The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-08-09
THE EAST AURORA SHOP.
Concluded from frsl pagel

i~uCOIppidltu dt 81 ,VVui OVO, duu - Ndlu
to be prospering 20 a degree that
causes the less prosperous 10 Shake
their heads f%ore0Odingly. With the
exception OF 4 small amount spent to
advertise the Philistine among adver-
tisers, no money is apprOpria'ed for
publicity 10 regular channels, and the
volume OF business created 10y the
shops own publications and follow up
literature must average an exceeding
~ low cost per reply.
Tue hard-headed business man who
visits the Roy cruft Shop will he inn
pressed with it's cleanliness irst, and
then with the fact that it Is al ably
managed institution. Tie "girls"
are a busy lot, enjoying their work as
per the advertisements, but are not
any more fortunate than their sisters
in hundreds Of modern Offices and
work rooms They are very likely to
remind the hard-headed business man
Of rooms full of girls in his own plant.
Then, he will be struck by the fact
that the Roycroft Shop is. in some
respects, a ''Show place" There is a
distinct theatrical note outside of
it's economy and products, and IT. has
a lOng-haired side that will hardly
appeal to him. II he infers that this
note is a necessary part Of the trade
mark he win doubtless be right.
Coming to Hubbard himself, the
hard headed business man will recpG-
nize him AZ one OF his own kind. Trim
his hair and there will be little lett
but a well built man of forty-five who
writes forceful ads and vital little
essays, Stands upon solid ground and
goes largely according 10 the laws OF
arithmetic. His one dominant note
is eternal, unsuitable common sense
common business sense. lie writes
literature for business men-Short
essays for people who have scant time
to dig into the classics upon their
wi account, but who get opinions
from his impr~essionlstic sketches Of
great writer's, musicians and painters
10 the "Little Journeys and of
current events from the Philistine.
He does not dislike the Term ''ad-
vertising man, but admits that he
was an advertising man first Of all,
and that the Roycroft Shop owes
most of its success to principles that
DE learned as a ''soapmaker. Added
30 his knowledge that business is
Z most profitable when done direct with
consumers, is his belief that the
human family is not composed of
thieves and rogues, as our grand
fathers thought, but is made up of
the average man and woman, who
wish to be as honest as possible.
This belief underlies the ''sent on
suspicion" method OF selling RoycToft
books. Behind it is the policy Of
selling good goods and of giving a
triae more of a trife better quality
I than the customer has been led to
kaxpect. The Philistine and Little
Z Journeys" are well worth any mortal's
dollar, and the Roycroft books are
excellent books,
In writing he follows the principles
that can safely be adopted by most
adwriters. 1t has been said that,
we're Hubbard thrown upon his own
resources, lie would find the adwriting
field highly profitable. He writes
many Of the ads in the PhiliStine,
and they are SO vital that people read
the commonplace ines for fear they
will miss those that are not common
place. He makes a cardinal principle
of brevity, for he knows that readers
like much matter in a little space.
Unexpected turns of phrases give the
different" quality, and he believes
in giving readers credit for knowing
things that are somewhat obscure.
"Writing down. is not good writing,
therefore he never heSitates at using
an illusion or Illustration that will
help the ad or article, even though
he is morally certain that 1t will not
be understood by his whole audience.
II one reader In ten comprehendS and
enjoys an obscure allusion he will
explain it TO the other nine, or the
nine will hunt up the one and demand
explanation. While this principle
could hardly be followed in writing
the great mass of advertising, there
is no doubt but that it appeals to
persons of more than average lntelll-
gence. He also believes IN the adver-
Using value Of n e and ridicule.
All humanity relishes a "roast. y
Malice must not be present, nor is
vindictive abuse effective, but readers
like a writer who treats both sides of
a question, aud while they enjoy an
article that deals with men or insti-
tutions from the opposing side, such
articles seldom alter their real
opinions In The case Of the lavish
abuse aud rldicule that have been
leveled AZ the Royctcit Shop, be finds
that The ~'roast" brings a favorable
reaction-that, II your commodity is
a good one, no amount OF obuse can
hurt 1t, and that the reaction from 1t
has teDfold the advertising value Of
undlluted praise.
The Roycroft Shop now occupies
large buildings, and has a payroll Of
ST. 500 weekly. The circulation Of
the Philistine is said to be 100, 900