The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-10-20
WET AND DRY ADVERTISING

The Banner is in receipt OF a letter
from one of its subscribers, Mr.. Albert
Glow, in which he expresses disapproy.
al of The Banner permitting advertise.
ments of the so-called Home Rule pro.
posed amendment to appear in its col
umns.
There may be other readers of The
Banner who have the same view of the
matter that Mr.. Glow has, and we take
advantage of this opportunity to state
to Mr.. Glow and others, If such there
be, the attitude and policy OF The Ban
ner.
The Banner has just two things for
sale-subscriptions and advertising
space. Anybody who has the price
can get the paper. Unclean advertise
ments have always been excluded
from it's columns. Any legitimate sub
ject may be exploited in its advertis.
ing columns by those who are willing
to pay for the space. 1t should be
borne in mind, however, that the own
er of The Banner disclaims any re-
sponsibility for the correctness of the
statements contained in any advertise
ment-whether it be an advertisement
OF merchant, theatre, a circus, a
patent medicine, public sale, and, in
this particular instance, the Home
Rule advertisements.
The acceptance and publication of
the Home Rule advertisements is just
as legitimate as the acceptance and
publication of the advertisements of a
merchant. The statements In the ad-
vertisements are the views of those
who are doing the advertising. The
advertisements do not reflect the opin-
ions of the paper as an institution or
the individual views of the owner
Editorial opinion and statements in
advertisements should not be con-
founded.
During the several local option cam.
paigns that have been held in Mt. Yer
non and the one county option cam.
paign, the last named in 1908. The Ban
ner accepted and published advertise
ments for both the drys and the vets
They were marked advertisement
and everybody understood then that
all these publications were only what
they professed to be-advertlsements
pure and simple, and did not pretend
to voice the opinion of The, Banner.
Another thing that may not be gen.
orally known: The application made
to the postoffice department for the
admission of a paper to the malls as
second class matter requires state
ment that advertising space may be
purchased by everybody and on bas
Is Of equality as to price. Under the
ruling of the postotiice department ii
is very doubtful whether a paper could
refuse to accept legitimate advertis
ing. Under this ruling political ad
vertising may be had by candidates in
the paper of opposite view. The Ban
ner Is a Democratic paper, but under
the ruling referred to 1t has accepted
and published advertisements of can
dldates on the Republican ticket, and
expects to continue doing SO whenever
they want to buy the space to secure
publicity.
But when a candidate buys the ad
vertising space he is not buying the
Views of the paper any more thar
those who are buying space to exploi
the Home Rule amendment are buying
the views of the paper. This Is wei
understood, or should be.
In the county option campaign 81!
years ago In Knox county The Banne
published more advertisements for tn
drys than 1t did for the vets. So ia
in this campaign the drys have not tab
en- any space. II Is their own bushes
whether they take 1t or don't take II
and the editorial attitude of The Bar
ner Will not be influenced thereby an
more than It Is influenced by the fac
that the vets are taking space in thi
campalgn. The fact that the vets are u'
Ing advertising space does not In tn
least change the view Of The Banne
that the Home Rule amendment shoul
he defeated The business Office an
the editorial room are entirely d
vOrced.
The Banner will continue to accer
subscriptions and legitimate adve
tlsements from any source.
We trust that the attitude of Th
Banner has been made clear.