Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-03-09
FOR HONEST ADVERTISING.

The movement inauguratcd last Friday evening in Watertown
for the formation Of an advertising club is in line with modern bust
ness development.
The advertising club is intended to promote better advertising,
10 foster honest advertising, to develop greater efficiency in adver-
Using, and to discourage, and even suppress, dishonest advertising.
There are more fakes and takers in the field Of advertising than
in almost any other vocation, unless it be i'll the matter Of wildcat
mining schemes and wildcat development projects.
1T is true that there has been Il marked improvement in Water
town in the recent past, but this is due, in part, to the influence Of
the Merchants Association which has frowned upon advertising
schemes containing an element of deception.
The advertising club, which is to be affiliated with the associated
advertising clubs OF America, does not expect to reform the world
with respect to advertising, but it aims to increase the efficiency Of
legitimate advertising and to aid in the suppression Of untruthful
advertising, and in so doing to be useful in raising the standard Of
what may be termed merchandising.
Newspapers can do much to assist in this work of purifying the
advertising hed-or, at least, may render marked assistance in re
ancing questionable advertising to the minimum.
We receive regularly into our home a certain periodical that
youches for its advertisers. 1t will accept no advertising whatever
that is not supported by a reputation for square dealing. 1t will
admit into its columns no advertising matter that tneds to exag-
geration or which makes promises that ar not based upon facts that
will bear the most searching investigation, In other words, within
Limitations it censors its advertising columns as it censors its news
columns or it's editorial page.
We know OF another periodical that carries a standing offer at
the head of its editorial page to the effect that it will reimburse any
bring proof to the publishing house that he has sustained a loss
through dealing with any Of its advertisers. That is to say, it offers
TO make good any loss which any subscriber sustains in consequence
of accepting at its face value any advertising in its columns.
The Saturday News intends to investigate some of the methods
by which these papers censor their advertising. 1t is willing to say,
here and now, that if any subscriber is mised, or deceived, by any
CARELESS of the identity OF the advertiser, whether local or other
wise. It is willing to pledge itself to refuse to accept advertising
from houses that practice deception in their advertising if the facts
are brought to It's attention IN such a way as to be convincing.
And, IN this connection, it offers to cooperate with the adverts-
ing club just organized. If the club, through committees or other
wise, shall bring TO the notice Of this paper that certain advertisers
are failing to live up to their promises as advertised in these col
INNS, or that their advertising matter is untruthful and intended
10 deceive, The Saturday News pledges its influence to assist in
senHeasing the evil.
The honest merchant is honest in his advertising as well as hon
est IN the selling of his goods.