The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-12-31


newspapers Of the state when these
activities were about to stop because
of the drought of 1919. This was
the gist of the discussion of Charles
D. Greenfield, commissioner Of agri-
culture and publicity. before the
Montana Association of Commercial
Club secretaries at BOzeman last
week, In thanking the secretaries for
their assistance in his administration
of the office. Greenfield spoke on
Montana Publicity" He said:
Montana Publicity, or to put 1t
another way, Advertising that Pays
the state, takes many different forms
and phases. But the foundtion of
whatever form this advertising may
take, to make it pay, must be truth.
You gentlemen have realization
that for four years conditions have
been such in this state that at least
a little ingenuity has been necessary
to advertise Montana in way that
would be truthful and at the same
time induce investments based on
confidence in the natural resources
of the state and its future.
Give Them New Ideas
illustrative Of just one phase Of
this publicity is what the department
did in the fall and winter of 1919-2O
and the spring and summer Of this
year, in the effort to overcome and
make people outside the state forget
the stories that were printed in many
leading papers about the drought, the
loss of livestock and the shortage Of
feed. The public in the mass is for
getful and while the individual will,
because he is directly affected, re-
member a sad experience. the general
public will forget it if you give it a
new idea.
Having this popularity in mind,
when the stories began to be printed
about what hard times Montana was
going through. the department turn
ed its attention to giving the reading
public something else to think about
in connection with Montana. Irri-
cation furnished the topic. There
was q great deal Of talk throughout
the state in regard to creating irri-
CATION districts. The Montana Irri-
cation commission was of recent crea-
ton, and there was the text. Under
an arrangement with the correspond
ent in Helena Of the Associated Press
when the department has a news
story about Montana it is possible to
get 1t in circulation in the Sunday or
Monday papers throughout the mid
die west. on the west coast and to
some extent in the east.
Optimistic Stories Put Over
During the winter the department
got into the newspapers some halt
CT Sn0 oh tHvf inn
opment in Montana and the proposed
developments. No reference was
made in these stories to the four
years of drought, eliminating in the
worst of any in 1919, but stress was
laid upon the opportunities for land
reclamation and what irrigated land
did and would produce in the way of
fed for animals and food for man.
There was another story in the same
connection dealing with the growth
in the number of silos, the value of
the Russian sunflower as silage, and
the tremendous production per acre,
with the number of animals that
could be fed during winter from
an acre of Russian sunflowers when
sliced.
Inquiries Pour In
within two weeks from the time
the first story was printed the depart
ment began to receive inquiries from
different sections of the country in
Quiring as to the prices of irrigated
lands. what land could be bought fol
that might come under ditch. and
similar queries showing the stories
had been effective.
Following the same idea. Just as
soon as it became sure that Montana
would have big hay crop. that the
range would be excellent in 1920, the
department in its weekly crop report
dwelt on these facts. These weekly
crop reports are sent directly tt
something like 500 individuals
banks and trust companies outside
of the state, and high railroad Off
Gals: The Introductory paragraph
covering conditions as whole, i:
sent by the Associated Press to man,
states. By tying the irrigation stor
les and the good hay crop stories sor
of together the department is of the
opinion the fact that Montana wa!
dry and with little animal feed il
1919 has lost it's bad effects, ha
made the drought stories somewha
misty in the minds of many. Will,
the stories of irrigation and big ha.
crops are fresh. This opinion is jus
titled by the inquiries about Montan;
which have come to the department
in recent months.
''NiOntana" Book Best Card
1.-The department has found tina
the advertising which brings tn
most substantial results is the circu
lation of the Montana book Thu
endeavor has been to make it inter
esting. so that the casual reade
would not drop 1t because it wa
dry and at the same time set fortl
facts about Montana in an indisput
able and convincing way. This bool
has been the means of inducing thu
investment of. l will not venture t
say how many thousands of dollar
in Montana securities. such as count.
and school district bonds. Some o
the largest banking. mortgage AM
bond houses in the United States ar
on the departments mailing list. How
they use Montana may be illustrat