Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-09-17
BY A B MCDONALD

BY A. B. MCDONALD
What is the Neosho Plan?" asked
William Bailey, a banker of Clarks
vile, Tenn, in a letter he wrote las
GUNNER to the Associated Adver
Using clubs of the world, in New
York City.
That is a plan by which the bus
mess men of Neosho, Mo, pooled
their efforts and brought the trade
of the farmers Of their county to
their town and held it there" an,
swered the secretary of that club
write to A. c. McGinty, or Neosho
he is one Of the big small-toWn mer-
chants Of this country and he will
tell you all about it."
Bailey, the banker, wrote to Me
Ginty, the merchant, and got this re
ply: "The Neosho Plan is too big a
thing to tell about in a letter. Come
out and bring delegation of bust.
ness men with you, and we will show
you the plan in operation"
Two weeks later McGinty received
this telegram from Bailey: owe are
coming on special Pullmon car to in
vestigate Neosho Plan. Party of 25
business men, the county farm advis-
or; several farmers, and Presby
terrain preacher for good luck"
The Golden Rule
The core Of Neosho is the brick
courthouse, in the exact center of
grassy square studded with trees and
inclosed with an iron fence. The town
pump, or rather, artesian well, for it
is 200 feet deep and flows con-
stantly, IS in this square; and there
is nearly always a group Of townfolk
round it with Jugs and pals and bot
ties, for it is clear, pure and limpid
a famous drinking water. Bordering
the four sid of this square are wide
streets, and facing them are four
blocks of business houses.
The visitors from Tennessee arrived
on a Monday morning, and they saw
of motor cars parked in the
streets of this town square and the
sidewalks and stores were filled with
country people. 7
Whats going on today?" asked
Bailey.
This is sales day." the welcom
inr committee explained.
as that para of the Neosho Plan?"
"A big part of it," answered Nc
Ginty.
The visiting business men saw sew
er5l things that day thew never could
have seen in Gainesville. For eX
ample, in Snvder's a farmer was ey
pair of overalls and found
tho price "7arked 80.
isn't tina the same overall We
saw over in McGinty's store marked
ore dollar?" the farmer asked his
wife.
"Why, surely it is" she said, and
thew both locked inquiringly at the
clerk.
"Yes," he said, chat is the
very same make, brand and ALL"
you don't expect me to pay you
fifty cents more for the same thing
do vau?"
'No sir, do not. You should buy
ovnralls today from that store. You
will lose fifty cents if you buy from
us"
ne OldEhSNlIle lHCECudDlS COulu
hardly believe their eyes and cars. A
merchant from the visiting delega-
ton exclaimed:
81 would never boost a competitor
like that. That's driving business
away from the store"
what would you do?" asked the
clerk.
"Pd tell them my competitors ov-
erall was shoddy imitation"
well" said the clerk with
smile, "under the Neosho Plan we
must never state an untruth about
competitor or the goods he sells. !"
A little later the visitors from
Clarksville We're in the store of the
Briggs Hardware company, and a
farmer came in and asked:
"Mr. Briggs, are those tires that
Kerr is selling today actually three
dollars cheaper than you sell them
att"
Eyes, that's fact" returned
Briggs.
Same tire?"
yep, same tire"
"And three dollars cheaper?"