Connecticut western news., 1891-01-14


 sion to Bridgeport; David 8. Cowles Post, 4 to Hartford, and to Bridge port; Canaan Hose Company, to Hart ford; Congregational society of East Canaan and Methodist Episcopal socie- ty of Canaan, joint excursion to Hart ford; Ashley Falls M. B. society, 1 ex- cursion to Bridgeport; Barnes Brothers, l to Bridgeport; Sheffield NJ. B. society 2 to Bridgeport; Christ church Canaan, l to Bridgeport; Pilgrim church Canaan 2 to Hartford; Salisbury Teachers Asso- citation, l to Poughkeepsie and to Hartford. This record does not repre- sent all the excursions from Canaan. The M. E. society of Canaan have also run two or three excursions to Hartford on which occasions their pos ters were printed in Hartford and con- tanned the advertisements of Hartford merchants.
 It is not our business to refuse to print advertisements and posters for excursions although our townspeople we'll know we do not think excursions to cities benefit country towns. We have often orally expressed our views in regard to excursions, and furthermore the files of THE NEWS show we have re- peatedly attempted to do the Home Missionary work " which The Tower suggests. We have sometimes incurred displeasure by publishing wholesome advice, of which the following quota tion IS sample: "Don't spend all your ready cash in the city today and on your return ask your home merchant to trust you for pork enough for break fast"
 We recollect one excursion given by a church in this village, on which occa- slon over 100 persons from Canaan, East Canaan and Norfolk went to Hartford. The church cleared about $2O above all expenses, and felt we'll satisfied with the venture. Good judges estimated that the excursionists left from $500 to $2OOO hard cash with the Hartford mer- chants that day. That meant at least S2OO profit for the Hartford merchants, and $2OOO drained out of Canaan and Norfolk and put into circulation in Hartford. It also meant $50 paid out for car fare, besides oyer 100 days work lost-for of course each person lost a days time by the trip. Great Ceasar l! what political economy that is. Just think of it 8 moment allow $20O0 to be withdrawn from circulation in two small country towns in order to raise $20 for church in one of said towns The business men of Canaan could far better have given $50 or more to that church than to have had the excursion take place. The same financial policy in regard to that excursion applies to all excursions. We are told that on the occasion of recent excursion to Bridge port, one dry goods firm in that city sold $500 worth of goods to the excur- sionists. Bear in mind that other Bridgeport merchants, such as boot and shoe dealers, clothiers, crockery dealers etc., etc, also sold their proportion ol merchandise to the excursionists But every e1cursionist lost days time even if in some instances the car fare was refunded. Now you begin to get an idea of the effect of excursions upon the business of country towns. Do you wonder that country merchants object to e1cursions ? Do you wonder that money is scarse and business dull ir country towns while excursions are sap ping the very foundations of country towns ? We hear great deal said about centraliZation-that business ,ciU centre in the cities and that people will trade where they hink they can trade the cheapest. We'll, for the time being it might be cheaper to keep horse on burdock leaves, bog hay and buckwheat straw, than to feed it any grain, but the eALuO VIII SOou COAC WACu d uOISo lou in that way will not be able to earn much for it's owner. That kind of econo- my is similar to starving out country merchants and dealers who are the very life of the towns in which they are To- cated. When country people cripple country merchants they cripple them selves.
 Those churches and organizations
 who established the precedent of excur- slons sowed to the wind but now they are reaping the whirlwind. For years there seemed to be 8 strife between churches and organizations in this val ley as to who should run the most ex- cursions and scoop in the most quarter dollars, but now even that short-sighted policy and picayune revenue has en- countered formidable rivals, inasmuch as the railroad companies themselves and the Bridgeport merchants have superseded the churches in tine excur. sion business nevertheless excursions are damage to country towns whethe,
 run by the railroad companies them
 selves, by city merchants or by country
 churches and organizations.
 SALISBURY.