Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-31
The Travelling Solicitor Tells
How the Grating Gentry
Work the Farmers
TIE OLD DRESS PATTERN GAME
Small Crafts Succeed Best and Are
safest-The Case Of tho German
CRATER and the Aeeordion--Mr. Nc
ainnis and Hi. Safe Phi'oso-
ohy-other News.
to Tlmes-Republicar.

Srecial to Times Republican.
Dougherty. Iowa, Aug. 31.--W1tn the
approach Of good times among the
farmers. comes the graftera strong,
and stories are already beint; reported
from different parts Of the state OF
schemes to get the farmers money.
Various ways are adopted but perhaps
the greatest Is the fellow who goes
out in the country with sample OF
dress goods from which he offers a
dress pattern at very low price. US
ually telling story, confid.ntially, OF
how they were smuggled into this
country, escaping the heavy tariff. etc.
He REQUIRES dollar or two down just
10 show the house the order was CIV
en- in good faith. Goods are to be de-
liyered later. OF course The goods
fail in delivery and he picks up SIS to
500 in a community. AS each Is loser
only a small amount no effort Is made
tn locate him. SO 1t Is comparatively
q safe business. Another graft worked
In the country short time ago was
man introducing German newspaper.
He had fine accordion. as sample
which was presented as u premium
with one years subscription. He COL
lected the dollar, paper to start IN
three weeks. All premiums were to
be sent all to one party BY freight as
they were bulky to carry. Neither pa
per or premium ever showed up. Again
each neighbor considered It a joke on
the other fellow and they are ready
again for something else.
I meet frequently men travelling
through the county selling groceries
direct to consumer, at supposedly low
prices. The usual story OF no rent. no
taxes, no help is the reason for their
ability to do business on small mar
GIN This all looks good because the
farmer fails to figure that the man is
paying two dollars day for q team,
from a dollar to dollar and half
hotel bill and must have salary for
himself, 80 the cost woulo run around
81 per day, which is as much as the
average merchant pays. and does five
or ten times the business the sales
man does at town. Where was last
winter two men in selling a car load
Of groceries paid for livery and hotel
alone 1927. Could the farmers under
these circumstances have saved any
thing? Does 1t cost the merchant 1927
to sell a car load Of groceries? Ask
him and see.
The great trouble with the farmer
is that he Is so honest himself that
he does not give the other fellow credit
for being dishonest, or even take the
time or trouble to inquire into the
merits Of the seller or thu. firm he rep
The grafters grow in number as the
shows up in the rural districts,
and there will be many new ways of
the farmer from his money.
The only safe way Is to give them
(the travelling salesme,D the same
thought and attention that he would
were he going to his own local mer-
chant and then he will escape many
traps set for him.
1t will be long time before for
get the experience I Lad. with one
farmer. AS was leaving a yard l
casually asked him who lived in the
next house and found tis name to be
McGinnis. AS I drove into McGinnis'
yard he was sitting on the porch.
him in q friendly way,
saying, "This is Mr.. M,cGinnis?" ut
ISL came his broad Irish brogue. I
told him my business and name. He
listened we'll, and all the time a smile
was playing around the corners OF his
mouth. l saw was making no head
way, SO quit to give him a chance. His
first remark was, do ] need it?" "Of
course" I answered. He replied, DO
you need my order worse than need
the paper?" This was a poser. Then
he laid his hand on my shoulder in
way, and said: "Me boy.
when was mere lad at home man
came to my fathers house attempting
to sell him something, and as he drove
away, my father said: Whenever a
man drives into your yard to sell you
something it is for his own good and
not yours" It is unnecessary to say
anything more, if every farmer would
remember this Irishmal's saying, but a
few would have cause for regret.
vEyP