The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-11-14
WHY Trade at Home?

Why should people trade at home?
Is it duty? Is 1T loyalty to institu-
tions which calls people to such deeds
and such con sistent actions? Or Is 1t
merely fetish to hold trade from
drifting elsewhele?,
We think che trade at home princi-
pie is based on something more. 1t
has for its basis self interest. With.
out home trade tie individual would
suffer. However, it is the way with
most people to accept general prin-
ciple but make themselves exceptions,
arguing that their actions will make
very little difference, because they
are few while the rest are many.
We have found very loyal and en-
thusiastio supporter of home trading
in the person of a man who lives In a
growing suburb Of Portland. Not on
ly does he believe in patr onizing
home in IustIies, but he has thought
it all out aud decided just why, for
his own sake, as we'll as for the sake
of others, he should do his buying at
home ); This is his reasoning:
"Do | buy at home? 1 should say
do. Why? Because l help myself BY
uOluR ibs eupposos hon' VII L
thought it all out long ago.
''Suppose everybody in Portland
sent to Chicago or some other city for
all their goods; before long all the
stores would go Out of business. Then
the big wholesalers would have to cut
down if they didn't quit altogether.
The people who found work formerly
could not find it any more and would
have to go somewhere else, and Port,
land would grow smaller faster than
she has grown large.
"And the same thing is true Of ev-
cry community. There is store
within two blocks of my house. There
is another five blocks away. | give
most of my trade to the nearest store
because ] want it { l., stay right there
1t is handy, the store Is good little
store and the man who Iun5 it Is a
first class fellow. There's no use talk
ing, he does get little more for his
goods than some cf the places down
town, but am willing to pay cent
more here and there for the sake Of
supporting him aud doing my sbal
toward keeping him right where he is.
It's worth it to me and my neighbors.
I" hat store helps my property, and
it is almost necessity at times. Do
you think | would give it the scraps
OF INV trade and do the bulk OF il
elsew here? No sir, that's not right.
he helps me I'll help him all | can.
I'd rather trade in Oregon than In
other -tates; ID rather trade In Port
land than oth her cities, on my street
than Oh other streets and in my near
neighborhood than elsewhere because
the business nearest me helps me
most. That's what | call trading at
home, and it is right"
When asked If ne did no trading
down town he replied that he did on
ly when he believed the neighbcrhood
sores we're presuming that they we're
sure OF his trade and neglecting him
or selling too high. "The possibility
of trading elsewhere is just check
Cn The nome stores, and that's all l
ever think of it But I've not had to
do much of it.
In this mans reasoning lies a great
deal of truth. For the sake OF the
community in which you live, for the
sake of youi family, your property
and yourself it is best to trade at
home when it is possible. Aud it l.
also we'll to remember that everyone
helps to make up the whole. Trades
man.