In the nineteenth century it was common practice for a newspaper to include an article favorable to a company or business that advertised in its pages.
Pabst Brewery was no exception to receiving such an article.
A letter addressed to the brewery by a Chicago publishing firm November 15, 1887, read as follows: “In consideration of your giving us an ad of a page in our Journal for one year, for which you are to pay $225, we will take 100 cases of the Malt Tonic and will push the sale of this article to the best of our ability. You are also to have liberty at any time to use our editorial columns regarding the merits of your malt tonic.”