The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-22
JUST WHAT WOULD
YOU THINK OF THIS?
Effort TO Boost Hatfield Develops
Unexpected Stir Through Adver-
tisements Falling in Peculiar
Position in Newspaper.

The closing hours of the weeks
business in the Office of The Star
Publishing Company were enllyened
last Saturday by the following let
ter:
Hatfield, Ark, Feb. II, 1912.
THE Star Publishing Co., Mena, Ark.
Gentlemen: Enclosed you Will
find two clippings that are self-ex-
planatory. Several of our custom
ers have brought their papers IN
and asked your purpose in printing
such statement. We do not mind
you watching us, but please leave
off your insinuation that we need TO
be watched. Enclosed you will find
a statement of the condition OF our
bank. Yours truly,
~. C. Allen, Cashier.
The clippings referred to were
not enclosed, and for a time there
was nothing discovered through the
haze that could let light on what
had caused the letter. Then, in
looking through the files of The
Weekly Star of February this line
was found in two places
Keep your eye on Hatfield"
That seemed TO be a clew to the
meaning of Mr.. Aliens words about
you watching us" but not to the
cause Of the offense.
These lines bore the Office mark,
indicating that they were paid for
to be printed in two issues, so The
investigation was carried into the
issue of February is.
And here is what was discovered
One was placed Immediately fol-
lowing a news item from Texarkana
telling of additional warrants being
served on John P. Logan in connec-
ton with the failure of the Grannis
bank, and the other was found un-
der a news item headed Needed
Bankrupt Law Badly" reference to
a voluntary petition in bankruptcy
at Hope. Ark.
Then the investigator saw some
thing Of a reason for Mr.. Aliens use
of the word "insinuation."
Tracing the matter still further it
was found that the manager of The
Pines Plantation of Hatfield was in
Mena recently, and was full of en-
lthusiasm over the fact that, as he
said, "they are just booming things
in our town; further remarking
that the paper did not seem to have
a good correspondent at Hatfield to
tell about how we'll things were GO
| ing. Then, TO call attention to the
town he was proud Of he paid to
have the two lines that caused the
trouble inserted in the paper
merely the act of man that want
ed the world to, in other words
"Watch Hatfield growl"
IT is needless to say he meant
we'll, and further, that the paper
has made a good many efforts to get
a live~wire correspondent at Hat
field, and stiH wants to get one.
These innocent lines falling into
the particular places was purely by
chance. AS is the custom with most
all newspapers, these little ads are
placed where. after placing the
larger items, the space left happens
| to be the size of the ads. And nc
one was more surprised than the
man who placed these ads when he
had his attention called to the con-
dition and the stir it had made. A
man doing that kind Of work does
not have time to read the type he
is handling in putting together a pa
lner anyhow.
Then again, the dash or mark at
| the bottom Of the articles was such
as to show that they were complete
in themselves and that what fol-
lowed had no connection with them
or course, the lines could just as
easily have happened TO follow some
story Of a towns great prosperity or
growth, or of how some bank had
doubled its business or increased its
capital stock. and everything would
have been lovely. Then again, sup
pose the story next above one or
both the lines had been about spinal
meningitis or smallpox or yellow fe-
Iver-then there would have been a
row for sure.
As TO the Bank of Hatfield, il can
be said that, like the hustling town.
It is not in danger of failure nor Of
voluntary or involuntary bankrupt
cy, and, moreover, it is worth
Watching 1t is young institution
with its capital stock fully paid,
with cash and sight exchange S23.-
80i60 and deposits sal, 26i02, ac-
cofding to its last report, January
20, 1912. And more than that, it has
men of standing and character as
officers and directors.
Now, just what would you think
OF such tempest in a teapot as
this anyhow?
Anyhow and nevertheless. and in
spite of it all. this paper will now
assert without pay or advertising
marks:
Keep your eye on Hatfleldw
It's live one-Watch it grown
O.