The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-12-19
Communication.

ONpJOSS kAO"SON NpOll Ny DLoGhNA " IL
son, Gin your last issue) is my excuse
for appearing in print. l will not
mention the kids and snObs, as promi-
nently set forth in his communion
ton, but will contine myself to the
subject matter Of his article, as well
as other articles on the same subject
written by extremists on the other
side Of the case. To premise, Bro.
Wilson represents the extreme view
Of the merchants side OF the subject.
And the articles written by the ALI
snce men represent the extreme view
of the consuming class. and when l
say farmers hereafter. / mean all
consumers as well. The animus of
the merchants article is, you must
trade with home merchants, and you
must net question prices however
exorbitant. He does not say this in
so many words. but many take that
meaning from his letter. There is
no question in my mind but that each
person owes certain allegiance to
home town, home industries, home
merchants and all home industries in
detail. But that allegiance is not of
snch nature as to, Of Itself require
that a man must trade in his own
town unless he can be satisfied that
he is not losing money at least. The
consumer will naturally trade in his
own town 1.-The can do as we'll as else
where, 9, if he thinks he can. And
often times their purchases made in
other localities are unsatisfactory.
The home merchant should treat his
customer In such a manner that he
should not desire to go else where.
Many times a man can not find the
goods he needs in his own town. and
in sending for such as he can not get
here. he gets other goods al 10. Now
l do not think we have any right to
question anOther'S privilege to trade
where he pleaSeS. and if cur farmers
see fit to send to Montgomery Ward
i Co. they have perfect right to
do so. Any man has right to go in.
to any store in his town and look at
the goods. and see if he can find what
he wants, at fair price. And if he
Is not suited, it's not for me to say he
can not goelsewhereifhe sees fit to get
his goods, but as is many times the
case, farmer has no right to send
his money to Chicago or elsewhere
for goods, and at the same time com.
pei his home merchant to carry him
from one to five years as has often
been the case. There is a certain
principle of fair dealing, that should
be obtained between the merchants
and the farmers. The merchant
should not represent his goods to be
different from what they are. Sell
cheap goods for cheap goods. And'on
the other hand, let the farmer be
equally fair in representing what he
has to sell, and right here let me say,
that the farmers have forced the
merchants to carry cheap goods, as
they will not pay the price that good
goods are worth, then having bought
just what they demanded, they COM
plain of the quality of the goods, and
blame the merchants for it, when
they made their own selections. [
am aware that goods have been sold
on time at very high price in Nor.
ris, and often times, even then, the
merchant has been the loser, on &C
count of the expence and loss in COL
lecting the same account. The farm
ers can rectify much of this diff
GUILTY with the merchants. The
best thing for them to do is, to pay
cash for their goods. and the next
best thing is to do as they agree,
and lastly,lif by misfortune or any
cause they can not pay as expected,
then 90 to the one you owe and tell
him just why you can not pay as
agreed make satisfactory settlement
with him instead of giving some one
else your money and lodging the one
you owe, so that he shall not see you.
could uame men that have kept out
of my sight for some time just be.
cause they owe me a bill. That is
not the way to treat a man that has
accommodated you. 1t would be no
trouble to fill up your paper on this
subject. but perhaps 1 have said
enough to put men to thinking upon
the subject. and some of the master
minds may evolve something here.
after that will be beneficial to all
classes, and in closing this, will say
to such as have, or desire to send to
"MOntgomery, Ward Il Co. for goods
in my line, can come to me with
their catalogue, or they can use mine
as have one Of Montgomery, Ward
& Co.'S. catalogues in the store and l
will agree to sell the same kind and
quality of goods at the same price.
And invite a committee of alliance,
or of fair minded men to come into
my store and compare prices as mark.
ed in plain figures on my goods, and
let them make a report of the same
to the public. Yours with respect.
L. E. PEARsE.
EDITOR Sun.