Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-03-05
Your Newspaper and Your Success


The publisher Of a country weekly
newspaper complains that he does not
receive the support Of the business In
| stitutions or even of the churches OF
his community, as he should be sup
ported. He points out that the loca
/ bank takes advantage of the law and
hunts out the smallest and cheapest
I medium in another town In which tc
| advertise its list of depositors, thus
meeting it's legal requirements but
successfully lodging the real purpose OF
the law. He declares that some of his
more prosperous business friends dc
not hesitate to take advantage of his
generosity on every occasion but that
they seem to consider any patronage
of Ills paper as benefaction. They in
dulge in luxuries in many directions,
but they seem never to have realized
that the newspaper is the most import
ant factor in the development. indus
trially, educationally and morally, of
the community.
Men of experience in newspaper work
instantly recognize the entire truth Of
the lament of our country ncighbor.
That has been, in the average towns
and cities, the experience of newspap-
er publishers from the smallest week.
ly issue to the mightiest daily of many
editions. Heads of institutions whose
success is based upon confidence and
whose growth depends upon keeping
high In public opinion, accept the ad-
vantage of free aid along both these
lines from their community newspaper
as they accept sunlight and northwest
wind--as their divine right. They urge
it and insist upon it, and seem to feel
that they have been robbed of some
thing, If the struggling newspaper
asks them to contribute to its welfare
by giving it due patronage, as it is
constantly contributing to theirs and
to that of the community at large.
In spite of these facts, few thought
full men of experience will deny that
the greatest factor in the general well
fare of community is the clean.
wholesome, dependable newspaper
Such a newspaper is constantly irn-
pressing upon it's citizens their civic
duties, and placing before them as
stimulus, inspiration ard example the
fine ard progressive things that other
communities are doing. 1t is setting a
high mark of citizenship; it is the
leading educational factor; it's influ-
ence is wider and deeper than that OF
any church; it is censor and eneour-
ager; it stimulates t9 action and in
spires confidence; It has big pastor
ate. and it feels It's mission before
men. It is always first to be called
upon to advance public enterprise and
is left to do 1t at its own expense, and
to bear the consequences of opposition
Cowper said:
The occupation dearest to his heart
was to encourage goodness.
These lines should be true of every
publisher and every editor. That Is
the big modern mission of the news
paper-human uplift, morally. spiritu-
ally, mentally. financially.
Business institutions whose strongest
do we'll to ally themselves closely and
firmly with the strongest newspaper in
their locality, for mutual benefit. Let
business concerns encourage their
newspaper along right lines by sug-
gestion, moral support and approval of
the good they do. For.
What encouragement Is there to ven
ture an acquaintance with the rash and
unstable? ?"-Bishop Atterbury asked.
Publicity is the right hand of infinite
power. 1t is feared by the criminal
moro than legal retribution. 1t is
courted by those who stand unasham-
ed on their records. 1t is the measure
by which people estimate character
and worth. 1t is the lever with which
business moves the populace.
And thus we arrive at the conclus-
ion that the industry, the wholesale
house, the department store, the bank,
the church, the corner grocery. that
today fails to stand before the public
intimately associated in its mutual
business relations with the leading
publicity agent-the best newspaper in
its fields missing some Of its great
est advantages on the rough road to
progress.
1t is only a few years ago that
churches and banks thought they had
nothing to advertise. Today they are
discovering that their very 1ounda-
ton lies In public confidence and pub
lie intimacy with their affairs.
The bank today which takes advan-
age Of a we'll meaning law and avails
itself Of the cheapest medium that