The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-08-31
THE RETAILERS BEST FRIEND.
A Trade Journals Tribute to the Coun-
try Newspaper.

From the Grand Rapids Furniture
4 Journal
Hardware dealers and retail
merchants in other lines can de-
pend upon the news papers to aid
them in their fight upon the mail
order usurper. The newspaper
Imam is the best friend the retailer
has. The newspaper man, the
country editor, especially, is en-
tirely unselfish in his friendliness,
too, and rarely is appreciated.
tOther friends are esteemed gra-
ciously, but the editor is treated
like stepchild.
The reason for this is that retail
merchants cannot seem to accredit
printers ink with the tremendous
power which it exerts. While in
realty it suggests, voices, formu-
lates and directs public opinion
to a greater extent than other
1agencies, the newspaper and the
editor receive less credit and ac-
acknowledgement than the preacher,
the Judge, the politician or the
teacher. BROADLY stating the sit
uation, the editor has the ability
to create and shape the opinions
of others to greater extent than
all of the other factors combined.
This is true in any community,
practically without exception.
| The newspaper should receive
due credit for what it accom-
Iplishes. The editor should be
encouraged in material ways be-
sides the giving Of moral support.
Advertising costs but little.
lCompared with what it returns in
Ethe way of direct and indirect
business it is the least expensive
commodity in the world. And
lido not forget that it is the EDITORS
only stock in trade. Retail mer-
chants should advertise with local
newspapers, first because the
newspapers are earning the graft
tude of merchants and should have
reciprocal treatment, and also be-
cause it pays to advertise.
/ The above was sent to The
| Leader by one of Brookhaven's
: most prominent and successful
merchants who has never allowed
political or other differences to
interfere with his appreciation of
the paper or it's editor.
What is said by The Furniture
Journal is as true as the Gospel.
For some months past, without
suggestion from any patron, The
Leader has been voluntarily carry
ing on campaign against the big
maiI-order houses of other States.
because we believed the policy of
patronizing home merchants is
not only better for the home mer-
chants, but that it is better in the
long run for the community at
large to keep at home-in town,
county and State the moEey that
4 is sent out of the State to enrich
those who pay no taxes and con-
tribute in no other way to the
! building up of local community in
terests. The greatest and most
|
direct beneficiary of such a pol
ICY, however, is the home mer-
chant.
It was therefore all the more
unseemIy though luminousIy IL
lustrating the mean side of human
nature-that regardless of what
The Leader was trying to do
: along this line and the good it
has accomplished in many
other ways for town and county,
a few Brookhaven merchants who
would be the largest beneficiaries
! of the the breaking down of the
mail-order business, were swift
tu boycott the paper and try to
r cripple its usefulness because it
didn't dance to their music on a
political question. One of the
smaller fry of this number who
was among the first to join in the
boycott and who still carries his
nose somewhat elevated and tries
to see something in the other di-
rection whenever representative
of this paper passes, not long ago
showed his special interest ID
what The Leader was doing
! against the big mail order houses
by bringing US good clipping on
, the subject and asking its publ
cation
Is Ehe Leader going to cease
J its campaign against the mail or
der houses and sulk and act spite
fully because some do not appre-
ciate what we are trying to do for
the good of home merchants and
the home community in generalg
!, Not much. We are not built on
! that narrow gauged, spiteful plan.
=
! Gates Will 60 to Hattiesburg.