The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1907-05-10
iTS RISE IS NOT THE RESULT OF
LEGITIMATE DEMAND.
DUE ENTIRELY TO CREED
And Il Feeds Upon the Prosperity
Of the Country Towns-A
Menace to the
| Nation.

copyrighted. 1906. by Alfred c. Clark.)
As the years 60 by we are more
than ever brought face TO face with
the vital question Of trading at home.
During the past decade the habit Of
buying goods abroad has grown to
such proportions that the country
merchant may well feel alarmed at
the probable outcome unless something
10 done to forestall the great calamity
which will surely result therefrom.
Trade conditions 25 years ago were
satisfactory. At that time catalogue
houses were entirely unknown and
country me chants were "monarchs Of
all they surveyed" so to speak, in the
lines represented, and the people were
prosperous and happy. Perhaps not
90 much because they generally had
money enough to meet their wants,
but because of the contentment that
prevailed throughout the country at
that time. The farmers raised good
crops, generally, and received good
prices for what they had to SELL They
sold their surplus stuff to the local
merchant and bought what they
wanted; and this was the height of
their ambition, hence the contentment
that prevailed.
But In after years, when cities
grew and trade expanded, the mer-
chants Of these cities not being con.
tent with conditions of trade, devised
plans by which they might reach out
for more business. Advertising in the
newspapers being a cheap way of
putting the merits Of their goods be-
fore the people, this plan appealed to
them and 1t was adopted. At first they
operated on small scale; then, as
the merchant saw the opportunity for
making 1t pay, he added to his adver.
tising fund. And SO it has continued
until to-day millions Of dollars are
annually sent to mail order houses by
the people OF the United States.
The best and most effective way to
throttle the catalogue house has been
q question uppermost In the minds of
country merchants for several years
past; some advocating one plan and
some another. There are several plans
which might be presented to induce
the farmer to buy at home. In the
hrst place his pride might be appealed
to. There are very few farmers who
own their own farms but that would
be interested in building up his own
locality. He realizes the fact that If
his farm Is to be valuable it must be
farmed in the most scientific manner
and all buildings, fences etc, must be
kept up In the best possible shape,
and above all the farm must be To-
Gated not too far from some good
town. for We all know that farm land
brings a much better price when near
70 some good town or village. 1t is
not hard to get the farmer TO realize
this, for II he ever sold any farm land
or tried to sell any, he knows this to
be fact. Well, then, after he has
realized this fact, the thing for him
to do is to patronize his home mer-
chants and business men, so they may
be able to build and maintain a good
town.
Public schools are much better in
the towns than In the country for the
reason that where the population is
most dense, there Is more taxable
property to the amount of territory
covered. hence there is more money
collected for school purposes, and as
. result more and better teachers are
employed. All this is of the highest
Importance to the farmer, as most
q - xu,hN ~ L.,
their profession are interested in CIV
Ing their boys and girls good educa-
ton. And right here Is wnere the good