like it to be, and while 1t has
not reached anything like the stand
ard to which we hope it will some day
come, it is already something to he
proud Of The best evidence Of this
fact is to be found in the liberal man.
ner in which our advertising columns
are patronized.
There are a great many people who
look upon all kinds Of public advcr-
tising 2s a matter Of patronage. There
are officials who seem to think that
when they place advertisements for
which the public is to pay, the pub
fishers who receive the benefit owe
them something in return. There are
politicians who seem to think It
great scheme to use the public adVer-
tising patronage for the purpose of
supporting party organs to further
their own interests and maintain
themselves in political power.
1t has been charged or intimated
from time to time that this is the rea-
son why The Enquirer has been the
recipient of certain official advertis-
ing. We have never thought that the
people who made such intimations be-
lieved them and we do not think so
now. If The Enquirer should accept
advertising or any other business IA
vor except on a strictly business basis,
it would then and there lose its self
respect, of which it has too much to
throw away lightly.
The Enquirer is here to do business
in a self-respecting, high-toned, legit-
innate manner. 1t wants all the bus
mess it can get on this basis, and the
management would not like to be con-
sidered so inhuman as to be unappre-
ciative of the business so rendered;
but the obligation of the paper ends
with the fulfilment of its contracts.
The favor of the balance Of the paper
is not to be influenced through the
advertising columns.
Our attitude toward public and legal
advertising Of all kinds is very simple.
We believe the county is entitled to
as good value for the money 1t pays
out for advertising as is any individ-
ual. We believe it is the duty of
county officials to get the best value
nd
for advertising; that where they are
required TO pay a sound price they
should always demand a sound arti-
Gle.
But where it suits officials, attOr
neys or others to place their adver-
tisements i'm papers that cannot give
the values that The Enquirer offers,
we have no complaint, and We will not
squeal. We think more of our duty
to the public than we do of dollars,
and besides that we do not believe we
could be brought to sell out our
principles for such a small consider
alton anyway.
We do not mean that anything we
have said should be taken as COM
plaint. criticism or fault finding. The
ENQUIRER has not been sighted,
wronged or imposed upon. 1t has not
lost any business and it does not an
ticipate losing any. We are merely
giving our views on a subject that
has been widely discussed by poll
ticians and others and about which
we have had very little to say.
- Kershaw Era: The picnic at
Heath Spring last Friday was COM