The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-08-08
WHAT NEWSPAPERS
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
The Country Press Has Been Worth
Millions to the Lumber Industry

more and receive less in the way of
COMPENSATION than the editor of the
average country newspaper. He is
expected to be the mouthpicce and
personal organ of every cause in
which his community is Interested
rarely ever happens when local
organization for mutual benefit OF
the town in which he lives is to be
formed by few live, progressive,
but often very thrifty citizens, that
the cost of the necessary and aDso-
mtely essential publicity is paid to
the local editor. He is supposed to
be a charitable megaphone-and TOO
often he is-for anybody or any
thingt hat happens along.
The local merchant often feels
that the small monthly pittance dol
al nut in exchange for generous
advertising space, is like money do
mated to any charitable institution
orphan asylum or home for the
feeble minded. 1t rarely occurs TO
the local merchant, irrespective OF
whether he is dry goods mer-
chant. grocer or local retail lumber
dealer. OF simply an individual who
has decided that merchandising con,
s;sts in buying few goods ana
marking up a price without regard
~ quality OF previous condition OF
servitude. And this is often-too
often-the type of merchant ne mas
to deal with.
To succeed, the average couh'r!
newspaper man has to be- as wise as
serpent and harmless as doVe
The piea of many of the merchants
.uainst supporting country news
naper is based upon the theory tna'
s;ther everyone in the commuhi.!
Lnows the store is in existence, OF
thc bir mail order houses OF opo-
xape, Great Falls. BILLINGS oal'
Ike. Seattle Tacoma, Fortlahu'
San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago
New York, or Paris, are getting .nc
hns;ness. and hence advertising
would be probably OF little more
uaiue than a serenade at funeral
The editors OF the Inland En- pire
mot Mt Spokane on June y, and OF,
non;zed an association Tor mutual
Salnfulness. at which II was the
-laasure of the timberman eui.oi
~ no present. The resolution when
hits the nail squarely on the hcau
when a lot of maudlin sympathy Is
being extended to the mossback nier-
chant is to the point. Here IL Is:
1--WE further believe that the "eI-
chants of the small cities and towns
ore in measure responsible ior the
;nroads of the mail order houses up
IN their trade. Having the advaht-
ave of Immediate and personal con-
tact with their customers, they
should by adopting modern merchan-
dsing methods and through 'nteii-
ablet compete successfully with
smallmail order houses
The resolution also deprecated
the sending of money away 10 zen
various large cities when the eoous
can often be purchased at home ior
less money-believing that such
course is inimical to the developing
and upbuilding of the community
Sound. reasonable and logical doc
trine; but only country newspaper
men-who have bled suffered ana
died-realize the poignancy OF gricl
and shedding of crocodile tears ny
the average merchant who feels ina.
h;s hest interests are often served
nv sending away for his job WORK,
IN direct contravention to the policy
he is attempting to carry out for tne
benefit of the Nbwn-and aptly IL
Illustrating the difference twixt
tweedleum and tweedledee."
This now brings us up to the crux
of this article: What the lumber
manufacturing interests owe to the
country newspapers, and the poNoS
they should pursue towards them.
A recital of few of the active
campaigns which these powerful 10
cal organs for moulding public oplh-
ion have assisted to carry to sue
cess a..
The forest fire legislation of the
various western states was MADE pos
sible largely through their advocacy
of the cause,
without the cooperation OF the
country newspapers the strong ana
vigorous public sentiment which sns-
tains the efforts of the local state
forest fire associations, and the
broader and more comprehensive
work of the Western Forestry ana
Conservation associa ton would not
be possible. ,.,
In the passage Of the splendid
workmen's compensation law now in
effect in the state of Washington,th the
zeal and disinterested advocasy Oh
the country press was the real dom
inant power which forced this merit
orious piece OF humane legislation
through a none too willing leigsla-
iture. Backed by the ambulance
chasing lawyer, the casualty insur-
ance company, which fattens at the
expense of the injured workman on
one hand, and the imperative neces-
sites of the employer on the other.
The passage OF similar laws in the
various states can only be made pos
sible through the cooperation OF the
country newspapers
For reasonable and just taxation
newspapers of the state of Montana
Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Cali
fornia didt heir full share in the pas
sageo the amendmen ito the inter-
state commerce act, which guaran-
tees to every shipper the right to be
heard before his rate can be advanc-
ed. stable freight rate is as essen
tial to the manufacturer as stable
currency.
In the passage of the BOrah lrriga-
ton bond bill providing for the issu-
ance OF $2O,OO0.000 of. bonds to COM
plete the national irrigation projects
in the west, Sneatro Borah will bear
testimony o the Invaluable Service
Oneo the most common ailments
ina thard working people are af-
tlicted with is lame back. Apply
Chamberlain's Liniment twice a day
q L.. l. In