Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-24
ALLEN KELLY GIVES SOME
CIRCULATION FIGURES

Capt. Allen Kelly in Imperial Enter
prise gives the following article:
! Using the United States mails for
I the purpose of obtaining money by
false representations is a criminal Of
! fCnse, punishable by fine and impris-
Onment, under federal statute There
| is no substantial difference between
mailing letters to promote a get-rich-
quick swindle and mailing newspapers
containing false statements of ciroula-
! tion for the purpose of deceiving ad-
vertisers. The purpose in each case is
\ to obtain money under false pretenses.
The FL Centre Progress is a daily
newspaper published at El Centro by
/ what purports TO be the Progress Pub
! fishing Co., Of which Otis 3. Tout pro-
! feSses TO be president and editor
I The Progress was entered as weekly,
/ second class matter, at the postoffice
March g. 1912, and application for en-
try as a daily was made October IS,
1912. The paper is sent through the
mails under provisional permit pending
( formal entry.
In the issue of October 20, Otis 3.
I Tout, president and editor, made this
statement to advertisers:
The weekly list was turned to the
| daily in full, giving about 1000 circu-
! iation paid, at the start"
I The obvious purpose Of that state
/ ment Is to induce merchants and 9TH
/ ers to advertise and pay money to the
Progress for the publicity afforded by
the circulation of about 1000 copies"
| Of each issue Of the paper. The quail
! flying word about" does not affect
ma terially the intent Of the statement,
| which is to lead the public to believe
| that 1000 persons have paid for sub
scrlpuons to the Progress.
The statement is untrue. The week
subscribers. The larger part of it's
/ bona fide circulation consisted of the
subscription list Of Allen Kelly's Re
/ Progress in March and was Withdrawn
/ from the combination in August, due
notice OF the dissolution of combina-
] ton being given to the public by Allen
Kelly. Subscribers to the Report were
retained on the mailing list of the Pro-
gress. and the number Of uneXpired
/ taken over by the Progress is less than
| 200. Subscriptions to the Progress be-
! fore combination and to the two papers
after combination were less than $50,
most Of them for short terms that have
expired.
if an accusation of using the mails
to defraud were made against Otis B.
Tout, president and editor of the Pro-
gress Publishing company, and a post
office inspector were to make an eX-
animation of his books and of his
sworn statement in his application for
entry of the Progress as second class
latter, the result would be interesting
to the business men of El Centre and
unpleasant TO Mr.. Tout. Probably even
Otis 3. Tout would balk at taking an
oath that the paid subscription list of
the Progress, including the holdover
list Of the Report, is one-third of 1000.
journalism, as well as law, medicine,
the ministry and the scientific profess
sions, has its shysters, quacks, shams,
frauds and swindlers. The circulation
liar is the bunco steerer of journa ism.
He is not distin inguishable in morals or
in his relation to the law from any
other obtainer of money under false
pretenses. He is a criminal smudge
Upon a clean profession, and he should
be wiped out.