The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1886-11-26
THE PRICE OF GooDs.

THE PRICE OF GOODS.
What n Hope Merchant Has to Say
ON the Subject
Editor Hope Pioneer:
Dear Sir-A farmer from Gallatin. D. T., in
your last weeks issue of the PIONEER, tries to
convince you aud your readers that the fact
that people send away for goods is conclusive
evidence that the merchants in Hope and sur
rounding towns are 'oyercharging" their GUS
toners.
Now, to overcharge customer, wiliully, is
equivalent in my judgment Of right and wrong,
to stealing. hence my friend r." must not be
surprised when he finds out that e.nphatical-
ly deny the truth Of his statements, for never
overcharged him or any farmer, to my knowl-
edge. The reason why so many send away for
goods is not to he found in the facts assigned
by s'R." The following are few of the real
causcsi 1st-A desire to have wearing apparel
different from your neighbors. 2nd-An en-
vious sentiment that by ''sending away" for
goods you are more apt to get that which is Sin
STYLE" 3rd-A perverted notion that 'aending
away'' for goods is evidence Of business capac-
ity. These, and similar Whimsical reasons are
at the bottom of this mania for ''sending away"
after goods.
Talk is cheap; now for a few facts In the
case. To suhstantiate the truth of your state
nlent in the article referred to by ''R ;" that
goods can be obtained Of as good quality and
as cheap right here in Hope" let me quote
few items to convince ''R." that you are right
And let me say right here, that where two
merchants-one without brains, the other with
out busness-get to running each other OH
certain articles, their prices are no criterion to
60 by, but mean prices that are everywhere
charged for certain articles by good, legitimate
business houses. Take, for instance, Arbuckle's
coffee. which all summer was retaied in Hope
six for $l00, since the advance it sells for 20
cents per pound. The Royal and Dr. Prices
baking powders, IS ounce caps, nst, we retail
at 90 cents PEI pound. Booths Cove oysters
at 20 cents. Three pound cans of tomatoes,
two for % cents Yeast cakes, saleratus stove
polish, the best quality, 8 packages for rs cents.
Cheese, is cents; lamp chimneys, all sizes, s
for 25 cents; aud so might 60 on and enulne-
rate. Now, defy "R." to refer me to any
first Glass grocery house in st. Paul or Minne-
apols thatretail any of the above goods for
less than we do, notwithstanding the fact that
1t costs us from to l a cents per pound to get
our goods here. Then again, see the differ
ence in the way goods are bought here to what
they are when sending away. A farmer comes
to town and he bqya everything in small qnan-
titles, just enough to do him until he comes to
town again, but when sending away for goods,
4 bill is usually made out to do for three to six
months, then our prices for small lots are CON-
pared with the prices for large quantities,
| which, to say the least, is unfair. Now, will
say to "R." or any one else, that if they will
buy goods in quantities sufficiently large, and
for spot cash, which is always the way that is
done when .isending away,n will sell you
goods as cheap as you can buy them anywhere.
I don't understand where "R." has been in
the habit OF trading, or where lie sends for his
goods TO save 25 to 80 per cent. on his pur-
chases That is a better margin than make
on many goods, and 1 buy in large quan-
titles at wholesale. 'R." denies the fact,
point blank, that anything could possibly he
sold cheaper in Hope than in the cities, unless
it were potatoes, butter or eggs, insnuating
that what the farmer sells to the merchant lie
don't get as big price for as in a city. Now
the facts are these, especially as regards butter
All during August and September paid thu
farmers 20 cents per pound for their buttel
when every mail brought me quotations from
st. Paul commission houses quoting choice
dairy butter at IL 10 IA cents, and such ha
been the state Of our butter and egg marke
ever since 1 have been in trade here. We ar
always paying more for butter and eggs thai
we can ship them in for simply to encourage
the farmer. Ny friend 'R." also seems t!
know all about the price of clerk hire, botf
here and in the cities, and yet will wager
load Of pumpkins that he does not know wha
salary single clerk in Hope or Cooperstow1
is getting; for, as a general thing, clerks d.
not like to tell what wages they are getting
Still, our Gallatin farmer says it is ''knowr
facr' what they get both here and in the cities
As said before, our friend ''R." must hav,
dealt where lis credit is below par, to be com
PEELED to pay his merchant snug little pc
cent above his profit" for have done lots o
crediting, and no man ever paid me cen
above my reasonable profit; and more, man.
a farmer, whom have trusted in years past
has eren forgotten to pay Inc my profit an
what my goods cost me besides. The facts ar
that the merchants are carrying the Who'll
country, and every now and then there ar
breaks down under the load. Still, the farm
ers do not think they are under any obligation
to the merchant, but act as though he Wa
their greatest enemy, and as soon as they hay
money enough ahead they 'tsend away" AM
don't even give their merchant chance t
figure OH their bills. This is true, as a rule
but am glad their are some noble exceptions
and were it not for these exceptions the mer
chants would long since have closed thei
books and sold goods for cash. One good turl
deserves another, aud when we carry farme
nine months out Of twelve, he certainly ough
to give us chance to sell him his goods tn
other three months. H. H. WAsEA.
Hope, D. T., November 25th, 1856.
Excitement in Texas.
Great excitement has been caused in the vi
cinity OF Paris, Tex by the remarkable recov
cry Of Mr.. J. e. Corley, who was SO helpless h.
could not turn in bed, or raise bis head; every