The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-03-19
THE MAIL ORDER EVIL.

L = 4 4
I'll THE NAIL ORDER EVIL.
Az recent gathering of the bust
ness men in Salt Lake city . YER
forcible address on The Mail Orde
Evil in Utah and Some Suggestion
Tor Its Corrections, was deilvere,
by Lon ]. Haddock, from which W,
publish the following valuable truth
and which we hope will find root ii
the hearts Of all those whom it ef
fects:
Among other matters that shall
occupy the attention Of the Utah De
yelopment league, that OF the practic,
| Of making retail purchases through
the medium of the mails, commonl,
called the mail order evil, will come
up for serious consideration, and it is
upon this topic that T. shall treat
briefly at this time.
First, as to the extent to which
the mail order evil Is affecting Utah
today. From the best informant
oDtainable. approximately $4,000, 900
are being sent out Of the state an
nually in retail purchases made
through the medium Of the mails.
Consider what the withdrawal Of such
an amount means to every county.
every city, every citizen and every in
terest OF the state! If the mail order
evil In Utah were suppressed for but
one year the sum saved to the state
would be sufficient 10 pay the cost OF
erecting a suitable building, with
| enough left over to build a modern
highway from Logan to st. George.
And this drain upon the finances OF
| the state has not been going on for
one year only, but for many years. In
return for which Utah gets absolute
~ nothing. For the mail oraer house
pays no taxes into the local city,
county or state treasures, maintains
no store, warehouse or factory on
which to pay rent or insurance, and
employs no local people. lrs func-
ton seems to be to sap the life's blood
out OF the community and in return
give nothing.
Causes of the Evil.
II Z
Now, as to the causes that have
contributed to the growth OF the mail
order evil. While there may be MANY
minor causes, all conspiring TO bring
about the condition OF things as they
are Today, still the two most potent
factors are first, the local merchant;
second, the local people. Ii in the
past the local merchant has imposed
upon the friendship OF his customers,
betraying their confidence by charg-
ing them all the trade would stand,
or by making fish of one and fowl Of
through failing to maintain
standard OF prices alike to all, he
las thereby opened the way to the
mall order house. Let the local mer-
'hant ask himself if, in some cases.
it least, he has not been deceived. T,
nrough the representations, or mis-
representations, of some distant lob
'er, into holding up the price on
ONE articles in order to protect the
obber, under the delusion that by SO
Ding he was contributing to the flu I
lre success of his own business.
is 1t to be supposed that an es-
ablishment operating far from it's 4
ase; doing business with strangers; c
slling its goods from pictures, de- Z
landing cash in advance on all pur- :
lases; and shipping it's items one at 4
Time, by express or freight, can F
'mpete with any degree of success G
lth the local merchant? Consider \
g advantage Of the latter's position; r
Gated in the midst of his friends H
"a neighbors; acquainted with their II
ants and circumstances; in a posi- I,
N to extend them credit in time Of
ed; carrying an assortment Of Ii
DDS from which his customers may II
Ike their selection. Are we not /,
fe in assuming that he has failed to Le
pfeciate fully the advantage Of his
sition? LIE
TO my mind, the success of the Is ~
III order evil is based upon the i'm n,
table law of demand and SUPPLY. Ma
q It is his failure to appreciate
$ fact in time for which our home Ma
n is paying today. NJ
Local Buyers snap Bait. Ne
Local people too often are de-
we'd by the one or two leaders put ~ nu
tn as bait by the mail order NJ
Use, into sending to them for Gu
ny other articles that could be
chased to better advantage from W
local store. Hi
The local mail order patron fans
aDDreciate fha rad,,n+fny, ~ nr,.o