The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-12
WHERE TO BUY GOODS.


Coincident with the agitation in favor of
establishing manufacturing industries IN
Savannah, there should be popular agi-
tation in favor of buying goods at home.
all things else being equal. The Savan-
nah merchants do not ask any discrimi-
nation IN their favor, Notwithstanding
they might with reason do so on the
ground of reciprocity and public spirit.
All they ask is a fair and full oppor-
tunity to supply the wants of the people
within their legitimate territory. If they
cannot meet competition. then let the pros
pective purchaser spend his or her money
else where, and the Savannah merchants
will not have word of complaint to make
There are cities, some of them in Geor-
gia in which the local pride is so strong
that their citizens will pay extra prices
for the articles they desire in order TO
get them at home. They take personal
pride in the reputation of their towns,
| and actually believe that whatever bears
the imprint of those towns is better than
any similar article to be had elsewhere
| The spirit is patriotic and commendable.
Savannah merchants, however, do NOT
appeal to any such sentiment, although
| they live in and represent "A city worthy
| the warmest love and admira ton of every
resident of IT, What they do appeal to is
| the plain, common sense consideration of
dollars and cents. They are In a position
to compete with any seaport city in the
country, and to better the prices charged
| in most inland cities where the advantage
of cheap water freights are not enjoyed
| The advertising columns of the Morn
ing News from day to day-it may be said
every day-contain announcements and
| prices which cannot be bettered, if even
duplicated, in New York, Philadelphia or
Boston 1t is not an infrequent occur
renee that Savannah merchants undersell
the retailers of the cities named on GER
tain articles. while on many staples the
prices are precisely the same here as in
the Northern cities Notwithstanding
these cold facts. which any inquirer may
verify, there continues to be done an
| nually between this city and the cities of
the North a mail order" business worth.
annually, many thousands of dollars; and
many of those who send their money
North for articles which might be had at
their very doors quite as cheaply are
persons who depend either directly or in
directly upon the local merchants for their
incomes!
The merchants are among the most lib
eral and public spirited residents of the
city. They are large taxpayers, they are
large employers OF labor, they are AL
ways found at the front Of any and every
movement looking to the furtherance of
the city's interests. They are builders.
and their success means the prosperity
of the community. The profits they make
on their merchandise are turned over here.
Their money is kept in the local circula-
ton. and all home interests ore benefited
thereby. Il would be permissible, there
fore to urge that they be patronized upon
the ground of local welfare.
But the Savannah merchants stand upon
the hrmer ground of merit. They know
that nothing appeals more strongly to
/ the owner of a dollar than the knowledge
that fun value will be given in exchange
for it, Their policy therefore, is to ac-
cord to the dollar the greatest purchas-
ing power consistent with honest dealing.
f. Many of the mail order" purchasers
OF Savannah probably know very little