Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-09-05
POSSIBILITIES or
COUNTRY NEWSPAPERS
ILLUSTRATED
Id Close Relation 10 The People Of The Vlllle
and The Countryside Makes II q
Nedlnm For NerehanlS,


with home AFFAIRS. Is that paper
worthy of patronage2 Should yot
place advertisements in III WIN \
beneflt you to secure It's favor
through advertisements on It's pagesi
These are questions which MANI
a country merchant has asked him.
self when approached by the solicit
tor, usually the editor and proprie
tor, with an advertising proposition,
Let US consider. When spread out
beside the great city daily which
comes on the train from the metro.
polls It looks small and Of no ac-
count. II is dwarfed and insignia,
cant. The pages are smaller and
there are not 30 many Of them; the
wording of the reading may not be
equal to that Of the city paper; the
typographical work may be deficient;
its errors will seem more glaring
when you compare the two.
II Theodore Roosevelt wrote you
a letter, saying that he had taken
his stand against wrong because he
believed 1t was the proper thing to
do, and II at the same time. while
you were reading the letter, your
little son should come in and tell you
that he had broken a window pane
and was sorry for 1t, to which would
you pay the most instant attention,
the letter or the boy? We imagine
that you would look on your son and
heir with pride that he had the cOur-
age and manhood to tell you what
he had done. The letter from the
President would interest and please
you, too, perhaps, but little Johnny
10 your boy and he is a little fell
low, and he is right beside you,
doing what you would have him do.
Johnny Is not possessed Of the
stature and years of the President;
he has not the physical energy or the
teeth OF our chief executive. He
may never be as well known or great.
The fact that he broke a window is
reprehenslble, and the mere fact that
he came and told you was but proper
and notwithstanding wonderful
In It at all. But Johnny is bone OF
your bone and flesh of your flesh. II
your heart, Johnny is of more inter.
est to you than even the President OF
this nation.
So with the country paper and the
city publication. The people may
take both. They peruse columns on
columns Of reading, skipping from
page to page with interest. They
like to know what is going on in the
great world. But the little p: pei
holds for them a nearer interest. In
it are chronicled the little homely
details of their neighbors and them
selves. 1t may not be so powerful,
so large. so important to the world;
1t may not be so wise, so skilled in
augmentation. But It is a chronicle
of things at home and it holds a
closer relation to the people of the
village and countryside than the big
city paper can ever obtain.
This being the case. 1t behooves
the country merchant to recognize
the possibilities of the country paper.
One man may differ from his grocer's
opinion OF the President, and still
come to the store for groceries. But
II one man smites the merchants
son carelessly, he and the merchant
are not as a general thing on ami
cable terms. The boy and his welfare
are of vital interest to the parents.
AS to the President, there is always
room for argument in calm and
dispassionate way. Your opinion Of
the city paper may not be the same
as that of your best customer, but
you do not find fault with one an
other about that; but the country
paper is right with you, and when
one espouses its cause 1t becomes
more of personal matter. 1t is a
part of the town family.
Now, what is the attitude of the
little paper on your business? How
does 1t stand on the matter of the
parcels post, the catalogue house
trade and similar matters of impor-
lance to you? Have you ever talked
1t over with the man at the head :.
Perhaps he does not understand the
matter clearly. Possibly his back
bone Is weak. Once in while he
may get an advertiser ent from out
Of town while you do not patronize
his columns.
We believe that advertising is vi.
tai and that the merchant should use
the means and instruments within
his reach for his own benefit. The
serves double purpose-it gives you
the support of the paper In a bust.
ness way and 1t brings your business
to the attention OF the people who
may be customers of yours.
Too many merchants consider only
the first OF these two purposes, and
the result is that their advertise.
ments are poorly displayed and poor
ly written, too.
"Oh, put in John Smith, Fancy
Groceries,, and let It go at that"
some merchants are apt to say. You
have bought space not for advertis-
ing purposes, but to support the
paper" and keep it loyal to you. The
first thing for such a merchant to
do is to consider the worth of ad.
vertislng. 1t is unquestioned by
those who know If real advertising
is of value, why not put some of II
In that barren space you have pur-
chased? The publisher will be glad
to have Il nav YOU. for IL helps him
to have his advertisers realize some
thing from their spaces.
The next thing is to prepare your
advertisements properly. This is not
so difficult as 1t may seem. A little
effort and time and thought and you
may produce a very creditable line
of advertising. The main thing is to
remember that you wish to talk to
possible customers. A plain, homely
conversation in advertising space at
tracts attention. Your store has