The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-05-16
State Hail Insurance Advertising

AlC 1OlIOW ny COIIllIlcIlL dllu lCLLCI
in regard to advertising state hail
insurance, appeared in the Aber-
deem Daily News of May End:
1t has so become ''the custom Of
the country for the federal and
state governments to receive free
publicity in all the newspapers If
the country for their various enter
prises, some of which are business
enterprises, pure and simple, that
many newspapers overlook the fact
that there is no reason in the world
why the state or the federal govern
ment should not pay for what it re-
ceives from the newspapers. any
more than a state official should ex-
pect to receive his groceries free,
just because he happens to be elect
ed to Office. The News pleads
guilty to falling for a lot Of this
free publicity stuff that has been
worked off on it by the state and
nation. the latest instance Of the
kind being The free advertising
Commissioner Van Camp of the
state hail insurance bureau worked
off on most of the newspapers Of
the state. But, thanks be, there is
an occasional newspaperman who is
not an easy mark in This respect,
and w. S. D. Adams Of the Web
ter Reporter and Farmer is one of
the latter sort. This is the sort of
reply Van Camp received from
Adams when the latter got his
news item from Pierre:
NV. N. Van Camp. Commissioner
Hail Insurance, Pierre S. Oak
Dear Sir: Your letter Of the 25th
inst. at hand and contents noted.
Nov I consider the article en-
closed as purely advertising matter
Of a superior nature. 1t is well
written, and in my opinion would
bring results. As you suggest. it
is Interesting reading to those who
contemplate protecting growing
crops from hail. However. if one
of our local banks or insurance
agents broueh. in such an article,
with regard to the policy Of one Of
the companies for which they are
doing Business, they would expect
to pay advertising rates for it's
publication.
IF the state is in the insurance
business, why should it get conces-
sions in a business way not given tD,I
other advertisersz You do not ex-
pect your clerks and stenographers,
adjusters OF field men to do their
business without gay. Why, then.
should you expect the publishers to
advertise without remuneration. q
The space, in his columns is the
newspaper mans stock in trade.
The state has, no more right to ex-
pect him to donate it than has the
merchant, the lawyer, Or any other
man or company conducting a BUSH
meas in, which he wishes to gain,
publicity or advertise his wares.
"Of COURSE it is q grand and
great thing 10 work up q great
state institution, one to which we
can all point with pride, and l glory
with you in ysnr ambition, but i'm
my situation, my dea- sir, when it
comes to Saturday night, time. for
the ghost to- walk and when, the
treasurer infosms me that taxes are
due and must be paid, and my
bamker intimates my account is in
the red, the glory is all right. but
il takes cash to pay the bills.
ITO you this may seem hard,
cruel and sovdid, but it takes money
to run q newspaper. In our hosi-
ness experience in this state, cover
ing q period of thirty seven years.
we have accumulated considerable
glory, and but little cash. In the
future we propose to pay more at
tention to the cash end Of the bust
ness, 80 thai when we shuttle off
this mortal coil and our brethren of
the press have laborious!y penned
our obituary. they will not have
occasion to lean back with a sigh
and say, as an after thought in the
privacy Of their sanctum, We'll
Adams was q nice fellow. but a
damn fool That is not the pleas
ant memory we wish to leave with
the press boys.
Il am sending my rate card, and
any business you may see fit to send
in compliance. with the rates set
forth therein will be duly appreci-
ated and receive my best attention.
"Yours very truly.
w. S. %. Adams"