The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-01-14
DOOMS HOME TRADE
Prosperity Week a New Foe to
Mail Order Menace.
BOOSTS LOCAL INDUSTRIES
Orininal Idea Of a Bright California
Girl That May Be Applied to Any
Town or Section With Lasting Bene-
f;t-May Become General.


fit-May Become General.
Did YOU ever hear Of prosperity
week? Perhaps not, for II Is some
thing new under the sun. 1t is an en-
rerprise Of November, 1908. III south
eyn California;. but 1t might just as
well be transported to and transplant
eli in our town or any town.
Some OF the New England and other
states have their old home week. when
former residents or expatriated natives
gather at the old home and spend Il
week III revisitng familiar scenes ana
talking over the past with the well re-
membered Oldest inha bitant who has
been there since the big snow OF 1916.
But that Is merely sent1mental-hhe
and healthful sentiment, TO be sure,
but nothing more Prosperity week Is
dne sentiment plus something more
substantial If Is Il practical PROPOSE
zion. 1t Is business proposition. lt
means more money in the pockets oT
the old home folks who are still doing
business at the old stand or at new
stands. In fact, 1t seems l general
Iiyening up OF interest in the home
place from the standpoint OF trade.
Prosperity week as designed by It's
originator Ia Il business booming week,
Z home trading week 1t means much
to the community concerned In the
way Of the patronizlng Of home indus
rriea, and 1t means something to the
mail order concerns Of the big cities in
the way OF falling off in patronage.
Prosperity week was invented by
young woman in Los Angeles When
she suggested to the chamber Of com
merce that q week be set aside under
that designation during which every
body should make a particular effort
20 buy only bone grown products and
trade only with local merchants. cut
ting out mail orders altogether. the
bright idea was adopted promptly. and
the week beginning Nov. 16 was 50
DESIGNATED The result? Well. imme
dtatsly the idea took hold. and thou
sands Of citizens entered with enthusi-
Asm into the project. The plan was
advertised literally In the home pa
pers. Committees were appointed to
work up interest Other committees
were named to devise ways and means
for creating hearty home trade SEN
timeat. Still others were formed to get
UP tangible methods of celebrating the
week, such as al exposition Of home
hat
Just what the local producers aud NAH
ufacrurers had to offer the buying pub
lie. the home people. their friends and
net8hbors In their own community.
And Secretary Frank Virgins Of the
Los Angeles chamber of commerce,
who has proved his ability in many
states as u boomer for his city. pro
nounced the girls proposition "A ten
million dollar idea" declaring that
prosperity week would benefit home
Industries by at least $1O.O0O,OOO.
Now, why is not this the genesis OF
Z practical proposition that should
take root in every community and re-
suit ultimately in defeating the dam
Eerous growth ard menace of the mail
order business. which is choking the
prosperity OF thousands Of small cities
and towns and rural communities?
Prosperity week can be applied to
any town, this town included If so
applied the result is quite likely to sur
prise many OF US 1t Is safe to say
that but small percentage Of citizens
know just what goods are produced or
manufactured In their own community.
By 4 concerted effort. a tangible show
ing such as might be made during a
prosperity week. the producers and
the consumers would be brought to-
SsEher. The home products would be
put right under the eyes and noses Of
the home consumers, so to speak, SO
that the gulf between buyer and seller
would be wiped out.
Suppose your town should get up
weeks exhibition Of home products.
The local merchants Of course would
be included in the displays, with
booths showing their special bargains
Tor the week and. for that matter, all
she year bargains. The butcher. the
hAker, the candlestick maker" all
would find ii profitable TO participate
in the display. Down the street may
be man who makes AK handles su-
pertor 10 the kind you buy outside Of
town, but perhaps you are not aware
that he Is making AK handles at all
Out in the edge Of town may be can
ming factory which Is putting up
canned goods that beat any you buy
abroad. From the smallest TO the lar
gest the manufacturers and the pro-
ducers and the merchants would come
in for their share Of the showing, and
prosperity week should give the mail
order octopus a twisted tentacle-the
one that reaches out to grab your com
munity by the neck and throttle it
while your home enterprises would
get an Injection OF the elixir Of life.
Who viii start the prosperity week
plan for Us here at home:
The Billboard Fight.
Pleading progress in fighting the bill
board is reported from all quarters.