The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-08-11
THE NEWSPAPER AS
AS A CIVIC ASSET


before q meeting Of the chamber Of
commerce of Binghampton, N. Y, by
q noted student Of psychology
"A country weekly newspaper do
ing business of $4,000 a year is
worth $4,000 to the business and
professional men Of the community,
an can be made worth 100000 q
year. If you don't believe that state
ment, try to get along withouta . news
paper. To talk about supporting your
Newspaper about as damphoolish
as to talk about support q store s
as to talk about supporting a store, q
bank, or manufacturing enterprise.
You would not be much In the world
if you didn't trade in q store, have a
bank account and have some outlet
for the energy Of your citizens. Too
many business men look upon the To-
cal newspaper as an Incubus sort
of calamity. Yet the local newspaper
is as much a public institution as
the public library, or the commercial
club-with the difference that It gives
more direct returns in dollars and
cents to the individual and to the
tcommunity at large.
"When q progressive man adver-
tises in his local newspaper It is with
the avowed intention Of building up
his business; but he really also hopes
to build up the town more than It
does him. The man who does not pay
for his share of the towns publicity
is a parasite taking advantage of the
liberality of his more progressive fell
lowmen.
"Can't you tell what sort of town
place is from the looks Of its pa
per If the paper is of boosting
sort, and is backed by the business
and professional men, doesn't the
Gown get reputation for being pro-
gressive?
The newspapers stock in trade is
publicity. You would not go into
store and ask the proprietor to give
you pair of shoes, for instance: yet
90 often the publisher is asked to give
away his stock in trade---free adver-
tislnG for the individual or the city
u ,rll it for less than cost. If you
-ould keep count of the demands Of
this s2r. inade on your publisher ev-
2ty week you would laugh.
"ln proportion to the benefits de-
rived, individual and general, adver-
.i5iiiE is one of the cheapest things in
the world. There are men who will
tell you that they don't believe in ad-
vrtlsing. Do you know why? They
IRE content to gather up the crumbs
that fall from the table of the pro-
gressive merchant who advertises his
business and his town. Every time
one of your stores advertise a sale
it brings people into the town; their
buying instinct is aroused, and they
visit other stores. The advertiser gets
direct returns, but the others take
4 advantage of his expenditure without
a 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
assume .he responsibility Every time
ft'" +. movement pu: OH foot you
call on him to help. But you know the
functions and value Of your newspsr-
er as we'll as do; so why elaborated
Let me tell YOU positively that
even . mediocre newsp,p,r Is n great
factor tn ihe growth and advance
ment Of a community. There is new
er time when advertising will not
pay. If you don't owne debt of obli-
CATION to your newspaper, you owe II
to your community. The community
has right to expect your cooperation
in making the newspaper represen-
tative Of your community. Every time
your name is published In list of con-
tributions to some charity, that In
advertising-free adNeritsing that
the publisher gives cheerfully, be-
cause it boosts the town.
Every bit Of publicity produces di-
rect results for the man who pays for
it; moreover. 1t produces results for
every other business and professional
man OF the town. Whether he cvades
his responsibility or not, it produces
results for every man, woman and
child Of the community.
"The country editor is not a pig
headed idealist. He is out for the same
thing you are--to make some money,
and his best interests are the best i'm
terests of his town.
/
DO you Ghink it fair that he should
shoulder the greatest part of the bur
ien?-that he should give his time,
money and very often his hearts
blood to the service of the community
for barely living wage, and some-
INES not even that? Yet these SER