The Monte Vista journal., 1907-02-16
They Should Be Organized
and Active in Every
Community.
PATR0NIZE HOME MERCHANTS
The Great Danger to Local Interests
That Are Found In the Mail.
Order systems-Edueate
the Public.

copyrighted. 1906 by Alfred C. Clark
Why should We trade at home?
why should We consider home in any
way more than any other place unless
t pays US financially? First, because
4 Is our horne. The pride we should
axe In the prosperity OF our home
own and our neighbors should be suf-
acient inducement to give them the
preference. Second. because beyond
All doubt or question. 1t pays from a
money point.
The greatest menace to the country
merchant to-day Is the mail order
business. and with the decline OF the
country merchant comes Inevitable
loss to the citizens OF both town and
country. What at first was considered
great convenience and an exhibition
Of commendable enterprise has grown
to be one OF the crying commercial
evils. The success OF the mail order
house Is the result OF constant. ex.
tensive and intelligent advertising. II
Is not by persistent swindling as some
tell us, for no business was ever built
up In that way The home merchant
can do no better than to adopt the
same method. the judicious use of
printers Ink.
While the merchants are the heav.
lest immediate losers. and could do
much toward checking and correcting
this growing evil. by liberal advertis-
ing and publishing prices. they should
not be expected to do it all. Every
newspaper should preach home trade.
every teacher should instil 1t into his
pupils in the school room, every min
lister should preach 1t from the pull
pit. The debating societies and po
litical conventions should discuss It,
The interests of town and country
and newspaper and church. and So
ciety generally. are so interviewer and
so Identical that whatever Injuries one
will eventually injure all. When the
merchants are compelled to bring on
smaller stocks. and employ less help,
and pay cheaper rent. they are not
alone the sufferers; the whole com
munity feels the loss. The price Of
real estate IL largely dependent ON its
proximity to \ good town. Rents are
dependent on the amount OF business
The merchant can move to some other
town and establish himself again more
readily than can the professional man
and many others who have built up
business through years OF acQualnt
anceship and establishment OF char
acter. II the farmer. or property own.
er In town. want TO sell out they are
tho greatest sufYercrs-they cant
move their property to some place
where people are booming their town
and country by patronizing home.
The remedy lies In education and
publicity. In many places that edn-
cation will come through bitter ex-
perience. but. In other communities,
where they are quicker to detect the
approaching evil. and heed more read.
lily the warnings Of the press and
friends OF home. they may correct the
evil more readily.
Wealth and power are corruptinX
Influences and the mail order houses
ire probably not sending out rs hon.
est goods as they once did. They have
learned the tricks Of initiation and
Substitution and how easy II 10 to
ieceive the public. But. II the mall
1rder man Is honest. and his methods
of advertising legitimate in every way.
his success Ia of no interest to us
and will never benent our community
In the slightest degree. II crops should
fall or sickness render us short Of
4,