Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-05-09
Nartta xHtresets,
Business on the Farm and in Town.
Cor. Country Gentlemen.

Cor. Country Gentlemen.
When your correspondent moved
to the farm twenty years ago last fall,
there were four merchants doing bust
ness in town. They each kept what
is known as general country store.
They were all large dealers, two of
than having double stores. For con-
venience l will call them A, B, Cand
d. These men were considered
worth perhaps from $4,000 up to
$4,000 each. They lived in fine
houses, three of them at least, and
doubtless were envied by many farm
ers. Some ten years ago A failed.
Five years ago B likewise went
under. Lately G shut up his doors
for good, having many creditors who
are out all the way from few dollars
up to thousands. B paid some Is
cents on a dollar, eventually, and G
will probably pay something, but
many will lose or have lost the sav>
ings of years-almost their all
through these failures. And l believe
they were all honest failures. / do
not think any Of them "failed rich"
They were all personal friends of
mine. l have done good deal of
business with them.
Now during these twenty years
three.quarters of the large business
men of this town have not only gone
under themselves, but they have CAR
ried great trouble to many homes.
During that time has any such perN
centage of farmers failed? l do not
need to answer, no. 1t is very sell
dom that a single one goes under, and
when one does it is usually caused
by some outside speculatiOn-end0rs-
ing for some friend, for example.
Alas! "All is not gold that glitters."
1t is quite customary for our farmers
to say other business men are doing
great deal better than they are, and
they often envy them. But other
businesses have their troubles as well
as we do, They must meet cOmpeti.
ton the same as farmers have to
Talk about their setting the price or
what they sell to the farmers and
what they buy of him, too! do you
think our merchants would have
failed if they could have done this
OF course they can set their price, bu
the practical point in the grea
majority of cases is to get it.
Now, any farmer in this town WHIT
has farmed reasonably well during
these 20 years, and had One-tenth tn,
money to start with that these mer
chants had, is well fixed now, with
good prospect of home and cOmfor
in his old age. Some who wer
worth nothing at that time are il
comfortable circumstances now, and
for one feel thankful that we hav
such safe, healthful and honOrabl
business. l wish | could induce NOR
TO look at it rs l do, as the best in tn
world, take it all round, and to try t
build it up instead of crying it dowr
There will be Overproduction a
times, of course, but on the whole W
have good business.
Last spring c said to me: II hav
not been out of my store a day tn
winter, except to go to the city fC
goods" During the 90 years 1 haI
lived here think he has never ont
seen my place, so tied up with bus
ness has he been, and still he hi
failed wretchedly. l am not tied U
so by my business, thank God! "
can have considerable time to enjC
life outside of our own farm.
About Is years ago B tried hard
get the writer to go into a certa
business with him, said he could raj
$4,000 in cash. But | stuck to Il
farm, and although money has con
slowly, the advance has been stead
and without b0asting, / may say tn
/ think we live now as well as
(who is now dead used to.
Although feeling very sorry for n
old friends who failed in life so sa
ly, cannot help but feel rejoiced tn
got out of the mercantile busine
in town and went to farming. Pc
haps you do not know that some
years ago l bought small interest
a firm engaged in general mercha
dising in our town. This, on the a
vice of an old business friend. Wit
in 80 days after getting inside t
lines, boy as I was, it seemed to |
that no such business could succeed
great while, taking all conditions
they were. IsOld out immediately
III A. l.AtIo go I.,I ,o