The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1905-08-03
TIMELY WORDS.

Editors Journal-Anent the advent
+, of the new electric railway system into
Marietta and the possible effect that it
will have upon the city's interests from
q business standpoint, 1 wish to call
the citizens attention TO few facts,
those citizens whom / have heard ex-
pressions from, like this: "Marietta's
merchants will have to sell their goods
cheaper or / will go to Atlanta to the
big department stores and buy what
l want, ETC., etc Did you ever stop
to think that all the mail order and
big department stores" are the "quack
doctors" of commerce? They promise
much but guarantee nothing. You
have to buy a non-returnable package
with directions inside, before you can
find out what you have got. They put
me more in mind of pirate than any,
thing else. There is no creative force
in them; they produce nothing but
cheap machine clerks. Like a great
big hawk, they soar around the COM
mercial air ready to pounce down aud
snatch the bread out of the mouth of
legitimate industry. The mail order
and big department houses are an
abscess upon the neck of legitimate
business. No man who owns land can
afford to aid or abet them; they tend
to tear down and destroy public inter
Ill To-, L.
because they are interested in the in
creased value of their property and
land values are maintained and estab-
lished on basis of the creative energy
that develops industries in the vicinity
where the land is situated. To the
farmer and wage Garner, especially, |
ask these questions:
Did any mail order or big, cheap de-
partment store in some large city help
to build the turnpike past your door,
or financially aid you to erect and
maintain the little, white school house
in your district that your children
might secure an education?
Did they ever take you by the hand
when you were in distress and sYmpa-
thize with you and tell you to let your
little account go on till after harvest
time next year?
Did any OF them ever sell you an ar.
ticle and then spend every cent of the
profit in the community where you and
your neighbors would get it all back
again?
Did they ever speak an encouraging
word to you in your affection, or stand
with uncovered head beside the grave
when your loved ones died?
No, they are after your money Every
dollar they get their hands on will be
ierked out of your neighborhood for
ever. They all bear the semblance of
friendship upon their smiling faces,
but no human heart beats under their
cloak of hypocrisy. They are parasites
to whom life is only possible so long as
they can suck blood out of communities
to the upbuilding of which they con.
tribute nothing They create no local
market for the produce you have to
sell. They have no property that can
be assessed to help bear your burdens
of taxation.
Your local dealers business is legiti-
mate, because it's success contributes
to the general prosperity of the COM
munity that builds it up. Your local
dealer stands ready to duplicate every
offer made by these houses if you will
plank down the spot cash, and that's
what you have to do when you buy of
them.
Stand by your local merchant. He
stands by you with his time. skill and
money; he helps build up your COM
munity, and makes it better place for
you both to live in. Your prosperity de-
pends upon your home merchants sue
cess. Yours truly,
GEO. B. NIGH.