Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-03-20
MAIL ORDER BUSINESS

mail ORDER BUSINESS
Recently the Mandan Pioneer CON
tanned the following article In relation
to the eastern catalogue house propo.
sition: GA
There is no use to attempt to- dis
guise the fact that the farmers from
this section Of the state patronize the
mail order houses to a very large ex-
tent. Not only the farmers, but peo.
pie living in the smaller communities
also have catalogues from these big
Chicago supply houses and nearly
every week order goods therefrom.
The local paper might preach until
doomsday against the harm done any
community by its own people sending
their money to some far eastern. con-
Germ for the purchase Of the neces-
saries Of life without, avail. The fact
that these people are saving few
dollars by buying a bill Of goods from
Chicago. overshadows all other consid-
erations. They do not seem to care
or stop to consider that the money
they are sending east forever goes out
OF circulation SO far as their 10.
cal community is concerned; that it
| is the home merchant who extends
them credit when credit is needed:
that it is the home merchant who
pays taxes here, helps support the
schools and churches and other Wor-
thy enterprises that make for the en-.
largement OF the home town and the.
happiness and prosperity Of its people.
These points have been elaborated up
on by every newspaper ID. the state
for years and Notwithstanding the
vigorous campaign made against the
false economy Of patronizing mail or
der houses. the stream Of money iow.
ing from North Dakota to Chicago
continues to grow from year to year.
This evil can be quickly remedied
by the home merchant himself. He
can do it by using the columns Of the.
local newspapers and quote prices the
same as can be found in the. cata,
logues. a. paper in South Dakota
touches upon the subject very forcibly
in the following: 4
IA farmer along one OF the rural
routes out of Ramona, writes that he
wishes the merchants: & who do the.
most kicking about the catalogue
houses would give the farmersaa few
of their prices on different articles.
such as gate latchs, bolts by the doz-.
en-, crackers by the twenty-five pound
box, Spearhead by the butt, etc. He
says they don't go to town very often,
but they all have a catalogue in the
house. That is the point exactly, and
one which many merchants fail to
realize. OF course we all believe the
farmers ought to trade in the towns
near which they live There are MANY
advantages in doing so. They get bet
ter goods, usually, they have a reason
able merchant back of the articles
they buy and the prices are generally
as cheap and often very much cheap
er;; but, Just the same. the farmers
like to have the merchants state in
their advertisements what they want
for it q good many farmers are.
from Missouri, and they want to be-
shown. Z
The merchant who is afraid to quote
| prices Of his goods in the columns Of
his local paper should not kick on any
body patronizing mail order housess
The day OF exhorbitant prices for the
necessaries Of life in North Dakota
has passed. Merchants who expect to
remain In business In the smaller
communities must be content with &
less margin Of profit. They must.
come in competition with the big city1
merchant and the mail order houses
OF the east. He must get over ina
idea that he can not do this and i've.
He can. He not only can live, but can
prosper. It has been satisfactorilyi
demonstrated time and time again.
The local merchant who runs q depart.
store and uses the ADVERTISING
columns Of the local press constantly
quoting prices On all goods mentioned
With g view 70 meeting mail order
competition doesn't care how many
eatalogues comes into his Immediate
territory.
me- Z