The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-01-05
The 0mcial Paper Of San Juan County
THURSDAY, JANUARY s, 1899.
ADVERTISING THE COUNTY.

ADVERTISING THE COUNIx.
A correspondent desires the editors
suggestions s'as to the best way
to advertise our county" "Should
there" he asks, "be an emigration
bureau, or would it be better for a few
persons to take the matter in hand
at first ?'
1t is the EDITORS opinion. based not
only upon the observations Of nearly
fifteen years of varied newspaper
work, but also upon his experience as
secretary of the Chamber of Commerce
of Fairhaven during the entire period
of its organization, and later of the
Commercial Club, into which the
Chamber of Commerce was merged,
that an organization under an appro-
pirate name and with some definite
object in view Is the first requisite.
"Success is the realization Of pur-
pose, clearly defined and persistently
adhered to-"
The organization might better be
called board of trade than an immi-
grafton bureau, for its efforts should be
directed to securing the establishment
OF needed enterprises in the county as
we'll as securing new settlers. The
probability is that "a few persons"
comparatively speaking. will have ITO
take the matter in hand at first"-and
at last also, for while larger number
OF people may always be found ready
and eager to reap the benefits of pub
lie enterprise. the number willing to
bear the burden Of setting in motion
the wheels of progress is generally
small. The cooperation of the people
OF every locality in the county should
be cordially invited and earnestly en-
couraged. A good way would be to in
vite every school district in the county
to send one or more representatives to a
meeting to be held at Friday Harbor
for the purpose of effecting an organ
ization and deciding upon a definite
plan of work. There should be presi-
dent and secretary, who should be ex-
O61cio members Of board of trustees,
or executive committee, fairly repre-
sentative Of all interests and localities,
and this board or committee should
supervise and direct the work Of or
ganization. There would be no neces.
sity for frequent meetings or much ex-
pense after defraying the first cost of a
suitable little phamplet, setting forth
simply and truthfully the county's
resources and industries, climatic ad-
vantages, means and cost of transpor-
tation, rate of taxation, school facili-
ties, cost of land, and in general such
facts as hOmeseekers of moderate
means would desire to know. 1t
would, Of course, be necessary for the
organization to pay for the publication
of the pamphlet in the first instance,
but the treasury could and should be
reimbursed for this expense by the
sale Of copies to individuals. The free
and indlscriminate distribution of such
matter generally avails but little. Any
citizen DESTROYS Of acquainting nom
resident friends with the county's ad-
wantages ought to be quite willing to
pay the few cents-four or five per-
haps-which would be necessary to
pay for the pamphlet and the mailing
of ii. If he is not, he can hardly be
considered public spirited. For copies
sent out directly by the organization
in response to inquiries, or otherwise,
there would of course be no charge,
but for the time being, and with limi-
ted means, the larger number could be
most effectively used by individuals
DESTROYS of interesting their friends in
their respective localities.
THE ISLANDER will be glad to re-
ceive suggestions from any one upon
this subject. It is none too early to
agitate it il any effective work pro
bono publico is to be accomplished this
winter. The business men Of Friday
Harbor might very well take the
initiative by calling meeting here
some time this month and inviting
representatives from every locality
where there is q postoffice.