Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-10-15

SIf HA Printed all Free Pub
dity Stuff He Receives
There Would be Room in
Paper for Nothing Else.

n ~ b &
That the newspaper is public
packhorses and free utility has long
been the: firm belief, Of a consider
able portion Of the public, but to
what extent this belief is carried in
stU action only those on the inside
ere FULLY aware The demand for
free publicity comes from far and
near and d certain portion of it is
perfectly Legitimate. Every news
paper expects to print matters per-
tanning to the upbuilding and well
4 fare of their home community,
county, state and even nation. Much
of this publicity if rigidly classi-
fed would come under the head OF
pay matter, but because the editor
ms Interested in the welfare of the
community and the state in which
he lives, he prints it as news mat
ter, To do less would be churlish
and ogressive and would stamp
sshim as not measuring up to the
highest type of good citizenship,
In sense, the newspaper is a
public utility, but because it has
rent and labor and paper bills to
pay and because the editor un-
fortunately is compelled to eat, at
least occasionally, certain pro-
portion of his space must be remun-
erative.
These more or less sapient obser-
vations were called out by a mass
of publicity that happened to ar
rive at this desk in one mail. The
quantity was not unusual, but the
fact that it all came at once called
particular attention to the manner
in which spaeegrafters attempt to
work the country papers.
A representative of the Crack
er Trust" whose incorporated title
is the National Biscuit Company"
writes to ask if we will inform cur
readers AS A NEWS ITEM that the
prices of all that company's pro-
ducts had been reduced to pre-war
prices.
A big steamship company, which
is launching wonderful new yes
sci, sent two column story and Of
fered to furnish cuts if we will re-
produce it as a matter of news.
An advertising agency sends
lengthy articles urging the people
to observe Candy Day" and asks
that we mention the day editorally
and send them a marked copy The
sugar trust and the candy trust pro-
badly inspired this campaign of free
publicity.
Some individual in Wisconsin,
who had become a millionaire
through the manufacture of parti-
cular kind of baby buggy sends an
article telling something about him
self and a great deal about his in
vention. The sender is certain
that it would make fine story for
The Republican.
Practically every department in
the state house in Boise furnishes a
contribution telling of the excellent
services being rendered, with in
ferential reference to the particular
qualifications of the incumbent.
Various magazines provide re-
prints of long articles book publish
ing houses sends lengthy book re-
views, which the editor is permitted
to reproduce just so proper credit
is given
Each Of the educational institu-
tions in the state send lengthy arti-
cles dealing with the work and pro-
gress of the institution.
The various departments at
Washington furnish sufficient data
daily to fill the entire paper if not
a line Of advertising or news were
handled. AS sample of this form
of publicity, tabulated statement
showing the travel through the Yell
lowstone National Park for the sea-
son just closed, would occupy a full
half page ii used entire. The cost
Of sending out such yoluminous and
useless statistics would make q con-
siderable difference III the expendi-
Ssures OF the government If II could
be ctirtailed
The Red Cross and the Near East
associations send frequent and vol
luminous bulletins, many Of which
we would delight to print ifsspace
permitted
Many Of the film manufacturing
companies deluge the office with I'M