Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-02-10
NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING.

FolloWing the lead of the progress
sive merchants of Hood River, the Sa-
lem Business Mems League is taxing
steps to discontinue practically all
publicity schemes except advertising
in the local newspapers. The move
ment is particularly intended TO put
an end to the expenditure Of money
for advertising on calendars, time
cards. hotel registers, and the like.
The Capital City merchants argue IN
favor OF newspaper advertising, that
1t brings direct returns and keeps at
home money that would otherwise be
paid to travelling agents or sent EAST
.to.the detriment of local business.
While these merchants may be car
rving their movement little too tar,
it cannot be disputed that their argu-
ment contains certain amount OF
merit. Probably better course would
be to adopt a plan similar to that
pursued by the Dallas Merchants Pro-
tective Association, which considers
various advertising schemes presented
by strangers and lends its approval TO
only such as seem worthy OF support
While the Observer Is willing to
admit that there may be a certain
amount of value in some forms or ad-
yertising other than that printed III
newspapers, it believes that the mos'
effective publicity of all is an intelli-
rently-written, attractively displayed
advertisement in the columns of the
local newspaper. Supporting TINS
opinion are the experience and testi'
monials of every truly successful mer'
chant in the United States. II news
paper advertising were not the mos
effective and profitable, the great busi
ness firms of the country would not p'
found steadily abandoning other torm
of publicity in its favor.
The merchants of Hood River, ore
gon, carry more inches of advertislhI
in their local newspapers than ar
carried by the merchants of any othe
interior town in the state; In fact
they are running the big department
stores of Portland a close race In tn
amount of space used each week. The
find that 1t pays Eastern mail orde
houses find little encouragement i
the prosperous Hood River Valley, an
the business men say that few OF thei
customers go away from home I
trade. Notwithstanding the fact tina
Portland is only two hours distan
with a half dozen fast trains runnin
every day. Instead of permitting tn
trade which rightfully belongs t
them to slip away, these merchant
advertise their bargains and constant
widen their circle of customers d
their home county.
AS the Observer has often remarked
the tendency of the times Is towar
Capitalization in all lines of business
The constant trend is away from tn
country towns and toward the large
cities. This condition accounts for TN
enormous and rapidly-increasing pat
ronage enjoyed by the big departmer
stores. The only way for the mel
chants of the interior towns to hol
their own against the city stores an
wealthy mail-order houses is to hgf
them with their own weapons-moc
ern stocks and liberal advertisin
People buy of these city establish
ments because the city merchant tel
them what he has to sell, what i
charges for II, and why IL Is TO the
interest to buy ii. In other words, !
makes the task of buying compari
lively easy. by assisting his custome
to make up their minds what the
want There Is no reason why q
smaller merchant should not pursue
like course.
The average man or woman wou
rather buy of the home merchant tha
10 purchase from a stranger. II
true that there are a few people
every community who think nothir
is quite so good as that which com
from a distance, but fortunately. tn
class Is small The merchant, printe
baker or candlestick maker who keel
his establishment up TO date; who sci
good goods at reasonable prices, al
who lets the people know that
wants their trade. is not often foui
complaining of lack OF bushes
The man who asks the people for the
patronage is usually the man who gt
It. and the experience OF successf
merchants the country over has prov
that the best place TO make that !
vltation public is in the columns
the home newspaper.