Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-09-28
SHOULD MAKE BID.

Recently the advertising manager OF
one of the biggest mail order houses in
the country stated that it was the regu-
lar practice OF his firm to get copies of
all tho local or smaller city and country
neWspapers and ascertain how much ad-
yertising the merchants in their terri
tory did. II the merchants were liberal
advertisers, gave substantial support to
the newspapers and showed a proper
and intelligent appreciation of the value
Of printers ink, they regarded the terri
tory served thereby as barren" and
not very likely to he productive of the
best results. On the other hand II they
found that the local papers were not
used at sll, or only occasionally by the
local uerch ants his concern Immediate
ly commenced to BON bard that territory
with all sorts Of literature, pamphlets,
circulars and catalogues. He testified
that from an experience of many years
he had found that where the local news
papers were not patroni2ed his house
obtained its largest business.
This 10 altogether reasonable and is
doubtless an accurate description OF the
me thods generally followed by the mail
order houses of the country. They know
haRdssw from hawk.
The above tells the story of why
there 10 comparatively 80 little bust
ness going on among our merchants,
for the number Of people in the coun-
ty. Sequachee postoftioe is flooded
week after week with mail order cata
logues. The merchants here advertise
only 70, country produce, or perhaps
make few cut prices on groceries to
draw trade. Shoes. dry goods and
hardwar are never mentioned and if
they were would be touched upon on
ly iu general terms. The same is true
in other towns. Jasper and Whitwell
are covered with mail order catalogues |
and the evil is very apparent there, |
especially in Whitwell, where order |
after order goes to the mail order !
house, sapping the business life-blood
Of the place. We say life blood, for
the money earned from the tillage of
the soil Of Marion county. realized
from the sale of its timber, or obtain
ed from the disposal of its coal, is its
life-blood. and should remain crcula-
the county and from hand to hand of
its citizens. Sent to the mail order
house it serves one master. as far as
Marion county is concerned
And the people cannot be blamed for
sending their money when earned else
where. even to distant Chicago and
New York, when they have the sllur-
ing catalogue constantly laid down
before them. The thing to do is for
the merchant to wake up from his
letbsrgy and shout to the house tons
that he has the goods and wants to
sell them. Let them get ont monthly
price lists filled with comnlete lists Of
what they have to sell, with prices
Approximately what the mail order
house offers. 1t can be done, and
should be made matter OF earnest eff
fort Let them advertise, not so
much to take away trade from one an
other. but rather to conserve for them.
selves the dollar that is now going
hundreds OF miles away Advertising
3 AS much "a matter of trade ccopera
ion with them rs it is anything else.
If they advertise persistsntly and
thoroughly the mail order concerns
will top their practice Of homblrdinc
he section with catalogues. The in
'vitable result must be more business
or the country merchant He is los
ng hundreds of dollars nov. WHY
ant he make a bid Cor it, {