davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15

Would you buy cat in bag
a pig in poke? No? Then you are
not one of those who contribute $780,
000,CJ0 annually to the support of
the catalog houses in payment for
their pictured wares. Yet there are
millions who are doing that very
thing, buying the cat in the bag and
the pig in the poke, and of strang-
er, when for the asking they might
buy of a neighbor and have ample
time to examine their purchase be-
fore paying over their money. Why
they prefer thus to buy their cats"
and their pigs" is question that
the local merchant wouldd pay money
to have answered. Why will people.
otherwise sensible, pass up the goods
which they can examine before pur-
chase, and pay out their good coin
to a catalog house trusting to a pic
ture and promise? That they will
do it; it's true-'tis pity, and pity
tits tits true
Selecting goods from a catalog and
paying for them in advance of deliy-
cry is like counting by monograph.
and marrying by telephone; novel
and mildly exciting, perhaps, but apt
to turn out a poor investment
The story of the rise of the so-cell-
ed mail order business is an interest
ing chapter in our commercial his
tory. The spread of the craze-for it
must be classed as such-resembles
that of an ordinary epidemic against
which no precaution is taken The
disease has until very recently. been
allowed to spread without even quar-.
antine regulations. But from present
indications it's decline will be as rap.
id as was its rise.
The idea of selecting goods from
acatalog containing pictures of the
articles, and then ordering the arti-
cles thus selected by mail was the
direct result Of the failure of the bust
ness end of the grange NOV ement-
the, grange store.
The Grange Movement
Not so many years ago, but before
the telephone, the rural routes and
the interurban electric lines had
brought the town and the farm into
the present close relations, there ex.
listed in the rural communities an &C.
tive prejudice against townsfolk gen.
orally and the retail merchant in par.
ticular. He was middle man." and
wholly unnecessary. He was looked
upon as a human drone a nonproduc-
er and as such not entitled to any
fixed place in the economic scheme of
civilization.
AS the working bees every fall
when the first frosts come to blight
the flowers cast the drones from the
hive, so the middleman was to be
cut out of the equation of trade
eliminated from the problem - and
through the grange store the farmer
would deal directly with the manu-
facturer. Millions Of dollars would
be thus saved to the workers by
this short cut across the commercial
field. The grange store would buy
the produce Of the farm and in turn
sell to the farmer the essentials OF
life without profit either going OF
coming.
In carrying out this simple schem G
the grange, not being acquainted with
the mercantile business, employed
agents to buy goods for the grange
store, and the store was then run by
a hired mana man of more OF
less experience in handling retail
trade-but who had no interest in the
business-he was simply a hired man
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15

lures is great assistance Here is
a large field and perfectly legiti-
mate one. But it is not this trade
that the catalog houses especially ca
ter to. For them this trade is too
scattered. They prefer to enter the
thickly settled communities and by
methods not always fair, compete for
the trade that should go to the local
merchant.
Unfair Dealings
The charge that the catalog houses
are unfair in their business dealings
with the public seems to be sustain
ed by the evidence. And no ione need
go beyond their own catalogs to con-
| vict them of Misrepresentation This
| is easily done where picture accom-
panies written description of the
article advertised. The picture will
be of one thing and the description of
another. The object of this double
dealing is too apparent to need com
ment. The first impression is gain
ed from the picture, but the descrip-
ton with the attached price governs
in the deal. It is in effect a fraud
pure and simple, but not technical
| fraud-one for which they would have
to answer in court.
For instance, here is picture of
! dining table-an elegant looking piece
of furniture with nice fat legs five
inches in diameter-a table that
would be the pride of any housewife.
And only s., but wait moment
and read the description, Finely
turned two inch legs" This is not
| the table Shown in the picture, but
an inferior table that can be bought
at any retail furniture store for less
than the price named in the catalog.
The same practice is resorted to in
shoes and jewelry. A sideboard that
is made to sell for $12 can be made
to look Just as well in a picture as
one that must sell for $25-the diff
ference is largely in the finish. A 81
shoe will lock as we'll as SIS shoe
when sitting for it's photograph.
Sometimes these misrepresemta-
tons come very close to Intentional
and self evident fraud. A case il
point: A certain watch compan!
which manufactures all kinds OF
watches from a 81 grade up puts out
a certain brand known as the prem
ier"-an electroplated case and a
watch which any jeweler can sell TO
| So and make a good profit. A certain
catalog house puts out this watch al
a gold filled case and warrants it TO.
twenty years. The house knew whe1
they put it in their catalog that i
was not "of solid gold as they af
firmed, and they also knew that il
would not wear twenty years. Blu
they relied on the lapse of time tc
cover the fraud and the fact that moi
| one buyer out OF a thousand VIII
kick when he finds out that he has
| bit into lemon. The extra SIS made
on each watch by this fraud was clear
velvet
These are but samples of the many
Misrepresentation any one may find
who will take the trouble to go over
catalog carefully and compare what
| is advertised with what is actually
furnished the purchaser. The picture
is all right, but the cat is securely
| tied in the bag and you may not OPP
en- until too late-then as a rule it
| does not pay to kick-your money is
gone and you have the cat-and the
experience.
and public buildings and railroad
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15

one OF these supply agents was e,
firm tine name of which now stands
second, if not first, among the cata-
log houses of today. This firm, if l
am no. mistaken, was then located
in Milwaukee and its business was
to supply the grange stores of the
middle west with goods-to go into
the market and buy as cheaply as
possible for its principals.
For few years the grange store
f1ourished-there was much interest
manifested in this new trade toy. 1t
was boldly asserted that the day of
the middleman, the retail merchant.
had passed. But like all complicated
machines run by hired men" it got
out Of order-and then stopped.
banded farmers found that instead
OF saving money by means of the
grange store, they had actually lost
money. The grange stores were &C.
cordingly closed and the stockhold.
ers charged up the little loss to ex-
perience and turned to the ever in
teresting discussion of the tariff on
| wheat.
The First cataog House
With the passing of the grange
store the firm above referred to was
left without a business. But out of
the wreck it saved two things-that
proved to be most valuable list
of names of the farmers of the mid
die west and an idea With this ca
spital stock, the first catalog house
was started. 1t was a commercial in
spiration, born of the then conditions.
| But the discoverer was not left long
in exclusive possession of this find.
The pickings were SO rich. and the
possibilities of exploitation so excep.
tional and save, that others entered
the field until now the competition
has become about as sharp as it is
in the retail trade. Indeed the orig.
inal catalog house none genuine
without out stamp concern-has been
| outfooted by a young rival which
struts before the commercial world
with capital stock of $4O,0OO,OOO.
! This battle between the catalog hous-
es for supremacy is not being fought
out by calm comparison of goods,
quality for quality, and price for
price. but on the spectacular field OF
advertising. The one great object
of the catalog house is to make the
| sham and the shoddy look like the
real thing-in a picture.
Importance Of the cs.aiog
The head, the hoof and the hide OF
the mail order business is the cata-
log. And the meat of the catalog
| is the picture. In these voluminous
books, the larger catalog houses pic.
ture everything from a hog ring to
a portable saw mill. They picture
things which they have an which they
have everything goes in this
great book of books. If they have not
the real thing that the picture repre-.
sents they have something Just as
| good and cheaper"
| They invited you to send in your
money, for this is strictly a cash-in,
advance proposition. If they have not
what you order they will send you
something else, but be sure. to send
your money in with your order. That
| is important. You will have no OPP.
portunity to examine the goods and
compare the quality with other goods,
but what of that? It is such an ex'
citing moment when you come to op.
en- the bag and see the color of the
cat
The catalogs are sent to every fam.
lily where there is a possibility of Sc
| Hi11houco wac also TJuifod States con.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15
Shippinu Acorno,

Eugene Hawkins, living near Hunt
ingdon, Tenn, has been for some time
shipping acorns to the Northern states,
receiving sometimes as high as 81 a
bushel for them. The acorns are used
for planting purposes, with a view to
replenishing the forests of that section
Of the country, where efforts are being
made to restore the timber by planting
small trees. AS nearly all the oak
timber in this section of the state has
been consumed, acorns are becoming
scarce, and it would no doubt pay the
farmers of the South to follow the ex-
ample of the Northern people
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15


picture wares of the cataIog houses
And more than this; the retail mer-
| chants in man: cases ignore their
local brethren in trade and send to
| the cities ror whss they want for per.
sonal use outside of their own line.
What could be more suicidal than
such policy? Aid yet it obtains
to a greater or less extent in every
community in the Mississippi val
ley.
| Local Retailers Meet Prices
Do the catalog houses sell goods
cheaper than the retail dealers do?
/ No, they do not they cannot and
make a proft-and they are IN 1t for
the profit and nothing c.,..:. The price
of some of the pictured articles in
Z, the catalog is less than it can be sold
by the retailer and make a profit.
These are leaders-stool pigeons to
draw the flock to the trap. You will
find that any live retail merchant is
ready and willing to meet the cata-
log prices when the quality of goods
is considered. A stove is a stove
and horse is a horse, but there is
as much difference between two
stoves as there is between two hors-
es. Who ever thought of buying a
horse from picture of the animal !?
Yet many man has bought stove
that way. It is fortunate for the cat
alog houses that weight and finish do
not show in a picture.
Aside from all considerations of
policy, the most economical course
of trade is from the jobber to the re-
taller and from the retailer to the
consumer. No short cut has yet been
found that will save anything to the
consumer The grange tried it and
failed. AS rule the catalog houses
make greater profit on their goods
than do the retailers. This is evi
denced by their tremendous growth
They handle cheap grades with an
enormous profit added. They pay nc
taxes to the community in which they
do business. They are the Ishmael
ties of trade.
; When we consider the fact thai
the larger catalog houses pay out mil
lions annually for advertising, and
then from their own statements thei1
profits run into the millions, we must
conclude that there is exploitation
somewh someone is holding the
bag. And as there are but two par
ties to the deal, it must be the buyer
THE consumer pays the freight.
minimizing careiessness
Is it safe to say that one-half of
the business done by the catalog hous.
es comes from people who have Civ.
en- the matter no thought The pic
lures in the catalogs look attractive
and the statements in the advertise
ments are so alluring that they send
imam order without giving a thought
to the principle involved. They dc
not even take the trouble to see if
they cannot do better at home. Good
citizens otherwise; many are thought
less about this matter of home trade.
one of the most important duties of
citizenship.
A Legitimate Field
The catalog house has its place in
the legitimate family of trade. To
many people living on the frontier
away from retail centers-the cata-
log house is a great convenience.
There being no retail dealers within
reach the goods must be ordered from
someone, and the catalog with its pic
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15
USE TRIBUNE WANT COLUMNS

Addition ii Local on other pages
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-15
A Legitimate Field

The catalog house has its place in
the legitimate family of trade. To
many people living on the frontier
away from retail centers-the cata-
log house is great convenience.
There being no retail dealers within
reach the goods must be ordered from
someone, and the catalog with its pic
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
Daily Market Report;
EAST BUFFALO

East Buffalo, N, Y, Nov, IS.-Cat.
'le-itieceipts, 800! trade, 5ligbtn steady
to easy. ID. b..,.,. .,r ,, ..,,...... .
Veals-lReceipts ,5OOI active, steady.
Common to choice, AS Ga,S.25..
4 Sheep and . Iambs-7,Receipts 200;
slows lambs. lOo lower, Lambs, 4 a
q; yearlinEs' 4,25 q AZ; sheep, 2 az
4. so. ..., .E,-s. .,..., .......
!, .Hoss-iReceIpts ll,9O0; slow, lOc
lower, Workers, 4,9O a. $50; pigs
4.25 % a 49, mixed, 5,65 q $50;
heayieS, $50 q $50; roughs, 3 .25
"a $50. .-..
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
Glasses For Sensitive Eyes,,,.

Motais has been prescribing for Is
years in cases OF ultra-sensitivenes
to light glasses of yellowish tint.
slightly orange with brownish tint
on reflection. They increase the per-
eyes. The yellow tint evidently
prevents the passage of the chem
zeal rays to some extent. These
yellow glasses. he states, will
be found far superior TO smoked
Or blue glasses, while they do
not impair the vision. When they
smoked or blue glasses. while they
do not impair the vision. When they
are taken on even the most brilliant
sunlight seems dead and lifeless In
omparison.--Journal Of Homeopathy.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
CATHERINE MARTIN .e.. 2, '1o z.
'."s DIES OF CANCER
Aged Lady Had Been Ill
Many Years.
Remains will be Inferred at Mt
Olive Church, Friday
Morning.

Mrs. Catherine Martin aied at
her home on West Columbia street
.at five o'clock this morning, vic
tim OF cancer. The insidious growth
mas progressed for the past yoar.
although its effect upon the patient
was not apparent until early last
March, since which time patient
endurance has been the watchword
of the sufferer,
Mrs. Martin was born in Pleas
ant township sixty-six years ago.
Her parents, We're both natives of
Germany She is survived by five
children, Miss Mary Martin VIII
resided with her mother, Mrs. Ida
A. Orr, OF Marion. William w. Mar
tin of Ahdover. o.; George ]. Mar
tin OF Green Camp, and DR.. James
Martin OF Bucyrus.
Short services will be held M the
house Friday morning at eight thir-
ty O'Clock, after which the remains
viii be taken TO the Mt. Olive
church west Of Green Camp, where
the regular services win be conduct
i'd Burial will be made in Mt
Olive cemetery,
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
The Reign OF Terror.

Very few historic periods that are 80
near are so little understood as the
Reign Of Terror-probably because 1t
has commonly been represented in so
partisan manner. Horrible as IL
was, It was less horrible than is COM
monty thought. II did not last near
ly as long, nor we're so many people
killed, as most people believe. The
Terror proper, began with the execu-
tion of Marie, Antoinette, (Oct, l6
1881 and ended with the beheading
of Robespierre, (July 20, 1794,) who
was really the he d and front of its
barbarous offending. II continued
nine months and twelve days, though
the popular opinion was that it ex.
tended through several years. The
number of its victims has been greatly
exaggerated, having been reported as
high as 10000, 10000, and even
10000, The number has never been,
and never can be, exactly ascertained;
but It was between, 1900 and 5000,
so far as can be computed--being
probably nearer the former than the
latter figures Frenchmen are still
quarreling over the cause, character
istics and results Of their great revo-
luton, each judging of It by his bias
of temperament and political opinion.
Some esteem 1t to have been a dread
ful slaughter without any compensa-
tion; others pronounce 1t to be one OF
the most inspiring events of history.
Robespierre has been generally por-
trayed as a monster of cruelty but he
was amlable' IN private, absolutely in
corruptible, rather callousi than ac.
lively cruel, aud acquiescea, reluctant
ly in the atrocities for which. he had
been held responsible Another cen
tury must be far advanced before
reasoning mankind can hold any
harmonIotis View OF the French Rev
olution.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
UNION sToCK YARDS

Union Stock Yards, His, Nov.
aS -Cattle-Receipts 23 900; esti-
mated for tomorrow, 5000; market
steady, lOc lower. Prime beeyes, 8 80
a 7.6O; poor to medium, 3.3O a 5.l5;
stockers and feeders, $50 % 40.
Hogs Receipts $4,000; estimated
for tomorrow 10000; market lUc high
er. Light, sos a 575; roughs. 8 80
a $40; heavy $50 "a $50; mixed
8. .55 90 8; pigs, 3.75 a 5.
,Sheep-,Reeeipts $4,000; estimated
for tomorrow $4,000; market weak,
100 lower Native and western sheep
2, 40 a AGO; native and western
lambs, 3.75, "a Clio,
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
A PARTISAN RUsE.
The Dressn,aker's Lure That Ensnared
the Americans.

The Dressmaker's Lure That Ensnared
the Americans.
Grace Margaret Gould tells I'm the
September Woman's Home Companion
some of the ways the Partisan dress.
making establishments sell their goods
tosAmerlcan women. Here is one ruso
that she saw worked I'm one Of the big
gest establishments In Paris:
There was Il sudden ard evident
eUmlnotion among the employees.
The princess! The princess! She
hassarrivedv they cried. d -.
American eyes began TO bulge. v ~
Ont from magnificent equipage
stepped n Iegnlly gowned grand lady,
attended by footmen and maid and re-
cetvedtsby the whole sbowing1 estabr
lishment. TO tflei neglect of all either
customers. She was In n graciouG
mood this dnyl and easy to be pleasedf
prnising their past efforts and select:
inE'sevoral OF their new creations With
out regard to cost. After she had
MADE her departure amid like cere.
monles there was no need Of the sales
wufnan bothering her head over sugo
gcstions. Every American woman
present wanted gown copied from
the one the princess had bought, and
she got II after much pleading ard nj
a price far beyond the limit she had
SIT H.a
And the point OF this fable is this
The princess was no princess. but an
employee Of the house. .e
Every French gown has two prices
an American price and French price
Itfis needless to say which Is the
greater price. .t.si .rl
Along about April the cry goes up
'"fhe Americans are comlngp' and then
the prices go up too.
Along about November. when the
Americans have eft. you might almost
say they are giving away gowns. on,y
the, Frenchmans never does give awac
anything Then 1t il that the French
wofnap ein general and the Fren}a
actress In particular selects her ward
rolieal ais' ''' bsF fsta3G 5"2j
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
CHECKING A BUNDLE.
Tn. Way IL. Tired Man Saved Hin.

tns way trst itred Man saved rim.
sde self Labor and Trouble.
one nay "a llan went into IL very big
store. He had heavy package with
him fs
Not In the sense you mean, smartles,
but In the real sense
He had TO go two blocks farther
down the street and didn't want to
carry the package. SO he decided that
he would leave II In the check room.
He asked u hoorwaiker who looked
like United States senator, but who
was a perfect gentleman. where the
scheck room was. The tioorwalker said I:
f.Three enlslesoverdow ownstn lrsandover.
ontlie Wnbashside.
He went there, wherever that was,
and found he had made II mistake.
He knew Il was ,hinself who had
made the mistake. for ny nice nun
as hoorwalker with Il Prince Albert
on couldn't have made a mistake,
Tlnally after he had Iugged bis bun,
die thirty-two blocks hunting the
check room. had found the check room
aud deposlted his bundle. be walked
his two blocks 70 the otiier pfdce aud
was thfodghi iof the IdAsI 5bkadkM
1helgLa sdlIlounlsedsssa AtlssstsssN
'iHow should 4 ever have got
through or stood the wear and tear OF
that long two blocks carrying that
bundle? II It hadn't been for the
check room system. what could have
doneT'-e Chicago News.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18
LOCAL PRODUCE MARKEr

Corrected Daily by Chas. Turner 4 co
PAYING PRICE.
Butter, 2Ic per ID.
Eggs, 27c per dozen,
Lard-8 1-2G per ID.
Popcorn-2c
Potatoes, per bu,, Csc,
SELLING PRICE.
Butter, per ~, 2Sc.
Eggs, SOC per dozen.
Cheese, N Y. cream---20c per ID.
Lard--l2 l-2c per ID.
syrup--40c per gal.
Sugars--5c to lie per ID.
Teas--lOe to sl.00 per b.
Vinegar-25c per gal.
Salt--S1 .25 per hbl.
Hand picked Navy Beans--5c per To-.
Carolina Head Rice--lOc per ID. OF
3lbs,, for 25c.
Lima Beans--lOc ID.
Marrowfat Beaps-7c Id. or Abs. for
25c.
Cracked Homlny-4a or lbs. for
10c.
Corn Meal-2Oc per sack
Graham Flour zoe per sack.
Pruns-S 1-3 to l5c per III.
Seed Raisins-13c per ID, lbs, 25c.
Cleaned currants, Zoe per lb,
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18

Mother 10 making her list to-day
Father VIII soon have the bills to payl
La"es and fo!bles and toilet sets,
Furs and dingug for meat croquettes
Wrlstlets fer BIZ aud sled for Joe,
Pillows and spreads and fancy throw
Christmas In coming again, you know
Sister is planning to shop tb-dSy.-
rather viii swear when he has to pay
Stiok- pins and GTaptJ AID a dainty fan
slippers 20 give TO her best young man.
Muhc for Fanny do re, mi. fa" ,,,,.
Ties for the preacher, chair Tor ma,
Something or Other dr use for pa, 10
Willie is gcttlns the craze to-day 4,
Oh, but poGr father Will have to pay!
shawl for Ills ma aud sCme 'skates' for
~ 2Inn. tsbG fr- hetfIBl III
Gloves for his sister long arms and
tan. '-'NN
rGl4t big box. for a giri named f.dd
lNuther enc, ehnest ihe snme,'' for SUES
Then something 'lsf for ahis dad win do
Father IS facing Tho truth to-day:
He must buy presents himself. they say.
Thefe are the children and mother, too
Cook and the man and the office crew,
Relatives scattered all up and down
l'lllo coming In ircm eight stores in
town!
Now do you wonder at fathers frown?
sun he could stand IT, guess and smile
Keeping his heart like a lark the while
II ma would cut out that box Of dope
Labeled Havana" and Eade of ropel
How can you blame him for Grumblng
s0mc
Smoking those Flora De club de Dunn
Gee, but ihdse st6gies aI'c ON the bum!
shi - Go O. 81 us rear
Hh' p7H 40 Rag lTine.od} ind a1oI
II al@aysthatte1s manto ask him
comet hinp, he knoMs 81 Llol. a hnilt.Lt- IN
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-18

opening and closing at 1.O2 II.
Corn-,December sold between 90
IS and G3 SIS, opening at 81 Is
and closing at G3 l-S; January be-,
tween 90 ~ and Ga 3-S, opening
at G2 IL ana closing at G3; May
between 81 rs and G2 5-S, open.
ing at so ana closing at 81 Ia.
Oats-December sold between -
is ana 40 9.s1-2; opening AZ 80 3-S
and closing at 49, 1S; January
between 81 and 81 1-2, opening az
0l Ia and closing at 81 rs: May
between 4G 3'S aud 40 7.S, open
ing and closing at 46 5-S.