The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-11-29
OUR MERCHANT.


ture upon such ground, yet thi:
lis democratic government anc
every citizen voter is expected te
express his opinion upon all public
matters, 1t is especially essential
when new issues arise affecting
local or general interests, and
sometimes it rests with the rural
citizen, or newspaper, to speak in
in his own behalf.
The articles which have appear
ed in this paper respecting the
farmers interests are strictly from
the promptings Of equity and fair
ness, the means to the end whereby
the farmer would not be at the
mercy Of the speculator and an ar
bitter between the railroad combi-
nation and the farmer.
Now comes a subject of vital in /.
terest to the country merchant, and
his interests are as important and
deserve as much attention as any
other. 1t is the parcels post, and
upon this subject is very ex-
haustive and interesting letter from
the secretary of the Merchants Ma
tional League appearing on the
first page of The Commercial this
week. The letter was an answer
to an editorial in the Chicago Tri-
bune and was produced in that
paper.
But the means to prevent this
imposition is that with which we
wish to deal.
The injuries to the towns and
villages are plainly pointed out,
following the establishment of the
parcels post by Congress. Will
the country merchant take any
steps towards preventing such a
disaster. The rural merchants are
as much entitled to their organiza-
tons as anyone else. They are
entitled to equities as much so as
any other class. Will they stand
up and demand some consideration
In this matter.
A great amount of pressure has
been brought to bear on Congress
to pass this infamous and expen-
;ive measure. 1t is not new is
sue. 1t is neither Republican nor
Democratic in principle. 1t is a
Socialistic movement. 1t means de
to our local institutions
business, social or fraternal-and
uch leading Republican papers as
he Chicago Tribune have suggest
ID it. Therein is apparent reason
or danger.
We are not admitting a single
advantage to the public by the
PARCELS post. The mail order house
$ nominally its only beneficiary.
They want exemptions and public
avors in order to undermine the
country merchant and his business.
Ne challenge the buyer to produce
single instance where the article
las been bought cheaper in price
II better in quality than similar
rticle could be bought at home. (
Would the parcels post cause
eduction in values. No. Because
most of the articles now bought at
he mail order houses are practi-
ally worthless and have been cast
side and replaced with a home
Fought article, thus demonstrating
he fact that the home merchant
las given value received whereas
he mail order house has swindled
he buyer. With this discrepancy it ,
lso demonstrates the fact that the
nail order house, with parcels post
n force, could never undersell the
ural merchant. Incidents like the
.bove can be produced, and they !
I'd not isolated either.
God pity the farmer with no
,illage or country merchant to
IeaI with. The mail order houses
would show none. !
Then can we not do something ]
which will cause the local merchant ]
0 take up matter, organize his
orces and enter protest against
he passage of such a measure in
congress. 1t is not Just. There |
5 no necessity nor excuse for it. I