The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-06-29
FACTS RUBBED IN
Thomas horrisan OF Nav Brigh'
ton. MINI. Talks to His
Fellow Farmers on
Catalos Evil.

Catalog Evil.
Thomas Horrigan is an intelli-
gent, observing farmer of New
MINI. He is admittedly
= patron of the retail mail order
concerns but he is also wise enough
to know that a deserted village will
surely follow the continuation OF
the mail order fever among the
farmers of New Brighton.
The home market at this little
Minnesota town has been practically
destoyed by the retail mail order
business. MIR. Horrigan considers
that his farm, few miles from
New Brighton has greatly reduced
in value because Of this fact, and he
is anxious to bring the matter OF
the present and future OF the town,
and the fallacy of the mail order
trade, home to his fellow farmers.
He presents some new ideas on the
matter and his talk is therefore
especially interesting, aside from
the fact that it is the expression OF
opinions by patron of the ''cat'
houses.
Having considered the various
phases of the matter Mr.. Horrigan
addressed his fellow farmers as
follows:
ITO My Farmer Friends: We as
farmers are very willing to admit
what the fine toned orators tell us;
that we are the most independent
people on earth, and so We could
and ought to be, but are not. We
are simply the serfs and slaves of
that great monstrosity the retail
catalog houses which are sapplng
our financial lives.
II put it strongly because I hope
to awaken you to the realization OF
the slavery you 80 voluntarily &C
cept and seemingly enjoy.
II do not claim to be any different
or better than the rest of you in
this respect, but l would like to join
my fellow farmers in throwing off
the thraldom which now exists.
"People are so constituted that it
is hard to make any important move
in q community alone. Our
families like to have equal advant-
ages with others, and so long as it
is popular for families to use the
catalogs for shopping tours, they
will feel that they are deprived Of
some OF the important comforts OF
life, If it is suspended.
II do not wish to be considered
as arguing from mean spirit to.
ward my family, but I am tired OF
having my family sitting up nights
and devoting Sundays to shopping
by mail and buying many things
which are not necessary for their
happiness or comfort, simply be.
cause a bargain counter is con.
stantly spread before them.
II believe we should build up our
|-own communities and enable our
home merchants to give us a good
market for our products by stand
ing by them. We can buy all that
we need, and on the average as
cheaply, by doing business at home
and thus make better market for
our products.
''How can we expect the country
stores to thrive and grow if we as
farmers refuse to trade with them,
but send our money to some distant
city which does not interest us or
help us in the least?
while there is always standard
price for some kinds of farmers
produce how can we expect the
country merchants to buy our eggs,
butter, poultry, and other products
so vital to us all, if we do not
reciprocate to the country mer-
chants?
1T is not an object for us to build
up our market town and make mar
kets for our products2 Does it not
add to the value of our land to be
able to point to some thriving near
by town with ready market. with