The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-01-04
The Business Of 1899.

ue CLOSE Vi IOJC HlitFkS IL he w eFH
in the commercial interests Of Miller
and Hand County. Several new
business en- terprises were begun, the
population of both town and ,coun.
ty has increased, property has a
more definite value, and the general
indications OF Improvement and de
velopement are very satisfactory.
Conditions have materially changed
from the early days, in farming and
in business, but the people are adj
justing themselves to these changes.
That we have safely started upon
the upward road again seems reas-
enable to believe. This locality is
today upon a more substantial, SELF
supporting basis than ever before,
ard all we need to make this splen-
did town and county is a continu-
alton Of 1899. If this one years de-
velopment, now so manifest, should
be multiplied by ten, who would
there be to question the grand future
OF Miller and Hand county? And
ten years time has done more tn an
that for new countries, after the
proper basis for development had
been found.
On the prairies OF Hand County
the farmer, the stockman, the dairy
man, all in one, has caught the new
spirit of progress aud prosperity, al
ter his severe lesson in the school OF
experie nee. He is reasonably sure
now to work out his own salvation.
No less a change in conditions may
be noted in the communities COM
merciai life-in the shipments OF pro.
pucts, and the methods of doing
business which have brought this
locality close to cash basis. Inre-
viewing the past years business as
we square away for prosperous
last year in the 10th century, it
would not be very difficult for the
PRESS to convince it's readers or
patrons that the newspaper has been
a factor in these changes. Can any
one look at the results obtained by
merchants OF Miller, and then say
with any degree OF reason that adj
vertising does not pay? Ifthere are
any such persons they have simply
failed to investigate. Miller has had
more trade the past few months than
neighborlng towns, and has drawn
customers from q wider circle than
eyer before. Why is this? Simply
because her mer chants have adopted
modern business methods of low
prices, quick sales, good rustling,
and practical advertising. The old
days OF big profits when a man could
sit down in his store nd wait for an
occasional customer are gone. The
department stores have placed their
catalogues and price lists in every
household. They sell on close mar
gins and turn their capital often.
This has established condition
with which retail dealers everywhere
are confronted. We may not like it,
but it's he re. Miller merchants have
resolved to meet it, carve their
profits, turn their goods oftener, aud
rustic for trade.
The new spapers and printing bust
ness felt these changed conditions
some time ago. Daily papers drop
ped from 5 to cents, and metropol-
titan weeklies fell accordingly. The
Press used to get the common price
of 50 a year. To-day it is just one
half that price. Commercial print
ing felt the same change, and gradu-
ally close competition and modern
machinery have about cut prices in
two. There has been very little, ii
any, money made in printing in re-
cent years, by reason OF these
changes, but the condition had to be
met or quit business.
So it has been with about every
line OF business, and the dea'er had
to adjust himself to the new order Of
things, and stop the old credit
system. Where it is not done, the
people are still sending their cash