Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
FuIIerss Big POstofice Box.

FuIIer's Big POstOffice Box.
Howard NJ. Fuller, city editor of the
Peoria Journal, one of the old reliables
of the profession in the state, dropped
in to say hOwdy to the pilot of this
pedestal of piffle yesterday. His paper
has Joined with the New York Herald
and other leading newspapers in con-
Quoting a straw vote canvass on the
presidency in several central states.
Fuller has a force of seven assistants
accompanying him on his tour. Folks
as rule may not take much stock in
straw voting, he says, but a similar
canvass carried out four years ago I'M
der auspices of the New York news
paper proved surprisingly prophetic of
the results registered at the polls.
Brother Fuller has his own ideas of
the newspaper business gained through
years OF experience, not all Of which
has been a pathway of roses.
Some years ago l got notion that
I would like to become a country pub
Usher" said Fuller Il had always
envied the man who had only one is
sue a week to print. So l took over
a plant in a small Illinois town. AS
you may know, the selling price was
low. The subscription list. according
to the records, was 500 That looked
encouraging for starter. l was green
to the business end of a newspaper, all
of my previous labors having been con-
fined to the editorial department. The
man from whom l bought the paper
took me to the postoffice and suggested
that l rent one of the larger boxes in
which to receive my mail. l adopted
his suggestion. All the work on the
first issue l did myself. l even wrapped
the papers and carried them to the
pOSUOftice. The next few days l real
lied why l needed the big box. 1t was
filled with my own papers, all re-
turned unclaimed. l don't believe there
was a single paid subscriber in the lot
There was another weekly in the
town. l was told by the merchants
from whom l solicited advertising that
one paper was alLthe town could stand.
was desperate. 1 met a saloonkeeper
one day and he asked me if l would
run an advertisement for him. l al
most embraced him. Four others in
the same business followed suit 1 also
got their job printing. The income
was barely enough to give me an even
break, with me doing all the work. !
One day a merchant who had turned
me down on advertising called me into |
his store
My friend he said. Don't you
know you are making a mistake print |
ing saloon advertisements? The peo- !
pie here viii never support a news |
paper that carries such business
If one Of those saloonkeepers came |
to your store and ordered a suit of |
clothes wouldn't you sell it to him?' !
| asked. The merchant said he would. |
told the merchant my columns were
open TO his advertisements, but he |
would not give me his business.
Neither would the others I went |
along for few months, had a chance |
to sell and let the plant go, and hied !
me back to the city. didn't make anv
money on the deal. All l lost was a
lot of sleep.
I made one discovery, however. and
that is that newspaper can't operate
without paying subscribers and gener-
Gus advertising patronage, and where
papers are not conducted as cleanIy as
they might be in the character of their
advertising it is not always the fault of
the publisher. It is the fault of the
merchant who refuses to recognize the
paper as an advertising medium. It
III becomes your business man to CON
1emn the newspaper for accepting rev.
enue from the source that he gladly
axes it from"
WE were complimented the other
lay by an estimable local clergyman
1n the moral pointed in an interview
printed in this column last week with
The Girl at the Pie Counter" The
minister said he enjoyed the story be-
cause it was SO forcefully and pithily
old. He envied the writer for his
attitude, claiming that he would not
iare to be so plain spoken in employ
ng the same subject in a sermon from
lis pulpit because It would not meet
With the approval of his congregation.
The good brother may be correct in ,
lis deductions, but If we were in his
shoes we'd break the ice, even at the
'ost OF censure. For, after all, it's the
lnvarnished truth that sinks in. II
nay hurt during it's recital, but we
Invariably feel better for having en- f,
lured II after the shock subsidies. Go ,
o II, brother.
DURING the funeral OF n wealthy ,
ldzen In southern Illinois town ,
lanes broke out I'm the church and the i
erVfce had to be shortened. Many of ,
he natives are said to have taken the
'laze as cruel reminder Of what the ,
eceased had before him on his Journey !
ence.
CONGRESSMAN Jim Mann declines Z
visit his district until after the pri- ;
nary. II he is TO be walloped Jim an :
arently believes that the shock will be
1ore easily borne far from the scene OF
elivery. Inc