The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-14
OF COMMERCE. NOTES.
Why Advertise sumter? Why do
American Cities Advertise?

cause other cities are doing it: By
no means. No more SO than one
merchant should advertise because
another does SO. 1t would be very
foolish for John Smith to advertise
his business if he is perfectly salts
fled with the business hc now has
and especially if he expects to retire
from business shortly. II he has 40
decided convictions on the subject
and can see no use in advertising. his
time and money would be wasted. 1t
is more than likely that he will be
out of business in very short time
whether he desires it or not Some
one OF these days a big department
store will come along and gobble up
his business. He will probably won
der why and will in all probability
become a town knocker. There are
found these business wrecks all along
the highways Of industry, men who
were perfectly satisfied with what
they had and were not willing to
keep abreast of the times.
There is little difference betSeen
cities and individuals. The towr tina.
is satisfied with what she has and will
not strive to advance must be sats-
fled to see other neighboriny cities
not only pass them in material ad.
vancement but in fact take from
them that which they have. The man
who has something to be prous Of is
just as proud to tell Of his y ,sse ssion
to his friends and neighbors. The
merchant who has remode!ed his
store and placed ukerein new line
of goods Immediately gets pusy IN
advertising this fact 10 prospective
customers. How noticeable is the
fact that the merchants who are
building up their business from year
to year are the ones who are p'ocing
in new improvements and larger and
better line of goods and advertising
that fact while those who are rapid
ly falling behind are those who have
been contented with the same old
line and the same old dirty. dusty
store. These men rarely If ever ad-
vertise. They are quite satisfied with
what they have but it is doubtful if
they will have that very long. You
are sure to find that these same men
are just as we'll satisfied with their
home city. They never want i'm
provements. They are sure to be
found fighting against every proposed
bond issue for public improvements.
They object to every change in the
form of their city government What
father did is good enough for them.
They rarely take the trouble to find
out what other cities or communities
are doing. None of their arguments
are new. They are the same argu-
ments that were used by the same
sort Of individuals when Noah was
building the Ark.
If a merchant. then. wishes to
increase his business and has the
goods and store of which he is
proud, he advertises the same. If
Sumter has the goods to deliver to an
intending settler, homeseeker or in
vestor; goods i'm the shape of good
living conditions, homes. churches.
schools public buildings parks, lib
raries, streets and stores; facilities in
the way Of railroads. factories. whole
sale houses, fertile soil and general
| good agricultural conditions: banks
and ready capital and a public spir-
tied citizenship; then Sumter is ready
to tell the world about it and to in
vite the stranger to come and to help
in the work Of building better and
a greater community That is the
spirit of city building. 1t means
work. constant work at home, and
1t means the constant telling or ad-
Vertlslng the real worth of your city
, abroad.
Says the Detroiter, mo man will
consider locating in city or a com
munity unless it has been brought to
his attention through some medium
In pleasing manner.
The man with ambition, with good
red blood in his veins. does not locate
In Sleep Hollow, nor will he stay
there should the chance Of fate make
IL his birth place. He is looking for
business opportunity-the one best
place, viewed from all angles"
Town Development gives the A. b..
e. OF Municipal Advertising as fol-
lows: There is no essential differ
ence between the advertising of a