The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-18
'O[D TOWN WlR|NClUP
msrohants WIN Advertise Prices
In Home Newspaper.
Thss editsrs Hints 40 to Hew Mail
Order Houses explicit Their Wares
start Two Local storsksspsrs On =
Campaign te Recover Lost orsund.

March winds being abrond, the little
group Of old neighbors was glad to
gather around the big stove In the Of
flce or the Grand Central hotel. Near
" every town, you know, has d Grand
Central hotel, and this was just an av-
eraGe town. SO chilly was the wind
that even the newspaper editor stuck
by the stove instead of going to the
depot. as usual, to see the evening train
from the city come In.
"Yon'll miss some personal items for
your paper. Tom" remarked the doc
tor.
mot likely" the editor replied. "This
old town has grown 80 dull Of late that
scarcely anybody from the city stops
or here, and since the mail order
houses have been doing so much ad-
vcrtlslng in these parts It's not neces-
sary for anybody to run up to the city.
They can Just stick a postage stamp
on an envelope and order what they
want or what they think they want
though they don't, always want the
goods after they see them"
"Ilave to take 'em. though" com
mented the hotel clerk
"Of course. since they're already
paid for. IT'S like the way we used to
trade pocketknlves, unsight unseen.
you know, when we were boys. But
prefer to see what buy before.
hand" t,a,4t.4,ttt
What's that you say about these
mail order houses adyertlslng:" asked
the dry goods merchant. IL haven't
seen any of their ads, In your paper
"No, but If you would keep your eyes
peeled, as man in your line OF blisi.
ness ought to- you'd find out that these
big city houses are simply flooding the
country with price catalogues an inch
thick and as long as the unabridged
dictionary; also they're advertising
In all sorts Of cheap skate weekly and
monthly periodicals called mail order
papers, which circulate for about a
dime or quarter years They print
their prices--don't forget that-and It's
easy to ORDER"
The dry goods man looked little
uneasy.
eyes," continued the editor. "the mail
order people print their prices right
there, with the descriptions of the
goods. Did you ever take enough
space in my paper to print the price Of
a yard OF dress goods or suit OF
clothes or anything Of that sort?"
"well, keep n standing ad in your
paper all the year around"
''Yes, that's true. but what does your
nd. say? Just this. Jones & Thoinp.
son. dealers In dry goods, clothing.
hats, caps. boots, shoes, etc. Now.
what do you expect? Doesn't every
body know that you're n dealer in
those things: They can read that
much on your store sign. Nearly ev.
cry family In this town ana neighbor-
hood takes my paper. II you would
print some OF your prices special bar.
gains now and then. for instancc--i
rather think you would get quite u
few of these orders which now go out
by mail"
The dry goods man sat thoughtfully
for few minutes. Finally he thrned
to the editor.
"How much space does our ad. take
up in your paper now!"
"Two inches. single column"
"Well,N begin this week ana make II
half column double. Wen print
prices to beat the band. We've got
goods down In our store that are right
up to date, and our prices are not so
much different from the mail order
prices as to make II worth mans
while to walk past our store and
patronlze the postotiice. On some
things we are lower than the mail or
der houses. and the goods are right
here for inspection. I've been think
ing this matter over lately myself, and
hereafter Jones & Thompson nre 60
ing to do some advertising OF the right
sort. l had q talk with Bob Rhodes
about this. ana he gave me some
| IDEAS"
"poor old Bob!' said the doctor.
"Why, he's been making this town ms
grocery drummer for ten years. but
lie told me last month that he had to
cut us out because so many folks pat
ronized the mall order houses that he
couldn't sell enough goods here "a
make 1t profitable to stop Off. He said
the farmers even bought their matches
by mail"
| Just then the door opened, and the
veteran Bob Rhodes stalked IN carry,
ing a suit case.
"Why. Bob, we thought you'd given
| rs the shake" said the editor.
"well, boys" replied the old drum.
mer, Il Just had to come around once
moro to say hello, but this will have
to be the Inst trip"
Look here. Bob Rhodes" spoke ur
Tim Wilson. the grocer, lyon come