Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-02
Close Of Its forty.Fifth Year.

With the present issue OF the PLAN
DEALER its forty-tifth year of publ
cation is completed. When its pub
lfcation was commenced in 1859, the
entire population of the county was
less than three thousand. Every thing
was new. The county was without
public highways; If any were estab.
lished they unobserved by the travel
of the public. Farm houses were scat.
tering, farms unenclosed and in driv.
Ing across the county the traveller
took his course and as much Gas pos.
sible kept On the ridges which were
usually dry and smooth. The people
were hospitable and kind, and though
their worldly store was scant, none
were refused shelter, or turned from
the door hungry. School houses were
rare and school children were not
numerous but the early settlers know
ing methiDg of the value of an ed
ucation were promptly providing the
means of its procurement, and now
take a laudable pride in the facilities
provided.
In engaging in the publication OF
PLAIN DEALER, the publishers did
not contemplate fortune from that
source, and in that they have not been
disappointed. They believed that
through the publication of paper de-
voted to the local interests of the
county and its people, they could aid
in its early development and in en-
hancing the general welfare of the
people. In this they fiatter themselves
they have not been disappointed. 1t
has been an official paper of the county
from its early publication and is so
now, having had liberal support from
men of all par ties, and has been patron
lied by every official of the .county
during their incum bency except two,
a supervisor of the first district from
New Oregon, and a recorder from
Saratoga. 1t is with no small degree
Of satisfaction that we allude to the
liberal spirit of the people who have
made Howard county their nome. The
business men of the county have been
its patrons in the line of job work,
and 1T still retains their work when
prompt services, good material, fair
prices, and excellent work is desired.
The merchants of our city see their
territory invaded by the mail-order
houses of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and
Chicago, who send their circulars and
advertisements broadcast among our
people, telling of the quality of.their
goods aud giving prices Of the same,
| which the home dealer can meet both
as to- quality and price, and could re-
tain this trade If they would use the
local newspaper press of their city to
spread these facts before the public
as fully es the houses which are,
through extensive advertising, sapping
their Legitimate trade in the local
field. While their policy is saving them
few cents each week that should be
given the press to disseminate the
knowledge OF their goods and prices,
they are losing dollars to enrich those
who are taking advantage of this
apathy. What has been the policy of
the PLAIN DEALER in the past, devo-
tion to the local interests of the county
first, politics and the outside world
last. will remain its studied and steady
course, with full determination to
serve all those faithfully who appre-
ciate ITS efforts and demonstrate it by
extending their patronage.