The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-03-08
PATRONIzE HOME INDU sTRY.
n Good Citizen Spends His Money
Among the Local Tradesmen.

The member Of q community who
habitually ignores his home merchant,
mechanic or tradesman and makes his
purchases and spends his money in
other towns does not deserve the name
OF q good citizen and should not be
oountenanced by those who have the
best interests of their own locality at
heart. That it pays to trade near
home is we'll established fact, and no
town or city ever prospered whose
citizens, enticed by the alluripg bats
held out by the merchant in the big
cities, spend their money with them.
The local merchant and mechanic
are interested in the progress and
development Of the town and country
in which they live, and every dollar
that they amass is reinvested and re-
mains in the ne;ghborhood. AS they
prosper their taxes increase, and Just
3Cmuch those of others are lightened.
Ghey assist in keeping up your schools,
churches and other public institutions
and charities But the person who
spends his money in some distant city
puts it beyond assisting in any local
enterprise. The man in tie city upon
whom you bestow your custom has no
further interest in you or your sur
roundings than the cash he receives
lrom you. 1t is no concern of his
whether you are as devoid of social,
church or educational privileges as the
inha bitants of Borrioboola Cha, or
whether your streets or highways are
we'll made or an aboriginal Indian
Grail. The surplus money which he
has to bestow will go to enrich the
exchequer OF institutions from which
you will never receive any benefit and
70 add to the wealth OF communities
IN which you have no financial in
terest.
And, further, there is no good reason
Tor this impolitic and unbusinesslike
diversion of trade. The business men
in the smaller cities and towns can
and do sell goods year in and year out
rs eheaply as do those of the larger
places. The lower expenses, cheaper
rent and immunity from the exorbi-
ant municipal taxes which prevail in
the great cities enable them to do so
and still make living profit. But the
shrewd city merchants, by advertising
certain goods at ridiculously low prices
manage to attract gullibIe patrons to
their places of business, with knowl-
edge that they will succeed in selling
them other goods at advanced prices
TO- reimburse themselves for the loss
on the "leader" and leave themselves
handsome profit
The home merchant is established
acre and expects to pursue his bust
ness among us indefinitely. The con-
tiuuance of his trade is dependent
upon this lair and uniform treatment
of his customers and the quality of his
goods. His field is limited, and should
he resort to shady methods or foist
dishonest wares upon his patrons his
reputation would be gone and his trade
consequently lost. But the metropoli-
tan merchant has wide snd an FL.
most unlimited field. His patrons are
from all parts Of the country, and If he
can be so fortunate as to get one good
deal" from each one he does not expect
Shem to return The ideal community
10 that in which there is reciprocity
Of good feeling am)ng merchants in
all branches OF trade, mechanics, pro
iessional men, workingmen and farm
ers, each availing himself as far as
possible Of the others services, buying
his goods or employing his labor, as
The case may DE. The community
where this practice obtains is always
louud to be an exceptionally prosper
Gus one, populated by cheerful, honest
j,eighborly and enterpri1ing people,
.snd go,d place for the home seeker
D locate in.
The Indian a Born Fighter.