The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-01-18
OLD METHODS PASS
SYSTEMS OF LONG AGO WILL
NOT WORK NOW.
CONDITIONS MUST BE MET
One Reason for Growth Of Mall Order
System 10 That the Average 6usi-
ness Man Has Not Been
Progressive.

Business methods are changing
week after week and year after year.
The systems that our forefathers
swore by, and which are often
preached 10 us as examples that
should be followed to-day, could never
be made 10 work now any more than
the people would be satisfied with the
old OK team and heavy cart az a means
OF transportation. The old style con
veyances we're the best known In their
time. and great discoveries have been
made by means OF the old sailing yes
sells. In fact, the pioneers were the
ones who used these slow methods.
but who will say that we can well dis
pense with the fasthying steam cars
aud electric lines or the ocean hyers
OF The present.
Business methods are different and
growing more different day by day.
and we must adjust ourselves 10 coDdi-
tons as they change. The spread OF
the catalogue house system has been
tremendous, IL that word can apply
be used to express e. There are ele-
menls in the system that are good,
and some elements that are bad. II In
according TO the way they are APP
piled. There Ia reason why the ceta-
logue house exists. They will keep In
evidence until there are better meth
DDS and more souitsble systems ar
ranged 10 supply the wants OF the pso
pie, aud until the people realize that
while the system as distribution
agency may be all right. there IL much
more 10 the question that needs more
careful consideration. Soon as the
masses realize that trade In each local
section Is important 70 II, that any
system that takes from a community
the employment that its people should
have. and that the pronts In trade srs
essential TO the best welfare OF the
people OF a community. the sooner will
the mail order houses And their proper
sphere and the sooner will the mer-
chants OF the smaller cities and towns
come 10 realization that they must
adapt their business methods 10 the
requirements OF the times.
The catalogue house system should
be looked upon as an educational one.
The large catalogues that are sent
throughout the land are great bookA
from which lessons can be learned
and viii be learned. The masses have
moi had knowledge OF values placed
we'll IN their hands Their economic
education has been neglected. The
farmer knows good COW, good
horse. good hog, and II is hard 10
FOOL him His education has been such
thar he is up 10 snuff" He is quite
willing 20 pay the owner Of 4 horse just
what that horse Ia worth. and willing
that The seller abould have the profit
IN me transaction. We're he MS well
s0sted i'm The values 81 the thipga
that he must bay FOR daily use he
would be the same with the local NOR.
chant as he Is with the man from
whom he may purchase horse or 4
blooded COW or other animal rhe big
four pound books are oatechisms or
commercial values The farmers and
the children OF the family study them,
and learn more about things In the
commercial world A few orders sent
20 the far OF dealers. and few disap
poiutments, are SUN 70 convince
the intelligent man that he can do
better at home
Communities that few years ago
were the greatest buyers OF goods by
mail are today the best home traders.
The people have become educated,
They soon discovered that goods of a
certain quality always bad q certain
value. the same AZ a good horse or a
COW or some farm animal. They also
realised that the posicy of taxing cm-