The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-08-07
MARK iWA|N'S JOKE .
THIS. ONE HAS A MORAL AND 1T
SUGGESTS A SERMON.
The Text is Advertising and the Talk
is on How to Catch and Hold Home

The Text is Advertising and the Talk
is on How to Catch and Hold Home
Trade.
Mark Twain is an inveterate joker.
rs uIot people have discovered. but
very often there is Il distinct moral to
one of his jokes which does not re-
qllire to be labeled: 1t can he seen
with the naked eye. Man, years ago
the now famous humoriSt was editor
Of the Enterprise. newspaper pub
lished at Virginia City. New, One day
he received letter from subscriber
who appeared to be u bit superstitious.
The subscriber explained that he had
found in bis copy of the Enterprise
that week live spider. and he wanted
TO know whether that mean, good luck
or bad luck Editor Mark, who was
plain Sam Clemens ut that period, sat
himself down and wrote brief reply
in his ANSWERS to Correspondents"
column. THAT spider" he said. was
merely looking over the columns of the
Enterprise to find out what merchant
doesn't advertise in his home paper.
The spider wants to go and spin its
web across the door Of that mans
place OF business, so that it may have
a long life of undisturbed serenity"
This is the age Of" advertising. If
you doubt it. just take note Of the fact
that up to few months ago the circu-
.lation of the leading mail order month
lies of the United States aggregated
25.OOO.O0O copies. Why? The "litera-
ture" contained in most Of such publ
cations is not Of high class, and there
is no such enormous demand for that
class of journals merely for reading
purposes. Their circulation had been
pushed by various methods, in many
cases the papers being practically CIV
en- away to carry the advertising Of
big city establishments and smaller
catchpenny schemes to the town and
country districts. These papers with
their enormous circulation were sup
ported by. advertising. The advertis-
ing even paid for the white paper and
the expense of mailing. Advertisers
paid stiff rate because they were
satisfied Of the wide circulation Of the
sheets. They knew good thing when
they saw it, and they were willing to
pay for it.
1t is estimated that since the recent
ruling Of the postoffice department re-
garding subscription lists and sample
copies mo less than 100000 Of this
enormous circulation has been cut off
compulsorily. Many of the journals
with the biggest circulation have sus-
pended altogether.
The local merchant may congratulate
himself upon this fact, but there are
many reasons why he should not sit
down placidly and expect to get back
such patronage as the mail order peo-
pie have taken away from him. The
biggest concerns In the cities, which
thrive on trade from country districts,
by mail orders, print gigantic cata-
logues and distribute them with q gen.
erous hand. These catalogues carry
price lists and pictures and descrlp-
tions of goods which could not be
printed in mail order journals because
of the high cost Of space and the lack
Of enough space to accommodate the
printed matter The catalogues are III
nowise affected by the postal rulings.
Now that the mail order advertising
avenues are fewer than they were the
catalogue houses are sure to increase
their output of catalogues. They WILL
buy ND the names and addresses of the
defunct subscription and sample copy
lists ard food the country with cata-
logneS.
As remarked. this is an advertising
use. The home merchant, If he holds
his trade or hopes to increase 1t, must
be awake and active. Unless he takes
measures to keep his business and his
bargains before the eyes Of the peo'
pie dwelling in his trade radius ne
cannot expect prosperity. The home
newspaper is the one medium for dis
seminating publicity to the people.
Men, women and children In town and
country have acquired the habit OF
reading advertising matter to find
what they want. If they do not dis
cover In the home newspaper any
hints as to bargains which may be
seen in town with the naked eye, they
are inclined to take their chances on
purchasing by mail from the cata-
logue hints.
1t may be taken for granted that
most people prefer to spend their mon
ey in the home town If they can get
what they want at reasonable rates.
They are always on the lookout FOR
bargains. The catalogue people are
very we'll aware of this fact and they
act accordingly. To combat mail trade
the local merchant must realize this
fact and get In line with the spirit Oh
the age, which means that he must ad-
yertise.