A MAGAZINE TRUST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 147, 14 August 1911, Page 3

A MAGAZINE TRUST.

Americans have been realising during the last twelve months that there is no Dig business in their country, that has not become mixed up with trust methods. Two loud-spoken magazines took up the anti-trust campaign not long ago arid began to convince the public that even the great magazines had formed a combination thatjirias bound together by much closer ties than those whose existence the large publishing firms weie prepared to admit. One of the oklschool magazines assumed the ro*e of “muck-raker” and ran a tilt against the rcibt, ami naturally its circulation leaped up .pith. a,, bound and its, receipts began to gladden the hearts of the proprietors. Then other magazines took up the task of searching out secrets, and the old-time publica-

tion, .lost its now friends and fell into debt. Its principal creditor was a large paper-making firm,, which showed unexpected philanthropy in its readiness i< wait loi its* money. Big banks were ' remarkably kind to the tottering magazine, hut at last it was face to face* with poverty. The big banks and the paper-manufacturers demanded their money, and they wore aide to make their own terras with the harassed publisher. Ho was permitted to command all the credit lie required on condition that lie forgot ins muck-raking ideas and instructed ill’s writers to say nice things about the American Tobacco Company, Standard Oil, the Steel Corporation and the rest. All the big trusts appear to maintain a sympathetic interest in each other’s affairs, and this sentiment is shared by some of the powerful hanks. The magazine publisher and his employees had to learn to bo impressed with the beauties of this fellowship, and in turn to impress them on the public. Many of the magazines appear to he under the thumb of the paper trust, but many of the great daily newspapers have re-

sisted its influence-. Some of the important journals arc combining to make their own printing-paper, and they arc not likely to how to the trust. The newspapers have greater resources than tire magazines have, so that they are able to retain their independence in the face of very strong opposition.