The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-16
RELATES A FABLE.
Kos Harris Lets Critics Find the
Moral.


Since the publication Of the statistics,
headed Wealth of Wichita" in Sun
days Eagle. several people have criti-
cised the figures and contents. Some
said estimates too small: some not
enough OF the industries; others that the
statement should have included general
estimate of the business. freight tonnage,
etc. which, by the way. would have
taken up two or three columns. One man
in business said his Zine was not men
toned at all
Now, know all men by these presents:
That 1 am not a banker. shipper, whole
sale or retail merchant, contractor, city.
county or state statician. newspaper gath
erer of news. railway manager or an ad-
vertising agent. Ny avocation is gener-
ally known, and as to facts / am simply
an observer.
II / belonged to any association of
men engaged in trade and commerce it
seems to me the facts as to what 1 was
doing would be so well advertised as to
be observed by an ordinary observer.
believe In the advertising of town and
county, just as 1 believe in commercial
Observation-Disclosures think the results are
the same.
1 do not believe 1t is the office of a
newspaper (simpIy because 1t is a paper
to advertise a town as q means of general
news. The association of business men
that generally look after a towns in
terests, Is n rule neglect the advertise
ment of the town as an entire problem.
1t will pay the Commercial club and
Chamber of Commerce as a pure business
speculation to use column of classified
business and wealth statistics and run At
by the year. and have the secretary SUI
pervise it and change it and publish COM
parative statements from time TO time.
For example, what was the tonnage in
1880. 1895. 1900 and 1903?
What were bank desopits?
What were retail sales, wholesale sales?
What did the stock yards and packers
do in these same years?
What did the millers, grain men do
from 1890 to 1903?
What do the people of Wichita and the
county know of these things TO tell about
or write about to their friends, acQuaint-
ances or strangers?
What does the outside world know Of
Wichita since 1890?
Greeley said the way 10 resume was TO
resume. The way to advertise is TO ad-
vertise.
I do not mean boom" articles, padded
statistics. or asserted facts that cannot
be proven. but what is meant is that
the truth be broadcasted, listed, drilled
and threshed, that we may market it and
get the real good OF II. The one hundred
mile circle circular gotten out by NJ. W.
Levy, Professor Isley and myself has
been copied in Oklahoma, Texas. Ne
braska and Colorado as to statistics.
Why was it copied? To steal an idea Is
sincere tribute to the genius OF the
original author.
The Wichita wagon wheel: A hub in
the center; q circle two hundred miles
in diameter, the hub" with eleven
spokes, reaching the circle; each spoke
lettered with the name OF railroad. is
an exact representation OF the Wichita
railroad situation.
Outside OF Wichita. who knows IL? No
other town in Kansas has the situation
every railroad in Wichita runs over
and across the same forty acres Of land
Does this suggest anything 20 a shipper?
Outside of Wichita who knows il?
To conclude this paper:
First-To whom II may concern: l have
not elected myself as ststistician. and
am willing TO turn over the JOB 70 any
one. and urge that a definite and system
attic plan be adopted to advertise
Wichita as 70 its provahle condition in
all things that will advance its property
Second-To those who criticise the
meager facts and low values IN the arsi-
Gle entitled Wealth OF wichita IN the
Sundays Eagle. I viii fable relate.
viz:
Once upon 2 time man ouilded
house. and a three-year-cld bull con-
planned 20 Jupiter OF the way the house
was built Jupiter looked The ihree-year-
old bull over and said 70 hin: Tie house
is not exactly according 70 my style OF
architecture. but you are rot entitled 70
jump on II until you have bEiided house.
or served al apprenticeship In plain car
peatry-" Nus HArSAs-
Wichita. kan. August Is. 800