The Ketchikan miner., 1908-08-22
THE LOCAL PAPER.


 Wesley A. Stranger, managing ad vertser of the Office Outftter, Chi cago, recently made an address before body of retailers in which he called attention to the value of the local newspaper. He said in part: 1.-The local newspaper is the greatest thing the retailer has if he will use it right, but a large proportion are too prone to believe that the editor will take care of their interests whether they look after his or not. This is wrong. If merchants as class would only take advantage of their oppor- tunties that the local newspapers afford them they would reap rewards far beyond their fondest dreams.
 While self-preservation is the first law of nature, editors of local papers have habit of letting self interest go to the limit when it comes to question of serving the com munity. For this they arc entitled to recognition. which they rarely re- ceive.
 No doubt the retailers have en- couraged them as far as sentiment goes. They have undoubtedly said that they approved of the editors methods and called him ''good boy, !" but in how many cases have they fall en short in their real encouragement that counts? How often have they neglected to use his columns thinking that they were clever in it? ! In failing to patronize him they have killed the goose that laid the golden egg.
 "You must get behind your local editor and push for all you are worth. He gives you $2 back for every dollar you invest with him. He furnishes for you at his own expense one of the biggest assets you possess, the medium through wh ich to let the people know what you have to sell. Within recent years the mail order proposition has been somewhat bothersome. The editors of the country have done more than all others combined to win busi- n ess back into normal channels and to reconvert the farmer and general consumer to the logical belief in home trading. :
 ''The country editor refuses to take profits from your enemy even when the enemy will pay more than you will. He refuses to accept business from the mail order store in the distant city and even goes further by telling how superior the local store is to the distant one and detailing the advantages of buying at home.
 'Do not let it be said of your con- munity that you have let your editor S work go unappreciated. Use his ps- per. Make him prosperous and your self rich by doing so. If you have foolish ideas about the nonproductive- ness of newspaper advertising, throw them off and try it out. One try will prove nothing. If it is successful so much the better, but the constant use of the paper in an intelligent manner will produce the results.
 ''The best friend any business man in the world has. next to his wife, is the local newspaper, and if he doesn't get full value for his friendship it is his fault, not the editors. The editor of the average so-called country paper has done more to upbuild his town and retailers in it than all other influences combined, and it also fol- lows that as an honest and unbroken rule he is the least appreciated persvn in the community"
 In conclusion Mir. Stanger said that the country newspaper man does not ask for charity, but stands ready to repay the merchants 800 percent. on every dollar properly spent in adver- Using,