Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-05-19
CHEAP JOHN
Methods of the Big Eastern
Mail-O Order Houses
Exposed.
Patronize the Home Merchant-He Is
YOur Friend.

The latest scheme OF the big cata-
loaue houses is to offer to pay farmers
: per cent per annum on all money de-
posted, an alluring rate, which bait
will undoubtedly attract many OF the
unsuspecting.
Sears, Roebuck X CO. OF Chicago. is
the concern which is nov making this
offer, which has all of the ear marks Of
a clever means OF increasing its bust
ness with the farmer, as we'll rs to get
around the new Chicago rule to charge
exchange ON all out OF town checks,
say the Interstate Grocer.
The rate offered is one that no bank
can or will offer and Il rate which no
concern OF the size OF Sears, Roebuck
x Co. would pay in the ordinary curse
provided the money was needed to
carry on business according 10 usual
methods.
The ordinary rates charged by
Chicago banks ut the present time is
from > to 81 per cent where the risk is
such As would be consistent with good
banking usagcs. \ concern with the
financial rating Of Sears, Roebuck x
Co. would have no difficulty in obtain
ing money at the lower figure or even
less.
The catalogue houses always adver-
tise That they can sell goods cheap be
cause they buy in large quantities and
obtain low prices, but in this instance
they are making II bid to the farmer
which is Il direct contradiction to their
advertised policy.
They claim that they handle their
goods on Il remarkably close margin OF
profits, but they turn in and offer to pay
three times what Il sound bank would
offer lor certificates OF deposit and
tully five times what any of the Chicago
banks would pay on checking balances.
\ feature OF the scheme is that Sears,
Roebuck x Co. do not trust the farmer
ut all, but compel him to pay cash for
what he buys, but they ask the farmer
10 trust them with his savings.
Tins rate OF interest, I per cent, is
the highest legal rate allowed by the
state OF Illinois and shows to what eX-
tent the mail order houses will go to
get business.
1t Is very clear 10 anyone who takes
the time 10 look into the plan that it is
purely 4 scheme To get hold OF the
farmers money and then work him up
To turning II over 10 the catalogue
house lor goods he can bay at home ON
better terms than from the PARKWAY
mail order house.
1t looks as though the plan might be
followed by Il daily report on each
mans balance and II letter To the de
positor telling him that there Was a
certain amount L. his credit, for which
the catalogue house would sell him II
buggy ana Il set of harness, worth twice
~ the amount OF the deposit in con
sideration OF reIinquishing his right to
the money on deposit.
As practically all Of the banks OF
deposit in the country are NOW under
either state or government supervision,
il seems quite likely that the authori-
lies Will take e"gui2ance of the new
move ON the part ol Sears, Roehnck
* Go. and place the irm under the
same restrictions a are the regular
banking institutions.
As Il means OF meeting this new
scheme. it is suggested that country
merchants do their best to find which
ol their customers use this new plan
and when they ask Tor time ON their
purchases, deal with them in the man
ner which ordinary business SENSE de
mands.
The fight against the mail order
houses by the retail merchants is 90
iug merrily along and is bearing fruit
every day and this latest sheme shows
to what extent the catalogue concerns
are being driven in their efforts to
retain the trade which they have
drawn from its legitimate channel
1t Louis Furniture Journal.