Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1909-02-11
EFFECTS OF MAIL ORDER HOUSES ON
THE RURAL CITY AND ITS TERRITORY
Address by Mr. c. Peoples
Trading Banquet Feb g. 1909

SSNL 10 tneSe houses every year that
should be spent in the community in
Which the money was made. It is
selfishness that prompts people to
ignore their home institutions. They
have come under the false illusions
that they will save money by sending
for their goods. Suppose that it is
possible that they do save something
on some particular item, the very
next needed item may cost them more
to ship in than the same thing could
be bought for right at home
The mail-order houses do not do
business just for the glory of doing
it. The item of profit to them, is lust
IFS essential as it is to the local mer.
chant. All business, all vocations
and professions are conducted for this
one item, profit. The farmer tills his
land for the profit there is in it, the
merchant sells goods for the profit,
the banker lives on the profits of his
business as does the doctors, lawyers,
laborers, in fact in all activities of
life, that one thing is the stimulating
/ factor. The profits of any business
is the only part that works to the best
interest for those directly or Indirect
~ concerned, as we'll as for the local
ity in which such business is located.
That is the element that builds new
buildings, roads, churches, schools, in
fact all the improvements that are
made. If we can not make profits in
the business in which we are engaged,
all improvements are impossible.
This applies to the country as we'll
as to the cities. The habit of sending
the money to the large cities tends to
build them up. The better habit
of spending the money at home builds
up your community.
The mail-order business is very
much like the modern trust idea.
The trust idea in many cases. is a
system of elimination of competition.
How has this worked in the past
and how is it still working?
You may select any small town in
which few years ago you found
small factories running on prosper
Gus scale. A trust was formed in
some distant city or state for the pur-
pose of manufacturing certain line
! of goods that contemplated the all.
sorption of all other factories making
! goods of the same kind. Emmissaries
from this newly formed trust We're
sent to the towns were these factories
were located and instructed to buy
| out the factory. A deal was made
either through persuasion or intimida
ton but it was made, perhaps with
good round profit to the old owners
In many instances the local manu-
facturer was completely annihilated
by unfair competition, frozen out. Be
that as it may, the town lost the in
dustry, for the goods could be pro-
duced in the city in quantity enough
to supply the demand. That drove
the old owners out of town as well as
the employees. The small town lost
out on the deal and the city gained
This process has worked in hundreds
Of towns and where it has happened
you will find a dead town. The farm
lands surrounding it declined in value
no new people moved in ~ it was
rather get away spirit that had tax.
en- possession of the town people.
| Coming away from factories as
places of industry we find that in the
average country town the only indus
tries it can boast of are the various
business places stores, banks, imple-
nent houses and all other concerns
usually found. There can be no con.
tradiction to placing these institutions
IN the list of industries. They largely
make up the population of the town,
furnish employment to many people
and create conditions whereby it is
possible to make money for many peo-
PIE.
Supposing now that the support
that belongs to the town from it's sur
rounding territory and it's own citizens
is taken away, the inevitable result
will be the ruin Of the towns indus
: tries and incidentally the town itself;
not only does it stop there, but it
affects the rural territory tributary to
the town. This assertion can be easily
illustrated. Where you find a town
that is not supported by the people
around it you find dead town, the
progressive spirit is dead, business
houses are empty, the windows are
boarded up, spirit Of desolation has
taken possession. You 60 out into
the country and what do you find the
conditioner Y0,, och thu Rrc% eo.n, ~.