The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-04-06
A DUTY OF BUSINESS MEN.

The lntelligencer never duns Its patrons In
Its columns, and Is not In the habit of making
newspaper appeals for advertising, nor does
1t intend to do SO now, but 1t cannot well re-
frain from saying something on a text which
Is furnished by contemporary.
The Richmond Democrat Of the 2lst day OF
February, contained this notice ;-"If there
Is lumber yard In Lexington the fact is not
advertised In either Of the three papers pub
lished there. Recently gentleman came into
our Office TO get the address of the lumber
dealers In that city, as he bad business with
them. A careful examination of the col
umns Of their local papers failed to reveal
any such dealers and we concluded at once
that Lexington Is town without lumber
yard. No wonder the Missouri Pacific has
placed the town out back Of the field. Come
to Richmond"
Now. word on this matter. A newspaper
which asks charity at the hands OF q commu-
nifty. that begs for patronage merely to keep
1t afioat, advertising as aims rs 1t were, does
not deserve to live and should be allowed to
die. But In this world. no matter how much
lusty young blood or the pride Of purse may
hL tiLuco Chust p6Oplc " Luiuh tucmScifcs
dependent OF their fellows, there is In truth
no such thing as independence. At least in
dependence 10 incompatible with civilization
II 1t can be found even In the life OF hermit
10 cave. This granted we should like to
know upon what the business and political
prosperity Of a place more depends than on
Its pressy And vet what Is more grudgingly
supporteds The press does not ask something
for nothing. 1t does more gratuitous work
give value received. 1t Is ever ready to
champion movements for the public good, II
IL eager and Jealous to do so; IL makes enc.
mics for itself by condemning the enemies Of
the public; 1t prints free hundreds OF notices
which cost money TO put In type for people
who are more than able to pay for them in
word 1t devotes itself as no other agency does
to the public good.
ls there not an obligation IN return? We
think there Is. and that the man who falls to
see It Is narrow IN bis views. But more than
this suffers In his own business bv his
| failure to appreciate 1t, for no man ever vet
succeeded in business that did not advertise.
| People. like the Democrat at Richmond. con-
clude that he Is dead or has gone out Of busi-
| ness.
We don't say how much q man ought to
advertise. He must be the judge OF that. But
we do say that every business man, profess
siona,, mercantile or mechanical, should ad.
vertIse. He owes 1t to the press which labors
for him In season and out of season, and he
owes 1t to himself. The columns Of q news
paper should be q reflex OF the character of
the town in which It Is printed, and they arc,
one way or the other.
We don't ask you to advertise In this paper.
We do our soliciting through the business
manager In person. But 1889 Is now upon
US. 1t promises to be q giant. We can large
| ly be the architects Of how 1t shall build for
US. The Intelligencer will be no laggard In
the fight. Whatever Is for the good OF the
people-all the people, white, black, rich.
poor-that 1t shall be our care and purpose to
advance. So will our contemporaries as to
their spheres. Then see to II, gentlemen that
your business name Is entered as being among
the living. active. potential agencies Of the
community In which you live.