The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-01-19
DEALING IN THE CITIES.

lilLUugilUu tllt Country Il bECUlllll.
a subject of annoyance to our loca
merchants. And when we conside
the growing tendencies people hav,
of going or sending to the cities fol
what they wear. and much they ca
and drink, and the profits that oul
local merchants miss making be
cause Of IL, we are not at all surpris
ed at their sense Of annoyance
Samples of goods are sent from New
York and Philadelphia to our tailor,
and dressmakers. who suit then
customers from these, the selection
is made, and the order sent for the
pattern. In a few DAYS it arrives.
and shortly it is ready for the back
and the new-rigged individual Is
/ happy. Or if a different mOdaS OPP
eraadi Is preferred the customer
sends for samples himself, and then,
selecting the one which suits his
taste, he sends it, with the number
Of his fit, or his measure, TO the city
merchant, and in a few days along
comes his new fall suit, or his spring
oyercoat, by express, ready made,
according to the most approved
style. 1t is astonishing to contem-
plate the amount Of business done
through the mails and express COM
panies . And the habit is young yet.
1t is rapidly on the increase and
spreading itself from the towns into
the rural districts. where also it Is
becoming fashionable for Young
men to get their dress suits from the
city. Why do they do it? Some
claim they can be better suited as
to style, quality Of goods, fit and
price. In this they are often correct
and Just about as often mistaken.
We have known young men to send
to the city for shirts, and because
the manufacturer got the eyelets in
the fronts wee bit too far up or too
far down, send them back and have
Others made, paying expressage
three times, and after all the vexa-
tons and delays were endured were
not any better suited than if they
had ordered them from some
home dealer. We have also seen
the folly enacted of a young man
sending to the city and paying
fourteen dollars for a pair of shoes.
when a pair equally good and
equally well-ftting and fashionable
might be obtained two squares from
his own door for less than half that
price. The merchants in our cOun-
try towns are the persons whom
this growing habit >of dealing direct
.ly with the cities affects. They
freely acknowledge that it does af-
feet them, and complain Of it, but
we have the irst concerted and or
ganized effort to prevent it to hear
of, and so long as we don't the nat
ural inference Is that it is not so much
of an evil as it is made out 10 be.
Our people have been educated
into the habit of dealing away from
home by extensive and systematic
advertising practiced by the city re-
tail houses. Frequently they have
our country newspapers crowded
with their unique and attractive adj
yertisements, and it Is becoming
more the custom, year after wear,
for it pays them to advertise, as it
does everybody. Now, the mer-
chants of our country towns could,
by little expense and enterprise.
prevent much of this business from
going away from home. Country
editors are Just like other business
men. They deal where they can deal
most proftably, and sell their wares
where they can get the best prices
for them. The spacein their papers
Is their ware, and if the home mer-
chants would only advertise and
pay a trifie more for space than the
city merchant does, whose price Is
invariably low. they could easily
crowd city advertisements out of our
columns, and keep much fugitive
trade home. The profits would
more than pay for the advertising.
The price being the same, home adj
vertising is much more desirable
than foreign, for it Is natural to pre-
fer dealing with those YOU know.
But tor merchants 10 make desultO-
" efforts against this aggressive city
trade would be in vain. 1t requires
concert ofaction and constant, sys-
temate and watchful endeavOr to
compete successfully with il. The
line TO begin TO resist its encroach-
ments now. The lOngeritis allowed
% 90 or unimpeded the firmer foot
hold it viii gain, and the more
throughly it VIII drain the country
of custom and profits that rightfully
and legitimately belong 10 our local
merchants. This IS merely intend
ed as a hint 10 our merchants. We
viii not 20 any farther upon the
subject. We are not sure that We
are not, in q measure, arguing
against cur own interest. IL has
been comparatively little trouble to
obtain city advertising during the
past year. while many Of our coun-
try merchants DO not advertise at
all. We would he foolish 70 dis
city merchants from adver-
Using with u 30 long as we have
room in our columns for advertising
from anybody 1woIo1u Iolan-
'eer.
The above very sensible article
from the Carlisle Volunteer, applies
equally well to this place. The pub
Usher Of a paper is trying to do Just
what every merchant is doing, and
that is TO make his paper paw. He
does not issue it exclusively for the
benefit of any class of men or any
political party, but while giving the
news he must see that the
necessary expenses Of his sheet are
paid, and that he Is recompensed
for his own labor.
That the modern system OF send
ing samples, and then supplying the
goods through the mails and express
by the large mercantile houses in
the great commercial centres is inter
~ Il I Il