The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-01-07
MAIL ORDER MENACE
How the Cash Retail Trade Is
Being Drawn Cityward.
THE LURE OF THE CATALOGUE
Amazing Growth Of Big City Concerns
That Drain the Country Of Money
Which Should Be Spent at Home.
How the Evil May BE Comb ted.

How the Evil May Be CONTESTED.
In Maxwell's Talisman are the fol.
lowing remarks on the mail order bust
ness by Richard Hamilton Byrd:
1t is a recognized fact that the retail
business of the country villages and
the large towns. for that matter, Is be-
ing destroyed Year by year the once
prosperous merchants are being forced
to the wall-driven out by the mail Or
der business. And this Is taking place
In face of the fact that the population
and purchasing power of the country
districts are ever ON the increase.
What is the matter?
The mail order houses are drawing
the cash retail trade from its natural
channels TO the cities.
The growth OF this octopus has been
phenomenal. From a jellyllke idea
without form-an experiment fifteen
years ago, Il has grown to proportions
that threaten the determination OF the
retail country merchant.
An idea OF the way the money OF
the people Is being drawn into this
mall order trade can be had from the
reports of some OF these houses.
A certain mail order house OF Chi
cago which began with a few thou
sand dollars fifteen years ago now
carries a capital stock OF 100000
and has arranged to increase that
stock TO S40000.oOO. II does bust
ness OF S5.O0o0O0 a month and earns
net profit OF $1,000 900 a year.
Like the patent medicine business,
the mail order business depends on
the gullibility OF the general publio
Thousands OF people every week send
In their hard earned cash TO some mail
order house In payment for goods that
could have been bought cheaper at
their home store.
Why do they do IL? IL Is owing
partially 10 the desire OF the average
person to be humbugged and partially
to the effect OF persistent advertising
The mail order house sends out its at
tractive literature to every family In
the country. In this literature. com
posed OF well illustrated catalogues
and cheap magazines known as mail
order papers. the goods are set out ia
the most attractive manner. IL Is
tempting bait and the fish bite.
All of these millions come out of the
legitimate trade OF the country mer.
chant. the man who has invested his
capital. built himself home and been
active in building up the town. with
the expectation that he would be al
lowed TO do n legitimate business in a
legitimate way. He Is entitled TO the
trade of his town and the country ad-
Iacent. He pays his taxes and con-
tributes 10 the support OF the commu-
nifty. That community owes him
reciprocal Guty-the duty TO give him
the preference OF trade everything
else being equal. This Is the theory
OF all organized civilized communi-
ties. beginning with the family and
going on up through every organiza-
ton TO that OF the state. Home pro-
lection from foreign robbers Is the
first duty of every good citizen. II
the village and town life that has
grown up under natural laws OF trade
is to be maintained the retail business
must be preserved against the unfair
lnroads of the mail order business.
And this can be done only by organlza-
ton and education. Let the people
know the facts about the mail order
business. and the offerings on the al
tar Of credulity will grow beautifully
less.