Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-12-13
THE NEWSPAPER AND THE COMMUNITY

The circulation of the Daily Capital Journal Saturday
evening was 42OO Of these in round numbers 2200
circulated in Salem and 1000 to mail subscribers. This
was not an unusual rum no orders for sample or extra
copies were filed and it only normal day IN these
respects
The CAPITAL Journal is proud of its steadily growing
circulation which it believes is the largest in the state
outside of the city of Portland The people of Sae too
should take pride in the fact their newspapers are at
last taking their place in keeping with the standing OF
the CAPITAL City of the state the second in size and COM
mercal Importance of Oregon. They have not always
had this position perhaps never before since the old
pioneer days.
The press of this country is it's greatest influence, and
towns and cities are coming to be judged by tne news
papers they maintain They reflect the political and
moral character of community and are the tues ndeX
of it's business activity dead town cannot boast OF live
newspapers !,
receive from the city in which they published They
are payroll businesses which gather up their cash receipts
from large of country as they grow ana expand
and dsbuse them in the city Of their publication AS their
circulation extends further from the central point they
interest the readers in the business houses the stores
shops and industries OF the city, its markets and It's ad
vantages 1t is natural for the regular readers OF Salem
newspapers to feel that Salem is the business center OF
the territory in which they live. That trade in a
constantly growing volume for the advertising merchants
of the city 1t helps the nonadvertiser indirectly,
but the advertisers have the satisfaction not only OF
promoting their own business directly but also OF con-
trbutg the general prosperity by assisting to broaden
the usefulness of the newspaper which is the publicity
agent of the community Saems trade area would have
been larger had it's newspapers been stronger and bet
ter in the past.
A circulation of 1900 daily means family of 2lOOO
regular readers This too is only the beginning If the
business interests of Salem to realize the advantages
of strong, clean newspaper advocate as they should.
The people generally appreciate newspaper worthy OF
the name and their subscriptions is the best evidence OF
their loyalty but subscriptions alone are not sufficient to
meet the heavy expense of newspaper publication The
Capital Journal is good newspaper in many respects,
but it should be bigger and better and have much wider
circulation. This will be its future if the cupport OF
Salem justifes tiff the business interests come to
realize, a majority Of wide-awake communities has,
the value to them of such an institution
But large number of Salem business men, profes-
sonal men and manufacturers do not seem to care
whether this city has newspapers or not They never
patronize them and their loyalty to home institutions is
minus quantity except when their income is
cerned
"TIy Salem First" is the Commercial Club slogan,
but long Salem people and the people Of the sur
rounding country read Portland newspapers filled with
the advertisements of Portland stores such slogan will
have little effect. To make Salem grow there must be
civic pride and united interest in the things that belong
TO Saen-unswervng loyalty to its business and indus
trial interests and positive faith in its future.
The Capital Journal has shown, under adverse condi-
ons due to business depression that newspaper can be
built up here which the people will read Its success up
to the present time is, however, only indicative OF
the still wider influence and circulation it should obtain
il those who will be benefited by it directly and indirect