The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-03-21
EDITORIAL COMMENT


terestng communication in defense OF the cata-
log houses The cold hearted fellow has no
sympathy for the home merchant unless he sells
goods on the same basis that the catalOg house
does. The Independent realizes that the home
merchant who tries to hold up the people, will
never get their trade in a thousand years, no
matter if a million newspapers minute advise
the people to cut out the catalog merchant.
The only way to cure the farmers-and Others
OF this evil is to meet the prices ct the catalogue
houses. Many merchants, however say that
they will not try to meet those prices in all lines,
claiming that they do not want to deal in so
shoddy a class OF goods as are handled by the
mail order houses. Its a fact that the mail or
der houses seldom carry in stock the very latest
makes OF goods, and often for this reason, Is
able to quote low prices, giving fair values when
the purchaser does not wish to consider the
style There is only one system for the business
men to work on, in competing with these houses
which have been getting stronger yearly. 1t Is
necessary the local dealer must show to the
people that he can give them better deals than
the catalogue houses, and he will get every scrap
OF the trade merchant can't hope to com
municate his bargains to the people through
mental telepathy. There's only one system.
He must advertise in some way or another.
The catalogue houses are gielt advertisers,
spending great deal OF mouey each year. 1t
pays them. They are getting good profits on
their goods. No one expects that any OF those
concerns are in business for their health or for
tho health Of their customers. The Independent
has taken up considerable space in explaining
to the readers the evils OF trading with the
catalOg houses. There are evils lou can't get
around this TACT A dollar spent at home will
come back to you some day in one folm or an
other. 1t will help some business man to build
a nice big brick block some day. 1t will enable
him to contribute to Fourth OF July ce)ebra-
ton for the amusement OF yourself and family.
1t will enable him to g i've a hundred dollars or
SO for the church that you may be able to
attend divine worship in an edifice OF which you
will be proud. Take Minot for instance. There
is not a land owner living within a radius OF
fifty miles but who can turn to Minot with pride
and truthfuy say that on account OF this clty's
being located here, his land is worth $500 to
$1,000 more on the quarter. We have shown
up all OF these facts in various WAYS time ana
again, and notwithstanding all Il them, we be-
lieve that the only remedy is for the home mer
chant to meet the catalogue merchant on equal
footing. Beat him at his own game. Beat him
in prices. Beat him 10 advertising. Give better
goods for the money than the mail order houses
do, and we know you can DO It, You are right
on the field and you have the advantage. You
have the advantage OF becoming personally &C.
quainted with your patrons. Talk Turkey to
them. Show them your bargains. Tell them
to bring their catalogues along. Show them
where you can beat the catalogue man TO death.
You can get anything by holding the catalogue
houses up to ridicuIe You can't make the mail
order advocate quit buying in Chicago by sim.
ply telling him that he is paying out his money
for worthless goods Perhaps he has been a
mail order customer for long time and is
satisfied. You've got to do just as we have
told you There's no IFS and ands. The news
papers are willing to do what they can. The
farmers naturally are more friendly to the home
merchant than to the eastern millionaire whom
he has never SEEN Its easy to win him over
with fair treatment and right prices. The Minot
merchants are able to beat the mail order
right along generally speaking. Let's take of
our coats and 20 after the business.
Glenburn land man who is regulated to b.
worth good deal of money, most OF which was
made in the last four years in the real estate
business ia North Dakota, has just returned
from Texas where he invested some money in
land, and now he il trying to induce North
Dakota farmers to sell their farms here and do
pile in North Dakota, or nearly SO, then why
leave so good a state to spend his money? He
spent but a. few days in Texas. saw but the
better parts of the state perhaps closed his eyes
purposey maybe when he was about to see
things which he did not care to witness, and
now he is doing the best he can to get people
disconnected with their lot here. Farmers, have
care before you make move. You know how
you were when you landed here five or SIX years
ago. We know all about it. Mary a farmer
told the Independent man that he had Just
barely gotten here and was going to try to
stick. And thanks to the best state in the
Union they have stuck and 80 per cent Of those
fellows will tell you today that this was the best
move they ever made in their lives. There's no
use denying that you were poor when You got
here, we were all poor Had we been multi.
millionaires, we would have remained in the east
content with clipping coupons and writing out
checks for charitable Institutions Its hardly
worth while mentioning this Texas matter. it's