Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-11-18

A DrALoouE.-Last week a wcll-to-do farmer
of one of our townships, visited sunbury, md in
passing along Market Street met an old friend in
the mercantile business, when the following dia-
logue took placei
Merchant.-Why how do you do my old fGend,
come into my store and take look at my goods.
Farmer.-Your storel why thought you had
quit the business.
Merchdnt.--No, l have kept store for many
years.
Fdrner.-well I did not see your advertise
ment for long time, in the paper, and thought
you had quit.
Merchant.-I used to advertise, but concluded
would save that amount yearly.
Fdrmsr.-Yes you can save il, but don't you
think it better to advertise. Newspapers cannot
be kept up unless you business men patronize
them, and what would your town be without
them. They are the means of bringing business
kere and people who would pPtronizc you, and
by giving them work it would benefit you both.
Merchant-wel l don't know rs it makes
much difference In my business besides, there
are many who never did advertise, and who rely
on others.
Fdrmcr.-That may be true, but 1t is not said
that If your neighbor is mean enough to sponge
of of the printers and his neighbors in the same
business, that you should follow his example.
You know that newspapers are just what is bring
ing up your town. aud that 1t requires capital to
keep up an establishment of that kind, and that
SO year for subscription will not pay to keep it
up.
Merehant-Yes, but then we merchants ought
not to be asked to keep up the newspapers in the
fnxr p1,a,, all t,,t,,
Fdrmer.--That is true, but then you are not
keeping up the paper for others. You are get
ting back all the money you spend for advertis-
ing from your customers you sell to, and those
who bay are the ones who pay for the advertising.
Merehan!.-I don't understand your logic.
Fa,7ney.-Well will Illustrate. Last week /
went to Shamokin and bought goods to the
amount of over three hundred dollars. Now,
had l known you kept store would have bought
Of you, for it would have been Just as convenient
The profit on that would have paid the advcrtis.
ing for one year.
Merclant.-Yes, but then 1 would not have
made anything.
Fa'mer.-IIud on. After / came home my
neighbors inquired where Itraded, and they went
to the same place and bought more than I did.
Now you see that the profits on that would have
all come to you. Besides, this may occur two or
three times year, and the more goods you sell
the more money you make. There will be more
people brought to your store.
Mercham.-That is all true enough. But my
next neighbor never advertises.
Fdrmer.-Your neighbor, suppose, is one of
the short sighted men who wants others TO pay,
and he wants the cream at the lowest prices. We
farmers live in the country in quiet. but have
often wondered why you town people do not look
more to your interest by keeping before the peo-
pie everything that is going on, as to increase
the amount of improvements, and you could then
sell double the amount of goods, for l know
many who go to other places.
Merchdnt.-Well the newspapers ought TO do
that; it belongs to them.
Farmer. Just so, but you are not willing that
they shall be paid for it, and want them to work
for nothing and puff up your town, and you get
the benefit from it. You ought to know that in
business, If you do not get your pay in "a direct
way you will indirectly. Where the people are
alive to their interests the newspapers publish it
to the world. But If you have no paper then it
closes up everything, and we farmers are lead to
believe that we cannot sell our produce, so we
take it to other towns and buy our goods there.
Merchant You are correct / see it now, and
I shall make 1t my business to dvertiso whether
| my neignbor does or not.