Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-10-29
VOLUME XXXXX
Farmer Wants to Know

oil IliGI WdIlIO W hIlOW
The following letter, published in the
Retailer and Wholesaler, Milwaukee, we
commend to the careful perusal of the
merchants in this city, who are allowing
trade to get away from them for the rea-
sons mentioned in the letter:
Editor Waseca Herald: As there is a
good deal said nowadays in the local
papers about catalog houses and the
farmers who patronize them, and most
of it from the local dealers standpoint,
please let me say word from the farm
ers' point Of view.
N0w-just for illustratiOn-last week
my wife wanted pair of scissors OF a
certain pattern, and wanted them as
soon as she could get them. Now, 1t is
thirteen miles to Waseca, and nine to
GAINESVILLE from our farm, and two big
Chicago cataIOgs on the shelf with illus
tratiOns and descriptions Of all the diff
ferent kinds Of shears and scissors, with
the price and amount of postage given.
such case? She mails the letter with
money enclosed, right here at the door
and in four or five days, her scissors are
delivered at the door.
Now, Mr. Local Dealer, do you see the
point?
My wife would much rather have sent
to WaseCa for her scissors. But the Chi
cagO houses had enterprise enough to
send a description and price of every
thing in their big stores, right into our
home, while the Waseca dealers expect
us to drive thirteen miles through the
mud to ask what they have.
| could tell of a good many things
that we have sent for in just this way,
not because it is cheaper, but because it
is more convenient.
Now, it will do no good for local deal
ers and local papers to cry that catalog
houses are frauds and farmers fools.
They might as well try to stop an express
train by stretching rope across the
track, as to try to stop the march of pro-
grbss by any such methods. What they
want to do is to wake up and study mail
order house methods and go and do like
wise.
| can see no reason why Waseca G eal-
ers, either individually or collectively,
could not get out an annual catalOg of
everything that they handle, supple
mented by weekly advertising in the
local papers. Ii they would start some
thing of the kind they can get 80 per
cent of the trade that is now going to
Chicago.
And anoGher thing that would be a
winner for the town that started it, is
a delivery system in the country, either
by team or automobile. When we order
heavy stuff by freight from Chicago, we
have to go after it and if Waseca dealers
would deliver it, say once week, they
would certainly get the orders, provided
they make it easy to order by mail or
telephone. A FARMER.
There is no doubt but that thousands
of dollars go annually from this city to
Milwaukee and Chicago for merchandise
which might be retained here had our
merchants ordinary sense and business
judgment, and should parcel post law
be passed as seems now probable, most
Of the stores here will he obliged to shut
up shop. At the present time our gro
GERS do not advertise, neither our shoe
dealers and the clothing and dry goods
merchants only spasmodically, and as a
general thing the public, are not invited
to visit their establishments and trade
with them. few hundred dollars ex-
pended annually in judicious advertis-
ing would increase their sales half if
not more, but they will probably wait
until the big mail order houses drive
them out of business. Next week we
will tell why the mail order house are
gaining the business which legitlmately
belongs at home.