The Huttig news., 1908-02-01
USE PRINTERS INK
BEST METHOD OF COMBATING
 MAIL-ORDER EVIL.
HOME MERCHANT TO BLAME

E aSiikiSS TOT fAttrdCtInS Custom Afo
 at His Command in the Columns
 of His Home Newspaper-Ad-
 ~ vertise Rightly.
 Much has been written about the subtle influence of the big four-pound catalogues sent broadcast over the land by the houses located in the big cities, and which, strange to say, re- fuse to sell goods to the residents of the cities in which they are located. There is no mysterious element in these bulky paper books. From cover to cover they are filled with pictures and with prices and descriptions of goods. It is the power of printers ink that is the only magnet, and this magnet can be used by merchants everywhere. The publishers of these great catalogues do business running well up toward the fifty millions year ly. All their success has been in the ink they use, and the way they use it. Because these concerns receive patronage that should go to the home merchant it is the home merchants fault He neglects to do just what the houses which publish the big cata- logues do. He may not have the money to get out such great list, neither the means of carrying great stocks of goods Yet he possesses all the means necessary to gain the trade that goes to these great concerns. He can buy goods just as low, has less expense, and while the big catalogue goes to customer only once in a year or two, through the medium of the local newspaper the merchant can go to all the people of the community once week and at the lowest ex- pense.
 As to the matter of prices, the big catalogue is an educator. It tells the people of values These values are associated with classes of goods. The merchant in the home town can turn this information to his own account Tn the catalogues are only pictures. Tie merchant can show the goods, and can explain the difference be- tween grades. It is evident that if trade is to be held at home it must be upon business basis. Sentiment cuts mighty small figure in matters where dollars and cents are con- cerned. The average farmer would rather buy goods from the home store than from some distant place if he is only sure that he is getting square deal. It is up to the merchants to let him know that he is getting this square deal There are towns in the western agricultural sections which a few years ago were getting only halft tho trade that was to be had h the district. Merchants be- came convinced that they were weak somewhere. They found that they were not advertising rightly and com menced campaign which has result ed in driving the catalogue houses out of business as far as these towns are concerned. The newspapers of these towns tell of the enterprise of the merchants The merchants them selves will tell you that they do not fear the mail-order houses, as they have educated the people to trade at home. The people who were mail order house patrons will tell you that they know that they can do better by buying at home, that they are con vinced that their interests are best protected by the home merchant, and that since they have thrown off the mail-order habit they are saving more money. The mail-order house is a great bugaboo. It is not near the evil than many suppose it is. It is harm full only in accordance with the lack of enterprise on part of the home mer- chants. Where the merchants are awake, are up-to-date, and advertise rightly, there is no complaint as to the mail-order system.
 Each country editor can do his share in educating the merchants as we'll as the people in business meth ods, in principles that are helpful to the home town. The live merchant can hold his own. Business is based upon such principles as give the competent merchant a fair show in the competition for trade. No one person has a monopoly of the right to advertise. The way is as open to the small merchant as it is to the big one The principles involved apply to the small business as we'll as to the large business. The only magic used by the catalogue houses is that found in advertising and in prices.
 D. M CARR