The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-03

Wes(ern New Towns nod Newspapers.
To he Etaor IF tie Emtyrans Aid Joxrnul:
Sir: Before the press welded 90 much power as j,
now does, the poet Burns wrote Of it,
"A chiefs amang you taking notes,
And faith he'll prent Them
If in his days the power of the press was deemed
great, how much mightier is it now? Wherever We o.
We behold its ability to build up, or to pull down. In
this Western country who has failed to observe that
the rapid rise OF new towns is greatly owing to their
merits being properly kept before the public; and who
has ever seen a Western town thrive without a good
newspaper !! Suppose a number Of men unite to build
up a new town.; some build dwelling houses, some
stores, factories, 60. How many persons will they
draw to their new town without q newspaper. The very
circumstance Of their not having a newspaper would
argue q want Of ability to properly help along the place.
Or suppose some man should start a newspaper for them,
and 6ud those men who had most at stake in the place,
should be 90 blind to their own interest, a. to merely
take a single copy to read and Gle away, instead Of taking
ten, twenty, thirty or more copies to send to a distance.
Would the ~go-ahead printers not very soon look out for
. new and better sphere of usefulness, and would he
not there print his notes and his experience in the
8 behind the age place he left, 80 - to warn his profes.
sional brethren and others to give it q wide berth !?
Eastern men who FIX on a spot in the West in which
to build factories, houses or any thing else, generally d.
so for their own individual interest. Yet sometimes We
hear them speak rs if they did so almost entirely for
the good Of others. That their action NAV benefit
others is not to be denied, but that they lay out much
of their money for that purpose is rather problematical
If | wanted to find out the public spirited men in = new
Western town, where = single Newspaper was published,
| know Of no way by which I could better attain my
object, than BY discovering who paid regularly for the
greatest number Of copies Of that paper 70 be sen.
abroad in al directions and if wasted to bay . corner
lot Or two on easy terms | would 30 70 these men, salts
lied that they we're far seeing business men, who knew
it Was for their interest to act literally, and to acquire
a reputation for 20 doing Mary poor men don't know
how much they lose BY not subscribing for the paper
published whore they reside, While one waits to yet =
sight, Of . ueighbor's paper, that neighbor may have
secured = good paying JOB Of work, the clue to which
he obtained from some remark in the newspaper.
Farmers who take the leading county papers are not
likely to sell their farms for one half the price they
might get the next week. How often do We hear Of
some smart man running of to buy . farm in = certain
township. and closing > bargain for il at once, because
he has got information through his newspaper Of some
or other that would shortly treble the value
Of that land !?
In short, there il hardly. any man that can rightly
say he can AFFORD to: do without the newspaper published
near where he owns property, or where be il looking
out for work or business. Little need be said about the
importance Of advertising, q most intelligent men know
It Is the way to succeed ia business. q. o. \.
Nipinger, March 8d, 1854.