The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-09
OUR 1922 FAIR
THE FOLLY OF FOOL
ADVERTISING

foolish advertising ideas would b,
interesting at this time in connection
with considerations of whether OF
not we shall have a county fair.
About nineteen or twenty years
ago little coterie Of business mer
in Blackfoot, spent some of theil
valuable time trying to bring about
arrangements by which the saloons
of Blackfo0t should sell beer at five
cents glass. The slogan was Give
cent beer" and they advocated hav-
i ing the saloons adopt that policy as
drawing card for the town. M
They said that if this was adopted
it would put the town on the map,
so to speak. They said the saloon
keepers would not lose any money
on the beer sales and it would draw
SO many more people to Blackfoot,
saloons would increase their sales on
other liquors and cigars and tobacco
and it would really be an advantage
to the saloon keepers and it would
also be an advantage to the rest of
the business people of the town be-
cause there would be more people
comping to town to trade. On being
asked who would come to town
just for five cent beer, they replied
that there was transient element
that would be attracted by it; people
living at considerable distance and
liable to go to any one of several
towns, would choose Blackfoot on
that account. They said that Black
foot was losing money to some other
towns where beer was sold for ten
cents; at Blackfoot the price was
fifteen cents or two for quarter.
Some Vice
Advertising
About the years 1906-7-S-9 some
of the very wise men Of Blackfoot
advocated queer thing that we are
almost ashamed to tell you Of, and
actually labored with the city coun-
Gil to bring about the condition they
advocated. There was city ordi-
nance against any one conducting
that particular class of business,
whose emblem is known the world
over by certain colored lights. These
men used about the same arguments
in favor of encouraging that kind of
business that were given by this
other corterie mentioned in connec-
ton with the five-cent beer. They
said it would attract a certain ele-
ment of people to the town and that |
they would spend their money for
various kinds of merchandise while |
they were here. People who think |
that village council would not pay
any attention to such talk as that
are informed that they heard the
arguments so favorably that there
was an understanding between the
council and the police that the ordi-
nance would be left on the statute
books but that they were to forget
sbout it so far as possible. The
word was passed along that so long
IS certain element did not get
lo,sy and boistrous they were not
o be disturbed. So long as there
vas a city ordinance against the
rattle, the council could not consist
ntly collect a license for it and y
hose people generally expect to pay 7
lcense money, or hush money, or +
rejection money, SO there was a
laid open to the police
Ulcers to collect hush money from =
lem.
ONE a
10
In both cases it was admitted that a
the plans proposed drew more D
'ade to the town it did not draw 0
very desirable element in fact, it e
as admitted that such trade as the :,
'wn secured by that means was
ased on something undesirable and =
ltremely dangerous. ~
People who advocated taking the -
off in both of those cases were a.
70 kinds of people-some of them =,
ere the kind of people who do not 8,
aim to be looking out for anybody ~
1t themselves, and the others were a.
ore or less leaders in society and "a
tive in church circles and merch- -
ldising enterprises. The fact that :. ~
ey advocated any such measures W.
that to put their town on the map, ~
increase the business of the town, ~
get customers within block or ~
% OF their business places, shows 80 80
w diligently some people seek to 81
tain trade and profit. 1t shows ca %.
W much they are willing to sac 81 %,
ice to add to the prestige of their ~,
wn. NF.'s III
rect Carnival ~,
mes -
When local option came along and go
moved the possibility of five-cent on
er, the public conscience advanced ca
step or two so that there was no. ella
dy who was willing to furnish the MI
man sacrifices or to take any of La
, responsibility for the other bust tn,
IS indicated, the public conscience tn,
npromised on something else ha
led a carnival. Aggregations of eq
,ple gathered mostly from the sa- ne
ms and dives organized travelling in
WIS and amusements and called alb
mselveS a carnival. Their ad- So
ice agent would go to such towns tn,
Blackfoot, and apply for permits the
! or license to put on street to
nival for week, and he would sis
permitted to do so upon the pay sh;
it OF anywhere from about $40 gu
us for the privilege. The aver un
d carnival usually included we
3 Of everything that is ques- inv
able or undesirable, and for a 100,