The daily tribune., 1907-09-26
MAIL ORDER BUSINESS
VS.. LOCAL MERCHANTS

The May Journal commentei ON
the home trade article written by +.
Heyman and Son. Bardstown. KY.
aud run in their local paper. We
now have letter from Jacob s. Hey
man, who wrote the article, practical
ly asking us to call our readers off for
lie has had so many requests for copies
Of tho article that all back numbers
OF the paper have been used, and he
requests that for the benefit of our
81 900 readers we print the entire
article, which we give below. Mr..
Heyman says 1t did them much good.
Ed.
Noting the growing business the
mail order houses seem to be doing
in this section and in the entire coun-
try In general, few remarks on the
subject would be timely and will
present some facts for you to ponder
over and ask yourself as to whether
you are really being benefited by
making your purchases from these
houses whom you do not know and
may never soc and who have no per-
sonal Interest in your affairs anyway.
In their lavisly illustrated cata-
logues you sec only a picture or cut Of
the article-you can not see its size,
shape, quality. weight or material by
which you would judge as to Its
worth. They make elaborate prom
ises as to what they will do, but did
you ever see any one who received a
new pair Of shoes, buggy or any
other article without charge, re.
placing ono which proved defective
and which was purchased from mail
order house! No you never did,
because they arc no far away that you
keep quiet and don't like to scknowl-
edge that you have been dupcd; and
tho return charges would cost more,
usually. than tho article is really
worth.
Do these houses offer to pay cash
or exchange goods for your wheat.
corn, oats, eggs, butter, etc ? How
much will they pay for your hogs or
sheep at your depoty
How much tax do they pay to sup.
port your schools aud educate your
children? Or for building bridges
aud roads. also for the support OF the
county's poor. and for the expenses OF
running the business CT the county,
In what page in their catalogue
do they offer to contribute money to
your church, How much goods will
they sell you on credit when your
money is gone and crops nrc poor,
aud your wife and children have not
food and clothes?
II you are Ill your home merchant
sells you farm tools, groceries, cloth
ing, otc., and you can pay for them
when you are able. but the catalogue
house says, "Send cash with order. "
Do they provide market for what
you have to sell and thereby keep up
the value Of your farm
Whom a poor farmer loses his only
h0rso or COW, or loses his house or
barn by fire. who IL appealed to y
Why. tho local merchant, Of course
the mail or,ler houses have nothing
for You. Would you go to your local
vehicle dealer and give him ESQ aud
say "send mo buggy" No. you
would not; you will look Mt II good
long time before you buy 1t but
how do You with do tho mail order
house, You just send them your
money aud never know what you
will get until the article arrives ut
tho station.
Yot would not go to local
shoe dealer. hand him ~ for pair
of shoos and toll him TO wrap thcm
up. without looking nt wl,nt you nrc
Rctting; but such Ia tho mnil order
way Of doing business
Now. II you buy goods from ninil |
order houses think deeply over those
ramarks. ~ thcy arc Of vital interest
~ tho customer "a we'll ~ tho ner.
chant. "-NcrchAnts Trade Journal.