The Neshoba Democrat., 1921-05-19
What 1t Means To
Your Community

licity, once made the following adj
dress before the merchants Of IL small
town in New York, and what he said
said then is applicable now to mer-
chants everywhere:
"A country weekly newspaper do
ing business of five thousand dol
lars year is worth fifty thousand
dollars to the business and probes
sional men of the community, and
can he made worth one hundred
thousand dollars year to them. Ii
you don't believe that statement,
try to get along withoutyour paper.
TO talk about supporting" your
newspaper is about as damphoolish
as to talk about supporting a store,
a bank, or manufacturing enter
prise. You would'n be much In the
world If you didn't trade in a store,
have bank account, and have some
outlet for the energy OF the citizens.
Too many business men look upon
the local newspaper as an incubus,
"a sort OF cha rity. Yet the local paper
is as much a public institution us
the public library, the churches, the
hospitals, or even the commercial
club-with the difference that 1t
gives more direct returns In dollars
and cents to the individual and the
community at large.
When a business man advertises In
his local news paper, 1t is with
avowed attention of building up his
business; but he really also helps to
build up the town and every thing in
it. The professional man does more,
because his advertising helps the
town more than it does him-direct-
ly. The man, business or profession
al, who does not pay for his share
of the towns publicity, is u para
site, taking advantage OF his fellow
men.
Can't you tell what sort of town a
place is from the looks of it's news
paper? If the paper is OF the boost
ing sort, and is backed up by the
business and professional men,
doesn't the town get a reputation
for being progressive?
The newspapers stock in trade is
publicity. You would not go into Il
store and ask the proprietor to give
you a pair of shoes, for instance;
yet too often the publisher is asked
to give away his stock in trade-ad-
vertising for the individual or the
city-or sell it for less than cost. Ii
you could keep count of the demands
of this sort made on your publisher
every week you would laugh.
II "a business or professional man
were to appear before this club and
ask for more business, you would
ask him why he did not sell some
thing worth buying and why he did
not advertise.
In proportion to the benefits, in
dividual and general, advertising is
one OF the cheapest things in the
world. There are men who tell you
they do not believe in advertising.
DO you know why? They are con-
tent to gather up the crumbs that
fall from the table of the progressive
merchant who advertises his busi-
OF your stores advertises IL sale it
brings people into this town, their
buying instinct is aroused, and they
visit other stores. The advertising
gets direct returns, but the others
take advantage Of his expenditure
without cent of cost.
You expect your publisher to boost
your town as one OF the best on
Gods green earth. He is asked to do
things for which nobody will father
the responsibility. Every time there
is civic opportunity, you call on
him for help. You know the func-
tions and value of your newspaper
as well as do; 80 why elaborate?
Let me tell you, positively, that
even a mediocre newspaper Is a great
factor in the growth and advance
ment of community. There is never
time when advertising will not
pay. II you do not owe adebt of OBJ
ligation to your newspaper you owe
it to your community. The commu-
nifty has right to expect your CO.
operation in making the newspaper
representative of your community.
Every time your name is published
In list OF contributors to some
charity, that is advertising-freea ad-
yertising that the public give! cheer
fully, because it boosts the town.
Every bit of publicity produces di-
rect and indirect results for the man
who pays for 1t; 1t produces results
for every other business and prOfes.