Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1913-06-06
FREE ADvERrrsNo.

FREE ADvERT1sMo.
The editors mail is apt to contain
larger percentage of applications
for free advertising than Of anthinp
else. In some Of the matter submitted
the advertising element is disguised
with skill which commands admira.
ton, even if it does not always secure
the desired results. For instance, there
is bureau engaged in the business of
exploiting an automobile warning sig.
nal whose matter "got by" good
many editors who are not at all in
the habit of turning over their COZ
umns to the free publicity man. These
articles have explained the nuisance
which is created by the everlasting
footing of horns and ringing of bells
and changing of gongs on crowded
thoroughfares has mentioned accidents
which have been caused by confusion,
arising from lack of system in signals,
has told of the enactment in some ci.
ties of ordinances governing the use
of signals. and has explained the gen.
eral character of the signals wisely re-
quired by such ordinances But not
hint has been given as to the name
of the device which meets all the con-
ditions. The publicity agent is too
foxy for that. and because the matter
submitted does not advertise any spe-
cial article by name it has been ac-
cepted as legitimate by good many
editors. and has appeared as news. Ma
turally every article so published has
been clipped by the agent and
sent with bill to the manufacturer
for whom he is working. The manu-
facturer gets advertising for about
Is per cent of its value, the publicity
agent gets well paid for his work and
the newspaper does the work for no.
thing.
Then there is another class of PEG.
pie whose stuff is positively shocking
in its frankness. Some of the auto
mobile men for instance, are in this
class. Just now on The Herald's desk
lies an article Of this nature. It tells
of dispute between the manufac-
turer Of certain machine and the
, man who is to drive it in forthcom-
ing race. The driver wanted heavier
/ engine and lot of other things,
!: amounting to the making of a new
and special machine for that particu-
lar race. The manufacturer would
have none Of it. He took the various
parts to make up the machine from
his ordinary stock and therefore the
machine that is to participate in that
race is just such machine as any
, customer will buy if he buys at all.
The moral is that this manufacturer
is not afraid to put his machine
, against the specially made machines
Of other houses and to compete with
, them in a race. hence he has better
machine than any other. The news
papers to which this article is sent are
, invited with all solemnity to run It
gratis, and to send the agent a
| marked copy of the article. Not even
postage stamp is sent to defray the
, actual cash outlay involved in this
last little touch.
There has been q great awakening
Of this matter of free publicity
Newspaper men are learning that
they have been victimized right and
left. They are quitting it. There Is
, no more reason why newspaper
should donate its space in this way
than there is that the auto manufac'
( turer should supply the people with
, free machines, or that the baker
should supply free bread.-Grand
, Forks Herald. @