The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-02-01

convenient, but is it fair? Not whether
is it good business, but whether it is
good morals?
For you and | know, and all the
world is coming to know, that not one
dollar is ever saved or made by unfair
means that does not curse the possess
sor. And a man may be as dishonest
in saving money as in getting it.
1t is right to spend our money with
the home town and wrong to SEND it
away because we are under obligations
to the home town, but not to the mali
order house.
Financial Obligations.
In the first place, the country is I'M
der financial obligations to the town.
OF course, the town is also indebted to
the country, but the town cannot help
but pay its debt, it's very existence
does that. Hence, we are merely dis
GUESSING the country side of the obliga-
ton.
Find 200 acres of good land almost
anywhere that is twenty miles from
town, and you can buy it for s25 an
acre. The same land within ten miles
will bring $35. within five miles it's
| value is $50, within two miles $S5 an
acre.
Thus that town has increased the
lane within a radius of ten miles al
average of $35 an acre. AS that is
! about the age of country towns gener-
| ally, you may figure that a town, as
long as it is fairly prosperous, in
| creases the land around it an average
| of 81 an acre every year.
Not considering staple articles, like
cattle, hogs and grain, which can be
shipped and sold anyway, the town. as
a local market, is worth at least $75
a year to the ordinary farmer.
For example: This year the peach
markets were so glutted no ordinary
fruit would pay the express. Around
the little town in which the writer
lives most farmers nave a few peach
trees. The 1000 inhabitants bought
nearly every bushel In the vicinity at
from 40 cents to 81 a bushel. More
than 81 1000 was paid for peaches with
in three weeks.
That was clear gain. which must be
set over to the credit Of the town.
Plums, cherries. early vegetables,
scores of little odds and ends, perish
able stuff that the farmer could not
or would not ship, he turns into cash
at the home town.
So if a man owns 200 acres within
reach Of town, he will receive 1915
a veal direct cash value from that
town, none of which he would receive
from the mail order house.
To be sure, the town does not do
! nate him that amount, the town was
not built for the purpose of philan-
thropy, yet he receives an actual cash
benefit because the town is there; and
he is under actual financial obliga-
! lions to return that benefit by spend
ing his money at home.
1t is not an obligation hat the law
would recognize, but 1t is one that
appeals to those independent, clean
hearted men Of high honor. who feel
| that perfect honesty demands that
when benefits are received from
stranger or brother, friend or foe. ben
| efits should be returned.
1t is sometimes argued that the
town has forfeited its right to the
farmers patronage by selling too high.
But a careful investigation will not
bear out that contention. Your town
Is unusually prosperous if you can
count more thar four merchants who
have cleared SIC, 900 in the past ten
years. That is 81. 900 a year for time
and interest on capital. You can
count five or six others who have
failed during that time, lost every
thing. The January invoice will not
show q net gain of $500 per business
man. That means the ordinary mer-
| chant and his capital are not clear
ing $50 a month. This does not indi-
cate an unreasonable profit on goods
| sold.
Social Obligations.
1t is right for the country to spend
its money with the home town be-
cause of the social obligations between
them.
The town is the center Of your COM
munity. From 1t radiates your rural
Have my goods arrived from T. M.
R%obuck's?" said a man who called at
the express Office the other day. 81