The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-15


II IL proposed 10 raise money for TIE re-
lief of the sufferers. That isn't SO bad
but the subscription collector - no sooner
out OK the store than a man comes in 70
tell how some committee has been formed
OF puhiic-spirifed citizens TO start some
kind Of q bureau. or TO advertise the city,
OF to do something else which is always
to be Of great benefit to the town and
especially to the business houses.
Tn such cases we go down into our
pockets and dig up without a murmur-at
least. audibay A half hour later. just
as the days business gets under way.
some committee from charitable or social
organization comes In with subscription
list. which means anywhere from So to
$40 more in cash. II the day passes with
out visit from some advertising bureau
or the space solicitor for some semi-pubiic
advertising scheme We count /, lucky.
When there's q convention. conclave or
assembly OF Sunday school workers or
secret society members tae inevitable sub
scription for entertainment purposes has
TO be made. These people are def and
polite. some Of them. in their ways OF
reaching the business mans pocketb,ok.
Frequently the women OF the order will
get together and publish a convention pa
Per. with heavy reading matter Of the
high-schcol commencement essay style
and big spaces for advertisements which
are always TO bring Us big business. The
ordinary cost OF visit from such a COM
mittee Is anywhere from SO TO SIS. Now,
I have watched this thing pretty carefully
for years. and l want to tell you that In
conventions like these lucky Is the house
that gets a tithe OF its subscription back
IL could go on for an hour without COW
ering the endless variety OF organized
raids en- the business mans pocketbook.
Not long ago the women OF some little
town down Sound. ws'il call II Boomvilis
on the Skag.s. took possession OF the
Boomviiie Weekly Clarion and got up 4
special charity edition for the Boomvilie
crphanase. Straighsway a committee 81
three came to Seattle. They told us that
the Boomvilie women bought all their
nnery ana stun OF the Seattle merchants
that towns nearby got none OF their trade:
that this was the Undertaking Of their
lives, etc. etc. I'D lib Net result OF this
talk. q demand for 80 for space In the
special edition Of the Carton-penaity fer
refusal to disgorge. . boycott; by the wo-
man Of Boomviile-
Now I venture to say that Boomville's
trade with most OF Us would no, agxre-
gate more than $50 In a year. In nine
cases out OF ten such people ara never
seen in the store except when they come
after subscriptions or want TO soil you
advertising space. I know 81 = hotel
where q convention committee got 50 Tor
an advertisement In q swo-dsy edition Of
their convention paper. Two OF the out
og-town visitors went 10 tho house ana
asked for a 5accnt room between them.
There wasn't roesn In the house for
which the hotel charges less than $50 per
day That's the return the hotel man
got cut OF Il. The next time tho con-
vention was held here the hotel man de-
ciinesi 10 give up So Then they boycott
ted the hotel after half OF the delegates
had gone 20 private houscs 20 step. 70 save
expenses TIE hotel man. On ne stood
1, with sorsltu9e and is st.ll in the bust
ness
EHE sat in a box a: shs Seattle ,heater.
- and while the great Rcsenthai thrun-
med and tapped the vibrating heart
strings os the plane she reclipei In her
chair with hafs-cio@es. eyes Ecstacy was