The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-01-31

In mucn larger cities. NOT man
woman or child but can be dressed
as handsomely, as fashiQnably and
as expensively or as comfortably
substantially and as cheaply in Mi
ami as they can anywhere else. We
are all anxious to see our town pros.
per, because our individual prosper.
ity depends on the towns but we are
not all doing our part. 1t is not
enough to get up in public and ad,
wise each other to not send oul
money away but to keep it at home
while we, Individually, send most OF
ours away. 1t is useless to try and
get other industries to come here
unless we support those already
here. The Metropolis recognizes
every mans right to bestow his pa
trOnage to suit himself, but at the
same time each of US has civic du-
ties that cannot be successfully ig-
nOred, since others in turn NAV ig-
more their duties, too. There
Is rarely a good reason for send
ing away from home for any
kind of goods sold in Miami.
Every live merchant takes pleasure
in sending to the best markets for
any article in bis line which he NAV
not have in stock if it will oblige a
customer. Moreover, he will not
charge any more, often not as much,
as the same article would cost the
customer, quality and quantity being
the same, freight or postage included.
Few women will admit it, but all in
telligent women know that sending
for catalogues and buying from cheap
illustrations is risky and unsatisfac-
tory business. But. Notwithstanding
the fact that the money must always
be sent or sent back at the buyers
loss when dealing with distant
houses, while the home merchant is
expected and does comply with all
reasonable and many unreasonable
demands as to credit, return, ex-
change, etc., there are women who
seem to have such mania for sSend-
ing away" that they would rather
wear some tawdry, out of date and
inferior quality and style, than to be
better dressed by the home dealers.
For instance, the other day a VS.
itor said, 'beg pardon, Mrs.
where did you get that beautiful
gown? It's the swellest I've seen
since 1 have been here"
"BOught it of Mr.. on the
18th street"
,.'On 18th street." she cried in as
tonishment, edo you mean here, in
Miami?"'
"Why yes, why nOt?"
20, Pm SO sorry | didn't know.
1t is so unsatisfactory and so expen-
sive to have to send way off for ev-
but Mrs. and Mrs.
assured me | would never be |
able to either get the material or to |
have anything made that would not |
be quite out of date, and so, being |
stranger, l just sent the money back |
home and told them to get my old |
dressmaker to do the best she could |
for me. But (mour nfully) of course
she never can make them hang and
it like yours do" /
Now, the husbands of both of |
these ladies, between them, supply |
the merchants of Miami with several
lines Of domestic supplies, and make
their living off this community.
Suppose the merchants in turn
should send away for their printing,
buy only foreign papers, send to Jack |
'onvllle for their hardware, New
Y YOrk for their furniture, Savannah |
for their groceries, etc., etc. This is
really a matter for serious personal
consideration. It is not the amount
sent away by one person at one time
but the aggregation that is lost to the
community. Ali estimate based on a |
list of what few ladies themselves
have boasted that they sent away last |
year-making due allowance for fem
mine unexactness in keeping accounts
places the amount of money sent
out of Miami by them for goods that
could have been obtained through
Miami business men at a discount of |
5 per cent, at the sum of $3,846.I8. |
This estimate; includes only such pur-
chases as have been reported bv
those few who sent away for shoes,
dry goods and clothing, which of
course is only a fraction Of the amount
really sent away. The only comfort
that the merchants can get out of the
matter is that not single article cost
less than they could have supplied
them Tor, and in majority of cases
5he goodS sent not only cost more
but were of inferior style and quality
20 those furnished their own custo-
ners.