Billboard advertising (July-Dec 1895)

8 BILLBOARD ADVERTISING Is the Official Organ of the PENNSYLVANIA Bill Posters' Association. Billboard Advertise -. & BILLBOARD ADVERTISING Is the Official Organ of the MINNESOTA Bill Posters' Association. 9 PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT 127 East EightM Street, Cincinnati, O, U. S. A. BY BILLBOARD ADVERTISING CO, JAMES H. HENNEOAN, Manager. Subscription, Ji joo Tcr Year, In Advance. ADVERTISING RATES: Advertisements win be published at the uni- form rate of twenty-five cents per agate line, except in the classified columns, where special rates prevail. Our terms are cash. Billboard Advertising is sold in. London, at Lout's Exchange* ST Charing Cross, and at American Advertising Newspaper Agency, Trafalgar Build- Northumberland Ave^ W. C. Ik Paris, at The Trade sup. mgs. Bretano's, ijAvenue del'Opera. INemsCoi ' Remittance should plied by all News Companies. ~ "" "be made by cheque, post-office or expnss money order, or registered letter. The Editor cannot undertaketo return, unsolicited manuscript. IVhen it is necessary to wire us the instructions and copy for advertisements, great saving in the matter oftelegraph tolls may be had by recourse to the Donaldson Cipher. Entered as Second-Class Matter, at the Cincinnati, Ohio, fvsl Office, June 29th, iSag. Z WEregretexceedinglythatlack of space prevents our printing all of the many fet- ters received from our readers bearing upon the attitude that we have assumed in the matter of that feature of the Asso- ciated Bill Posters' Association, which excludes opposition bill posters. The mass of coirespondenceisveryinteresting, reflecting as it does, the various opinions of many members of the craft in different portions of the country. Not a few sur- prises are encountered in perusing it, for many members' of the association come out openly in endorsing our attitude, and announce themselves as in favor of admit- ting all reputable members of the craft wherever located. The greater part of the members, however, protest against any change of this nature, while those firms which at present are debarred from the rights and privileges of membership, are unanimously in favor of a change. A leading member of the association and a gentleman who is recognized as an enthusiastic supporter of any measure, ■which has a tendancy to improve and ele- vate the calling, observes : "Allow me to commend your stand most cordially. The opposition bill posters are the only ones who are benefitting from thepresentorder of things, because, the Association Bill Posters, being compelled to maintain the association scale of prices, cannot compete with them in this respect, and the other fellow, by putting his prices down just a shade below ours captures all the competi- tive work. Formypart, Isay getthem in. They will do less harm on the inside, than they are now doing on the outside." It strikes us that he puts the argument about as well as it is possible to do it His reasoning is logical and possesses much force. ANOTHER, member of the association who has opposition remarks, "Our asso- ciation will never be strong enough to ac- complish any real good until it embraces every bill poster of.good standing in the country." A third cites the difficulty of the Messrs. Miller Brothers, of Columbus, Ohio, and the Barnnm Show to demon- strate the fntility of any attempt to dictate arbitrary term? and conditions to patrons. Continuing, he says: "I believe the first duty of a bill poster to himself and to his craft, is to sell bill board space to his pa- trons. Any rules or by-laws that hinder or hamper him should be striken out at once." Another gentleman remarks, "you are on the right track. Association mem- who have no opposition are not going to refuse work from a firm simply because they have patronized an independent bill poster in another city. They say they will at the conventions, and agree to do so in accepting membership in the associ- ation, but the most of them don't do it, so what is the good of it?" Still another worthy gentleman writes, "here are some members who maintain the association prices, and allow the opposition bill poster to secure the work rather than cut their rates. I know, too, of bill posters in cities who have refused work from firms who have patronized the opposition in another city, but, I do not know of any good that ever came from it It only irritates the advertiser, and causes him to divert his ap- propriation into other channels." * Mr. BrESXatjer's letter which we pub- lish in another column, is a manly, straight forward statement of his opinion. There is no attempt to equivocate or straddle the issue. On the contrary he meets the ques- - tion fairly and squarely. We publish his letter because it is the best of the protests which we have received, and because he invites comment on our part, while we ad- mire his frank, open and direct expression, we are compelled to state plainly that in our estimation his position is entirely untenable, his argument illogical, and his theory chimerical. Rather than allow a competing fellow-craftsman an opportu- nity to earn.a living, Mr. Breslauer would force the commercial advertiser off the boards, and compel him to patronize the newspapers or other mediums. This is practically what he says, but we do not believe that he is serious, and hardly any- one else who knows him will regard his assertions as sincere. *** Mr.BresiauER calls on us to stand up for the association. Right here we want to say to him and all other members of the organization, that we are for the asso- ciation first, last, and all the time. "We believe that the craft can be bettered and business elevated by organization, and we wish above all things that the association be perpetuated. It is this very desire that . impels us to cry out in warning, for we see its usefulness impaired, and its exist- ence menaced. We have always supported the association, and we have earned the right to speak out. A craft divided against itself, will fall, and any attempt upon the part of the association to set at naught the great principles underlying the law of supply and demand, is worse than puerile —it's imbecile. * * * Suppose we grant merely for the sake of argument that this absurd theory was practicable, and that the association should eventually succeed in driving Mrs Dun- don out of business, and ruining the rest of the independent bill posters. What; then? Would it be a creditable perform- ance, and what would all; fair minded" people think of it? Rest assured that the injured parties could sue for and obtain damages in a civil action, forwhich every member of the organization would be in- dividually liable. It wiHJ.be seen there- fore, that the scheme is not feasible even if it were possible. No organization can drive all the grocers out of a town, save one. No association can say how many shoe makers there shall be to a city. As it is with grocers and shoe makers, so it is with bill posters. They have the right to pursue their chosen avocation wherever they elect, provided that they obey the law. There is no man and no body of men who can say them nay. An association which is organized to deprive individuals of their rights is not an association. It is a conspiracy. There are grand possibilities for good in the association. Outside of its purely social features, which alone make its con- tinued existence a thing to be devoutly wished for, it affords a medium for -the inter-change of ideas, for mutual protec- tion against frauds, and might be made an institution whereby the business could be raised to a plane of equality, with that of any calling in the land. It could be made the means of inspiring its members with higher ideals, which would lead to the in- troduction of better methods', better facili- ties and better business principles. This would improve the service rendered to ad- vertisers, and enable bill'posters in con- junction with their natural allies the dis- tributors, to practically control the entire advertising field. If the organization is to be run as a "close" association, it will do none of this; consequently it behooves each and every member to give the matter his most careful consideration. See to it that narrow-minded prejudice and petty jealousy, are not allowed to dominate and insist that the A. B. P.' A be conducted on broad and liberal lines. TWO LETTERS. In pur last month's issue, we had occa. sion to say editorially that that feature of the Associated Bill Posters' Association which debarred certain members of the craft from the rights of membership and precluded affiliation, was a menace to the existence of the organization, an unwise provision, and called for the grave con- sideration of the officers. Our remarks have called forth a perfect avalanche of letters. Some are from members of the association and some from the opposition. We can only find room for the following: Mr. Breslauer's letter is a fair sample of the position of what might be termed the "insider," Mrs Dundon's communication affords a good example of the tenor of those received from the "outsiders," or opposition. Minneapolis, Minn., October 17, 1895. Bixxboard Advertising : Gentlemen —Why do yon uphold the " opposition"? You come out in an ar- ticle in your last issue (or the issue before) that the regular established bill poster, should not object to., the " opposition " in his town getting commercial work from O. J. Gude Co., etc.; that we should be broad-minded enough not to find fault with commercial people in placing some work with"opposition." I, for one,want you and the O. J. Gude Co. and others to distinctly understand that I will not handle commercial work or do business with agents that in any way entertain the "opposition " We, the association mem- bers, would be " chumps " to stand any- thing of that sort. Most all the-beys * that belong to the association have'Strug- T gled hard, and worked like beavers, "to / y. fet their cities in good shape, and' art^ //*•' ustling " squaring " people.\ The- first ,' thing you know in starts some "guy"' erecting a few boards, etc. He hustles for work, writes Gude Co. and commercial people for work. They (Gude Co.-and others) send him some work. Do you, Mr. Billboard Advertising, think that is justice to the regular bill poster am| association member ? I merely write this wanting to assist my brother bill posters, and I, for one, will state right here, if called upon to refuse work on account of the same paper being placed with the " opposition," I will be' the first man to obey the order. Yon also argue that it is right to have 'more than one firm belong to the association from the same city. ,1 say NO. Gnde & Co. are my friends, but I think they take' a wrong position in this matter. I have no fault to find with Billboard Adver- tising. All I ask you to do is: come but and stand " pat" for the regular associa- tion bill posters, and you can rest assured the boys will be with you to a man. Most respectfully, Mike Breslatjbr. Troy, N. Y., October 14, 1895. Billboard Advertising! Gentlemen : —The editorial comments in your October number regarding the action of the British Bill Posters, at their annual convention, induces me to present a case in point, which I regard as a grave matter for the consideration of the craft on this side of the water. Michael; E. Dundon, for nearly thirty the leading bill poster of Troy, N, Y., died about four years ago, and I, his widow, have continued the business since. About the."_ time of Mr. Dundon's death, an opposition sprang into existence, and managed to secure an influence in the New York State Association then just being organized, that seems to have pre vented me from becoming a member thereof. I:have made many applications for membership, but have been persist- ently pigeon-holed without even a pretense of consideration. At the last meeting of the Associated Bill Posters'. Association I addressed a strong appeal to the Presi- dent, also to Mr. Al. Bryan, both personal, friends of my late husband, asking that some action be taken to compel the New York State Association to receive and con- sider my application for membership. The following reply to my appeal speaks for itself: "Secretary's Office, Associated BUI Posters' Association Trf-the United States and Canada. . ■ Albany, N. Y., Jnly 20th, 1895. Madam: . Yours, dated 6th, to Al. Bryan and R. C. Campbell, referred to me for answering. Write to Tames H. Staats, Secretary, Lockport. N. Y., for application blank, and make the application in proper form. At our next meeting it will receive the proper consideration- As you areaware,-nv have one representative in a fiVy.out as you request it, and feel that *~ Injustice ha* beed done you, we will pursue the course as laid down in our constitution, and give it proper con- sideration.. Very truly yours, J. Ballard Carroll, Secretary." It will interest a much larger number of your readers, to know whether the New York State Association is a band of robbers, whose aim is to gobble up and and divide among a select few, a great and growing business, built up by die hard work a of better men, and in the in- terest of Justice, I hope that you will present the matter to the fraternity at large, through your columns. Very respectfully, Mrs. M. C. Dundon. Now that the bill posters and distribu- tors are thoroughly organized, the adver- tiser is practically altogether independent of the publisher. Space in publications will probably soon sell at something like its real value. . 10 ots. 15 e's. 20 cts. 25 cts. 30 cts. hillboard Advertising intends to lead all papers of lis class in point of subscribers, and to that end offers the following unparalelled List of Premiums. To anyone sending us 10 cents in stamps and the names and ad- dresses of three sign writers, we will send Billboard Advertising for three months. To anyone sending us 15 cents and the names and addresses of three circular distributors, we will send Biilboard Advertising for four months. To anyone sending us 20 cents and the names and addresses of six sign writers, we will send Billboard Advertising for five months. To anyone sending us 25 cents and the names and addresses of six circular distributors, we will send Billboard Advertising for six months. Anyone sendiog us 30 cents will receive for three months Billboard Advertising, 30 cents. A-Donaldson Date Book, 25 " 55 *' Al\ rtr"C Anyone sending us 40 cents w'll 1Ulil3i receive for four months Billboard Advertising, 40 cents. A Donaldson Date Book, 25 " ~65~ " Anyone sending us 50 cents will • receive a six months' subscription to billboard ADVERTISING and a copy of that superb picture, "La Golgotha," which alone sells for |i. nyone sending us 75 cents will weive a magnetized hammer with extension handle, costing 65 cents, andSa three months subscription to Billboard Advertising. To anyone sending us $1.00 we will send a year's subscription to Bill- board Advertising, and a fac- simile »-f their autograph and plate forprinting\ Write your autograph plainly in black ink on white paper and enclose with letter. To anyone sending us $1.25 we will send Billboard Advertising for one year, and in addition a year's subscription to tha\ exceptionally bright Boston publication, "Profit- able Advertising," which alone costs f 1.00. Here is an opportunity to secure two, journals fofe but little more than the price of oneS To anyone sending us f 1.50 v^e will send for one year, each. Billboard Advertising, Xi.oo •"Art in Advertising," Total, $2.c. •7K Toajiyjonesending US$1.75. we will \ $1.25 $1.50 $1 send for one year, each, Billboard Advertising, Munsey's Magazine, $1.00 2.00 S3.00 £2 00 To anyone sending us $2 00, we'will $2.50 send for one year, Billboard Advertising, - $1.00 "Printers' Ink," - - $2.00 feoo "Printer's Ink" is a weekly, devot- ed advertising, chicflv newspaper advertising. Anyone sending us J2.50, we will send, for one year, each, Billboard Advertising, - J1.00 "Profitable Advertising," - 1.00 'Art in Advertising," - - 1.00 S3 00 An vone sensing us J3.00 will re- *•'*'* v v ceive, one year. Billboard advertising, - $1.00 A copy of Donaldson Guide, 3.0a $4.00 S3 50 Anyone sending us J3.50 will re- ****■*« w receive, one year, Billboard Advertising, - Jr.oo A nine-inch Paste Brush. - 3.25 ~>. *- 2 S $4 Of! Anyone sending us $4.00 will re- v i,uw ceive, one year. Billboard Advertising, • J1.00 "Brains," ... 400 fc.oo "Brains," is a weekly journal de- voted to advertising and advertis- ers. It is a most valuable and use- ful publication. $4 RO Anyone sending us $4-50 will re- f ovw ceive, one year. Billboard Advertising, - $1.00 500 Letter Heads, - - - 3,00 500 Envelopes, - 2.00 $6.00 This is a splendid opportunity to secure handsomely printed station- ery at a merely nominal pi ice. $5 00 Anyone sending us $5.00 will re- *•'*'• ww ceive, one year. Billboard Advertising, - J1.00 The Donaldson Guide, - • -.ou A nine-inch ra»tc Brush. - 3.25 J7.»5 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. Editor Biuboard Advertising : Dear Sir :—Kindly explain why you devote so much space to the dates and official rosters of fairs, expositions, con- ventions, reunions and celebrations. Your journal purports to be devoted to the in- terests of advertisers and advertising media, and I am at a loss to understand the connection. A Reader. Aside from the fact that fairs, exposi- tions and pure food exhibits, are in them- selves advertising 'media of potent and forceful value, we are desirous of keep- ing all advertisers posted regarding all great concourses and gatherings for the reason that the boards and advertising media of the cities, in which the assem- blage occurs are greatly enhanced in value at that particular time, by reason of the great increase in the amount of transient or floating population. Under our system we are enabled to give dates weeks and sometimes months in advance, thus afford- ing advertisers ample opportunity to place themselves in evidence on all such occa- sions.— Ed. Sheboygan, Wis , Oct 28, 1895. Editor Billboard Advertising : Dear Sir :—Having received 9 circular from the Inter-State Bill Posters' Pro- tective Association, I take notice that several members of the Associated Associ- ation have joined the former. How mem- bers in towns under forty thousand popu- lution, can contract at the Inter-State Bill Posters' Protective Association's rates, and live up to the Associated Association rates. I would like some one to explain. Yours for bill posting, E. J. KEMPF. We are fully as much in the dark as Mr. Kenipf. Possibly the parties most concerned can enlighten us.— Ed. \ AN EXPLANATION. N In the December number of Bilxboard Advertising for 1S95 we published an ar- ticle in which it was made to appear that the business of McElroy Bros., the bill posters, at Flushing, L. I., had been ab- sorbed by a well-known concern; It ap- pears from recent developements that such was not the case, and that the state- ment to that effect was a lie pure and simple. The article in question was a rank in- justice to Messrs. McElroy Bros., and has caused them much annoyance and vexa- tion. We can only state in extenuation, that we published the article in good faith having accepted the information from what we supposed was a reliable source. It will be a long time before the party who misled us will have the opportunity of imposing on us again. Exhibits at fairs, expositions and pure food shows, possess a peculiar value that that cannot be obtained in any other manner. Now that the International Association of Distributors has gotten into position to render a guaranteed distributing service, the circular and the booklet, the pamphlet and the almanac have taken on an added air of importance. Distributing matter always has possessed great advertising value, and now that it can be put out thoroughly, efficiently and economically, it will find great favor among advertisers. LOOK OUT! For "Fly by Night" Shows 1 Great Care Should be Exercised in Extending Credit to Irresponsible People. Poster printers and bill posters will do well to eliminate the element of chance, as far as possible, from all transactions with shows and itinerant organizations The season is not turning out well, and as these classes of patrons have no money of their own to lose in the event of bad busi- ness the burden falls upon the parties who extend them credit. In this connection, R. C Campbell, of the American Advertising Co", Chicago, Ills., and President of the A. B. P A., writes as follows: "I have a particular case here, that of Prof. O. R Gleason, the horse trainer, under the man- agement of Wass and Beedie, western managers. Beedie is a manager of a vari- ety theatre in Denver, Col., and Wass is from Portland, Oregon They were rep- resented by that old time agent, Harry Smart He came into my office and as- sured me upon the word of a man, that they were all right, and I was perfectly safe in trusting them for about four hun- dred dollars, ($400) worth of work He went over to the National Printing Co , and assured them ditto. They gave up four hundred dollars, ($400) worth of printing and I put it up and we got the "finger.'* There are a-number of attractions on the road this year that are leaving a trail of debts and obligations behind them wherever they go. At best they are only spoiling territory for legitimate and re- sponsible organizations, and as the printers and bill posters have the remedy in their own hands, it would seem thatthey should act accordingly, and that too, without ex- ceptions and without delay. The poster is so powerful, so strong in its attack upon the public, that almost any advertisement no matter how bungling in construction and faulty in display, will yield good results, and prove highly effi- cient Consequently, but little care has been devoted to their preparation. Of late, however, advertisers are beginning to realize that it pays to be careful in this respect, and as a consequence the boards are daily growing better. Newspaper advertising is valuable, so is that in any other publication, when it is purchased at a just figure. The idea how- ever, that it is the principal avenue of publicity, and that all other media sure merely auxiliary is a fallacy. The particular circumstance, which has contributed most to the great success achieved by Chas. Austin Bates, is in all probability, the fact that he follows the advice he gives, takes his own medicine as it were. He uses more space in adver- tising his own business than any other ad. writer in the country. Posters properly printed and posted, produce profitable publicity promptly. Circulars, and by circulars we mean booklets, pamphlets and hand bills of every description, when properly put out, never fail to bring profitable results. Advertis- ing of this nature is as sure and certain as death and taxes, PUBLISHERS' CORNER. "With this issue Billboard Advertising enters upon the second year of its existence. Its growth has been almost phenomenal. Probably no other publication in America can point to a. record" which will in any manner approach that made by this paper. Our circulation now exceeds fifteen thousand, and continues to grow as fast as ever. I III We now number among our subscribers most of the large concerns of the country, who are prominent in the advertising field, and hundreds of retailers who are local advertisers. Besides, we reach nearly all of the bill posters, poster printers, di-tributors and officers of fairs in the United States and Canada. nil We are beginning, too, to hear from printers, who make a specialty of distributing matter, such as pamphlets, leaflets, booklets, circulars, almanacs, couriers, programmes, cards, heralds, etc, and.the interest manifested leads us to be- lieve that we will secure a large numberof read- ers in this particular field in the near future. llll Billboard Advertising is not a bill posters' trade journal, nor is it published solely in behalf of bill posters, poster printers, distributors and officers of fairs. On the contrary, while aiming to givelfae news and reflect general opinion in - each of these three fields, it claims to be and is devoted exclusively to the interests of advertisers and published solely in their behalf. nil. It aims to be just and fair, regarding the value of all advertising media, and fearless and out- spoken in discussing their merits ard short comings. Fraudulent schemes, publishers who lie about their circulation, and snaps pos-. sessing little or no value, are handled without gloves and promptly exposed whenever they are brought to our notice. nil It is not a text book, nor does it attempt to edu- cate advertisers. It merely gives advertising ■ news, recounts experience, and discusses theo- ries. nil Inasmuch as it is primarly designed for the use and convenience of advertisers, we feel war-' ranted in terming it the advertisers 1 trade journal ft Pays Co Advertise Printing Presses, Printing Inks, Printers' Furniture, Type, Paste, Paste Brush Handles, Paste Mixers, Posters, Tickets, Paper Cutters, Printing Offices, Boilers, Engines, Office Furniture, Electrotypes, Photo-Engravings, Til toe Columns of Billboard Advertising.