The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-05-10
FREE NEWSPAPERS
ARE NOT WANTED
Retailers Association Passes Resolu.
tion Strongly condemnins
Project.

Oklahoma City, May 3.-Resolutions
free papers as being de-
moralizing to business interests and
detrimental to the legitimate dailies,
were unanimously adopted by the Re
tailers' association in special meet
ing at the Lee-Huckins Thursday noon.
The organization has membership of
more than three hundred and is repre-
sentative of every class of retail busi-
ness in Oklahoma City.
The special meeting was called by
President j. NJ. Phillips, following
conference with the board of directors
and other merchants identified with
the organization. Rumors had been
current for several days that another
free paper will be launched here soon,
and that the project might be discour-
aged in its incipiency, the retailers
met to declare themselves as being
unalterably opposed to the project. It
was pointed OUT that the community
recently had passed through news
paper controversy brought about by a
free circulation publication, and any
similar controversy would be consist
emily and unanimously frowned upon
by the association of retail merchants.
The resolutions follow:
The Resolution.
Whereas, 1t is rumored that there
is about to be published, for free dis
tribution in this city, a paper to be de-
voted especially to the printing of ad-
|yertising, and
Whereas, our recent experience in
the fight for existence between free
publications and the legitimate daily
lpress, convinces us that such condi-
ton is demoralizing to business, and
detrimental to the best interests of
| the public, in that it lowers the tone
and lessons the possibilities for good
of the regular daily papers by depriv-
ling them of revenue-producing
lagency legitimately theirs, and neces-
sary to their success as business in
stitutions and as gatherers and dis
tributors of legitimate and reliable
news, and
Whereas, the interests of the busi-
ness institutions of this city are SO
closely allied and responsively sym
pathetic in their character that ser
lious injury to SO important a branch
would be detrimental to the interests
lof the whole, and
| Whereas, the postoffice department
refuses to publications not having a
paid circulation, the use of the mails
on an equal basis with regular news
papers, thereby placing them outside
the bounds of the legitimate news
Ipaper field.
Be it, therefore, resolved by the
Oklahoma City Retailers association
that we deplore and condemn as being
detrimental to the best interests ot
Iall parties concerned, the entry into
this field of so disturbing an element as
IA publication for free distribution, ant
That its patronage by the business
institutions of this city would be un
flair to the legitimate press and de
Imoralizing to business generally.
Be it further resolved, that we here
lby pledge our moral and business sup
port to the regular newspapers of this
lefty and that we withhold our patron
Iage and support from such free publ
cations as may be issued now or in th'
future.
Lesson of Past.
| President Phillips who introduces
the resolution, gave out a statemen
Thursday night in which he said:
Free newspapers are not desired
They are ruinous to the legitimat
daily and are an immense burden to tn
retail merchants who advertise. I an
opposed to the establishment of tina
description of newspaper in this city
and believe that the lesson of a fey
months ago is sufficient argument t
convince anyone.