The Detroit times., 1912-10-03
The Times Turned Down Propo-
sition of Encyclopedia
Distributors
ARTICLE Is HONEST;
ADVERTISING is NOT
Clever Scheme to Fool Readers
and Save License Fee of
Sl0o a Day
BY FINANCE.

The much deluded readers OF the
Free Press and Journal are beinl
bunked again tnto- spending theil
money on mIsrepresentations. This
time II is the Encyclopedia Britain
MICA which is being offered by a spe
cial arrangement which is purely
imaginary.
The Encyclopedia Britannica Is. oi
course, standard article and the new
edition which is offered is probably
the best that there is In that line
but the selling methods which are
being adopted with the assistance oi
the newspapers which, the public is
gradually coming TO know will stand
for anything, would strain the con
science of gold brick merchant.
Under the special arrangement
the Associated Detroit newspapers
which are the Free Press and the
Journal. are supposed TO have bought
the allotment of encyclopedias which
were set aside for Detroiters and
they are offering them to subscribers
on attractive terms"
This supposition is entirely false.
The newspapers did not actually buy
a single set OF the works for resale.
The selling is done entirely by the
agents for the Encyclopedia Britain
MICA Co. OF New York, for the benefit
and profit OF that company and every
line OF space used by the newspapers
in their false special offer TO their
readers is paid for at regular adyer.
tising rates by the same company.
For this advertising money the news
papers which entered into the deal
are turning oyer the goodwill and
confidence which their readers repose
IN them 10 an itinerant concern in
competition with the established De
troit merchants In this line. They
have sold out conscience and every
thing else and are lending themselves
entirely to the exploitation OF their
readers.
So far as the work Is concerned
there is no criticism to be made. II
is an excellent set OF books and Ii
Is the standard authorized edition
that is offered. The price is not ex-
orbitant. either. but there is no reduc-
ton from the regular subscription
price which has been open for many
months. On this point there Is con-
siderable frankness In the salesrooms.
The reductions which are judiciously
suggested in the advertising matter
are not set up by the salesman at all.
II seems to be merely a question OF
doing dishonesty something that
might as well have been done honest
ly and evading the itinerant mer-
chants license fee.
This Is a clever dodge In the plan
which escapes the notice OF the ordi-
nary readers of the advertising mat
ter, the evasion OF the tax which the
city puts upon itinerant merchants by
ordinance. BY purporting to be the
agents OF the Associated. Detroit
which. OF course. would
not have TO pay such a tax. the En-
Britannica Co, OF New
York, which Is travelling from city
to city With its wares, escapes entire
ly from this fee. The license fee
amounts 20 500 per day and IL will
make a very tidy saving by the time
the Encyclopedia Britannica Co. gets
with the distribution OF its
wares in Detroit. II will help 10 pay
the advertising bills.
The Times was asked to take part
in the distribution OF the Encycloped-
la Britannica. associating with the
other newspapers OF the city, but II
turned the proposition down because
The Encyclopedia Britannica Co. was
not willing TO have II presented hon
astly TO The Times readers. The
News also offered the opportunity TO
associate in the proposition, but de-
clined to join with rival publications.
II exclusively.
The Times will decline to enter
into any scheme which cannot be laid
honestly before it's readers.