Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-09
MERCHANTS COUNTRY TRADE.

The West Point Plaindealer asserts tna'
that section OF the country has better
'connectlons" With Richmond than II
has with Baltimore and that the reason
our city does not get more of the trade
OF those people Is we do not show enough
enterprise.
The Plalndealer complains that Rich
mond merchants don't advertise In papers
that the country people take and read"
We infer from the yemarks of our weekly
contemporary mat the Baltimore mer-
chants understand their interests in this
respect much better than ours do.
The Dispatch has often wondered why
our merchants do so little advertising,
with the purpose OF reaching the country
people OF Virginia aud adjoining States.
OF course. they ought 20 know their busl-
ness better than we know 1t. but 1t IS a
fact. we believe. that in the respect men
toned they are mot keeping up with the
procession" composed of merchants OF
the big cities Of this country.
We have refrained from discussing this
subject lest we should be misjusged. The
great circulation OF the Weekly Dispatch
IS a thing known OF most men, and OF
course we want 10 get as many advertise
ments for II as possible; yet we should
also like TO see our merchants advertls-
ing in other papers as well as in ours.
We have nothing but goodwill for the
drummers. They are worthy Of all praise,
and Richmond could not get along with
ont them; yet there are people whom
they cannot reach. And IL is a good
thing. too. to make the name of your
house so familiar 20 the merchants and
the masses that when your drummer APP
pears seeking trade the mere mention OF
the name will at once carry weight with
II.
Our Richmond merchants may be doing
all that is necessary in the premises, but
they do not advertise for country trade
anything like so much as their competi-
tors Of other cities do. That we believe
TO be an indisputable fact.
OF course, the Dispatch wishes It's share
Of patronage for its widely-circulatSd
weekly; but whether we profit or not,
whether they advertise with us or not
we earnestly desire our merchants and
manufacturers to try harder than they
have ever tried before 90 reach the coun-
try trade We would have them strike
out for the custom not only Of the people
between Richmond and the Chesapeake,
hut Of all the DeOple of all this State
There's nothing narrow in that view, is
there?
The Dispatch earnestly trusts that an
electric railway will be built between
Richmond and the bay; but we doubt IL
our people are doing all that they should
20 forward that enterprise.
The vote will be taken in Gloucester
on the 9th instant, and the people OF that
county will then decide whether they will
vote $4,000 in aid of the Richmond and
Tideeater Electric Railroad. II the deci-
sion Is favorable, and II other counties
follow suit, Richmond will have most
advantageous opening for new business.
But no matter how the Gloucester con-
test may end, we beseech our city mer-
chants 20 be more active than heretofore
in trying to reach the country that is ac-
cesSble 10 US.
Ne ought TO drum and advertise and
DO everything else that our competitors
90 20 control trade. We can't stand still
we must go forward or backward. For
ward" has always been our word