The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-04


Up to Date Local stores-Edueation
Is Greatest Factor In the Expansion
Of Strong BUSINESS Intsrssts-Tho
Age Of Advertising.
rcopyrtshted. 1slt by Thomas J. sulllvan.l
Kites rise against, not with. the
wind. The method Of the hustling mall
order house IS to plan with audacity
and execute With vigor. 1t sketches
out possibilities and then treats them
as probabilities.
Education Is the great factor 10 the
expansion OF local business interests.
Even the catalogue plays Its part, neg.
atyely perhaps, but none the less
surely.
One or two demonstrations are
enough. Experience advcrtises from
the housetops. 1t teaches the differ
ence between false and true values
and economies and judgment.
And the farmer is an apt scholar.
Once stung, the repeated appearance
Of the catalogue is bound to cause re.
volt not only In the philosophy Of the
victim. but in his entire social system.
r Farmer Recognizes Values.
The farmer is not poor appraiser
OF genuine values: but, being honest
himself, he can be fooled once.
After one good bunch he becomes
wary of catalogue artistry and spends
his cash boosting home trade and sup.
porting home merchants who do rot
sell their wares sight unseen and
never hand their patrons any green
goods disguised as bargains.
Trading at home Is more than mat
ter OF loyalty to home interests. 1t Is
matter OF individual self interest.
Every one Is bound to profit by the
community's success.
Clientele Not Particular.
The mail order houses have their
clientele or they couldn't flourish as
they do. but 1t IS not among particular
people. The trademark Of the genuine
belongs to prosperity, self interest and
common sense.
1t is to be acquired only by the buyer
OF guaranteed goods. aud It Is fact
that, guaranteed goods distinctive
enough to crafty the most fastidlous
tastes are TO be found In all III TO date
stores in all provincial communities
from Nome to Panama. 1t follows
the rule OF demand and supply among
Intelligent people wherever progress
and prosperity train together.
The catalogue houses are not passing
up any new advantage for the further
Ing Of their own Interests. Its their
business to keep awake.
Just now they are chortling with glee
over the parcel post business us 1t
affects their expensive output OF
printed matter.
By making freight shipments to dis.
tributing centers like Cincinnati. for
instance. they can take advantage of
zone rates and save large per cent Of
the former expense of mailing direct
from the home plant. catalogues con.
tanning order slips being rated as par
eel post matter.
Familiarity Breeds pistrust.
At first blush this looks like ire
mendous advantage and a bowling
boost. But there is still some sense
left In the ancient saw about familiar.
ity breeding contempt
1t also breeds distrust, and too much
catalogue is apt to pail on even the
simplest consumer In remotest Ar.
cadia.
At one time my sort of mail matter
was welcomed by the farmer as a dis.
peller of monotony, but the old order
has changed. and certain law OF the
I.atins beginning "Tempora mutantur"
Is coming in vogue again with venge-
ance when It pertains to the improve
ment OF farm conditions and the eyo-
luton of the farmer.
Catalogues Get Scissors.
The farmer nowadays subscribes for
reliable farm journals and buys good
books. his main source Of reading is
not confined, rs It once was. to the
almanac and mail order literature.
The big mulhcolored catalogues make
nice entertainment for the kids with
scissors. but there their utility will
eventually end.
However, this is an age Of advertis.
ing, and almost every article manufac.
tured Is brought to the notice of the
public through the use Of printers ink.
Standard goods are uaualty odr.r