The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-10-03
ALL ONE FAMILY


and thousands of farm, religious, so
ciety, fashion and Mail Order papers
that 70 to the homes of the masses,
and which are mainly supported by
the advertising of the Mail Order Con
Germs. Each locality has its peculiar
local conditions. The agricultural
caasses are among the most intelli-
gent. are readers and thinkers, but
there are channels along which their
thoughts now. Close study demon
strates that as a general rule farmers
labor under the impression that a
low estimate is placed upon them by
the people of the towns.
Then, owing to the Impressions
that are the result of continual read
ing of the advertisements of the cat
aloyue houses. the farmer is led to
believe that he unnecessarily pays
higher prices for what goods he re-
quires when he purchases them OF
the home merchant than ne should
He believes that he is made 4 victim
and that the profits that go TO the
merchant should not be so great.
Then there remains only the country
press as the medium through which
the people may he enlightened. But
here is another problem. The aver
age country editor is not by training
equipped to carry on an intelligent
campaign. He is likely to injure the
cause by creating prejudices. by mis-
too blunt attacks on the catalogue
house system, and on their patrons.
Any effort that he may make is looked
upon by the farmers as emanating
from the business interests of the
town, and published solely with self
ish motive. Thus are excellent argu'
ments deadened. and shafts that
should be effective, act as BOOM
erang.
Ii has been the inclination of the
merchants associations to discuss the
Mail Order House behind closed doors.
In his small knowledge of association
work the farmer is most likely to
think that when business men of a
town organize it is for the purpose
of raising prices ami working against
the interests of the farmers in gen.
eral. The way the associations have
been conducted in many towns almost
justified this belief on the part of the
farmer. II must be understood by
the merchants that any matter that
affects the interests of merchants and
farmers aud laborers alike should be
discussed openly. There is no reason
why n lecturer on business economy
should caution his hearers that only
merchants should be present TO hear
him. II his proposition will not stand
the criticisms of all whom it should
interest. il is a poor one.
On close Investigation it will be
found that the farmer who is tbs
most active worker against the trusts
and the laborer who cries loudes
against the oppression of the employ
ers. are the ones who by their short
sighted policy give the very systems
that they complain about the creates
support The evils of trade and com
merce today are the offspring of car
ital concentration. For years vas
sums have been diverted from all sec
tons of the union to the great metre
must he employed in way that vii
pay interest Financiers devise mean
for investment. A dozen concern
are amalgamated. combined into on
mammoth concern. and the money 70
the purpose is the money of the pc,
pie of the country at large who sen
il 10 the large cities through diffe
ent channels Here We find 4 trtIs
built up that works to the detrimer
CT the farmer and the masses of tn
land. and operated by the dollars tn;
we're supplied by the very people O
pressed by il
There is one cure. and one cul
only for capital concentration. Tn;
is strict adherence to simple hon
trade principles Keep in each cor
munity to the greatest extent all Il
earnings OF the people of that comm
nifty. The withdrawal of capital fro
section impoverishes it just so niue
II takes away the means of establis
ing new industries for the employme
OF the people. Thus are towns
isrded in their upbuilding. and re
estate values are kept from advar
iLg. The home market for the far
crs' products is destroyed, and eve
interest and every person in the col
munity suffers from the effects,
Thus it can be seen how vital it
to the masses to understand that al