Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-06-11
FOR CLOSING EVENINGS.

Following is a letter received some
time AFRO, as will be seen by the date
of il, with a request for its publica-
ton. For certain reasons unneces-
sary to explain, IL has not been pub
lished till now; through no fault of
the writer of the epistle however.
This letter Is well written, interest
ing, and cont aims many excellent
ideas and much food for thought, and
is imbibed with the spirit OF progress
always manifest in the writer, else we
should not have published it; and the
editor is fiattered indeed that so few
words of his should bring forth such
lengthy argument either tor or as ainst
closing additional evenings.
II the reader will kindly peruse
again our editorial he will observe-if
he did not do so on the first reading
that we did not argue on one side or
the other. We repeated the state
ment OF a farmer and asked the mer-
chants TO think the matter over. Az.
least one merchant has done so as IN
dicated by the above letter and has
come to the emphatic conclusion that
il is a benefit not only to the merchant
and the town but to the human race 10
have the stores close additional even
ings. The letter refers 70 our edlto'
rial as "discouraging" and believes
Inc millennium scneduled TO reacn
Barton before up to-date mercantile
methods. This may be true. we
cannot say. But the fact remains
that Barton to- day is forging slowly
hut surely ahead and the outlook was
never better.
bu. stay, we have wandered far
from the point and are using valuable
space. Let it suffice 10 say mat we
do not ana have not advocated Keep
ing open" and we do not wish TO go
on record as doing 80. we DO not
agree altogether with all the IDEAS OF
the letter but no one would more
gladly see the merchant and clerk
Work fewer hours than your humble
servant the editor.
We shall not advocate closing or
keeping open, it is for the merchant
TO close. and without our influence.
We may suggest, but along such lines
il IS always outside an eoltor's bust
ness, through the paper at least, TO
advocate. We still say "think" and
with the argument OF the letter on
one side and our talk neutral, GER
menJ should go under.
Los ANGELES, CAL, April 2, 1906.
Editor of the Monitor:
You no doubt appreciate the fact
that editors as we'll as merchants are
not immune from criticism; there
fore, If you will grant me space in the
columns of your esteemed journal, l
will set forth my exceptions to your
views upon the ACCESSIBILITY of closing
stores additional evenings in Barton.
In the issue of January 29th of the
MONITOR appeared the following edi-
forial article, which reads as follows:
One of our good friends, farmer:
said the other day, do you know the
reason we farmers send to the mail
order houses for goods as much as we
do?" We admitted that we did not.
''Well," said he, "while the reason
does not lie here altogether, the fact
that the stores are shut up so much
nights is factor in the case. Come
night, we go to the village-we can't
go in the daytime-we get there and
IN Stores are ali shut up. Well, the
next time we don't go; we save the
bother of hitching up and driving
three miles by just drawing up around
the sitting room fire, getting out the
big catalogue ana writiDgsof the Or
der. The next morning the r. f. d.
man takes the letter and there is no
bother or time lost, and they are
always open."k He asked US to think
it over and we have. We have come
to th conclusion that the fact that
the stores are closed some nights does
keep a few people from trading at
their home town and drives them to
the big mail order houses. Before
closing additional evenings the mer-
chant should think the matter over.
= Just how this article impressed me
you can better conclude later. Ordi-
narily, once reading is sufficient, but
this l have read many times, and
have watched each subsequent issue
in vain hope that some lover of COM
mercial liberty would take issue with
the MONITOR and give to it's readers a
logical synopsis of the rights of the
country merchant and his clerical
force. But evidently the fear of the
Press serves as husher. 1t is said
stools rush in where angels fear to
tread" however, inasmuch as the
MONITOR has no greater patron or
warmer friend than the humble
writer, and in consideration of the
fact that am at present out of the
jurisdiction of the local mob, shall
venture to set forth my views in OPP
position to the position taken by the
MONITOR. My calculations are based
upon an experience of twenty five
years as travelling and counter sales
man, which renders me something OF
a veteran in the business, but hardly
an old man, and by no means upon
the shelf.
It has been my privilege to have