Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-07-25
WAI,HAIIIAA, s. G.:
"I'RIIIi ADVERTISING"

troubles, and we are not going to
make use OF great deal Of it now
for that purpose. A dispatch sent
out from Chicago under date Of July
18th, however, seems to justify re-
production here, not alone for the
benefit Of ourselves, but for the ben
Gift Of the other papers Of Oconee as
well. We quote the dispatch In full,
AS follows:
IN. A. Ilust, vice president of the
American Press Association, Insisted
in q speech here to-day before the H.
linOis Press Association that news
papers should not give free publicity
to any cause. not excepting the Red
Cross Or Liberty bonds.
Right now the government
should be advertising the next Lib
erty loan said Mr.. Hust Indiyid-
uals paid millions to advertise the
bonds, and newspapers were asked to
feature them on the first page. With
the next Liberty bond issue to be
noated Oh December Is the govern
ment should use co-ordinated con-
trolled advertising, paid for by the
government. The President has inst
said that manufacturers are entitled
so Il just profit. but the newspapers
are expected to give their space to
the government without rcmunera-
ton
hnt !
government should buy advertising
space to place reasons for the war
plainly before the people,"
We are not entirely in sympathy
with the sentiments expressed by Mr.
Hust. We believe them to be too
radical. In other words, we believe
that II is nothing more than right
and proper that every newspaper
should contribute something to every
worthy cause. The newspaper is a
public servant to a degree. and to
that degree it owes the public some
thing in the way Of gratis ublicity.
But there are two sides to every
question, and in his remarks Mr..
HIST, we think. looks only at the one
side. We believe that churches. |
charitable institutions. religious So
cieties, benevolent organizations, |
etc, are due consideration at the |
hands OF the newspapers, but we do |
not believe that the government,
churches, lodges. religious societies, |
etc, should class themselves or be |
classed by others as mendicants and |
Iaupers, and seek or be given gratis |
all publicity, OF whatever nature.
In the recent past we have had |
enough matter furnished us by the |
government along the lines Of con-
s"rEation. recruiting, sale OF bonds,
Red Cross work-(each a public en-
terprisc, a public necessity in which |
newspapers, along with every other |
business enterprise, are vitality inter
csted. along with the individual citi-
zen and the whole country as 4 body) |
with request for gratuitous publi-
cation, to fill every column of every |
page we have issued, leaving room |
possibly for the gratis publication of
church programs. which often come
70 MS with request for three or four
consecutive insertions. Not a word !
about ,ompensation-m merely FOR
the good OF the cause" TO all of
these calls we, along with the other
papers Of our county. have responded |
as literally as possible. The uues- |
tion is. How long can we continue it? |
ana ms question is very pertinent, |
especially in view Of the fact that |
every Item that enters into the pub |
ilcatlon OF a newspaper has advanced |
W,thlh me past eighteen months |
from 20 10 ZOO per cent. 1t would |
be picayunish, unpatriotic, utterly |
unworthy OF the newspapers TO abso- |
lutely refuse to contribute TO these
various causes a liberal amount of !
space. is unfair, unreasonable and
totally at variance with sound busi- |
ness principles that the newspapers
should be expected to do all these
things gratis.
Is newspaper space worth nothing?
Does 1t cost nothing? Would the
merchant be called on week after
week to supply from his stock OF i
goods, 0r the farmer from his cribs
and barns, or the manufacturer from
bis wares, the things necessary to