New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-02
NEW STEP TOWARD "PURE"
PUBLICITY.
An Editorial in "The Dry Goods
Economist" of November 20.

For years, in various ways, 1.-THE Dry
Goods Economist" has advocated truth
in advertising. We have consistently
endeavored to make clear the unfortu-
nate results which must inevitably
come from the use Of exaggeration or
other form of Misrepresentation. In
line with this policy we have constant
~ endeavored to prevent exaggerated
or otherwise misleading statements
from creeping into "The Economists"
own advertising pages.
This being the case, we naturally
hail with qualification the action o.
| The New York Tribune in announcing
its guarantee of the statements and
claims made in all of the advertise
ments printed in its pages.
A number of publications have taken
steps to exclude undesirable advertise
ments. This, however, if our memory
serves US, is the first instance of a
newspaper going so far in the direc-
tion of protecting its readers and keep
ing it's advertising columns clear of
Misrepresentation. In the early part
of last year we we're able TO call atten-
/ ton to an advertisement published by
"The Philadelphia North American" as
to the amount of advertising which
that newspaper had excluded from its
columns during the previous five years,
the amount being stated as s250,000.
We also printed part of an editorial
| from "The Wichita (kans.) Beacon
wherein il was announced that The
Beacon" would make an effort there
after to be responsible for the charac-
ter of the advertising appearing in its
columns. We have also referred to the
adoption of a similar policy by "The
Chicago Tribune"
As showing the broad and clear-cut
character of The New York Tribune's
new policy we quote the following
from its recent announcement:
You buy with the knowledge that
the advertisement has been passed
by experts and that the chance of
dissatisfaction has been reduced to
the smallest possible proportion.
When you buy you want the goods,
not your money, however promptly
it is returned. Misleading adver-
Using causes annoyance, incon-
venience, disappointment, even II
no money is sacrificed. Our policy
will leave only the long shot, the
thousandth chance of trouble.
In the same article The Tribune
said:
The majority of advertisers are
honest and truthful. They want
you to be satisfied quite as much
as we do. The minority Of deceit
full advertisers is constantly grow
ing smaller. The likelihood of a
-. I,.o
by our investigators is a remote
chance. Obviously, il it were not
so we could not afford TO give you
our sweeping guarantee, but II an
advertisement does get by and the
advertiser is one of the minority
which prefers your cash to your
good will you get your cash from
US.
On Wednesday of this week The
Tribune made the further announce
ment that il had refused, last week,
"the large advertising of New York
store which does not fulfil the stand
ards of square dealing and truth
telling" THAT" it is urged, must
be universal rule. We propose very
simple thing the newspapers of
this city shall uphold the honest mer-
chant by refusing aid and comfort to
| the dishonest ones"
For its progressive action IN this
direction The Tribune deserves and
will receive n full measure of recogni-
| tion both from advertising mems asso-
Citations all over the country and from
all concerns using advertising space
that desire 20 square their business
with the new standards Of advertising
! prscteA.