Charlevoix county herald., 1910-12-24
Be Fair to Your
Home Merchant
American Lovers of Fair Play,
Sometimes Forget Local Deal
er is entitled to it as much as
anyone Don't neglect men
too valuable to loose.

The American nation Is a lover of
fair play. 1t was this love OF fair
play that founded this nation in the
first place. The attempt TO tax tea
really started the war of the revolution.
or course there were other causes too
but Taxation Without Representa-
tom, the love Of fair play, was
at the root of the trouble.
Later In the war of 1872, the same
question came To the front again.
This was when England tried by the
same right OF might, To take Ameri-
San seamen off the vessels OF this
country and force them into British
service. All along the line Americans
have believed in fair play and have
been willing to fight for that.
Why should there not be fair play
in the land of trade as we'll as in 9TH
er things. Are we going to forget
that we are Americans and SEE the
small merchant oppressed and crushed
by the big fellow. 1t might be right
in commerce when it is wrong every
where else? Probably on the spur Of
the moment you wound answer mo!
let's have fair play all along the line"
Well, its fine sentiment but how
are We going to have it unless every
body helps. Would the United States
of America be free country today if
everyone had set back leaving the
work of achieving independence to
others? or course not!
In trade then will we have fair play
unless the public is right there in the
fight for commercial Independence?
In war it was the force of arms. In
commerce it is the force of capital.
The oppressor with his huge capital
can hire the best fighting men. He
gets the best ad writer's, he gulls the
public. There may not be Doods he'd
in the slaughter but Is death by
starvation any the less cruel than
death by shot and saber?
Now the best way to insure fair
play is TO stick TO the local merchant.
lie has invested his money in your
community and is one of the citizens
OF your town. Is it fair play TO go
some where else to trade III he is do
ing his part?
If he is doing the right thing 10y YOU
are you fair unless you do the right
thing by him?
AS matter Of fact are you fair to
Yourself when you send your money
away from your home town if there
Is any way in which you can keep ii
at home? The nation that has the
most money is the most powerful and
prosperous. The town that has the
most money is better off than the one
that has the least.
This does not necessarily mean the
town that has the most money in the
town treasury, It. means the town
with the bes5 bank the me- st prosper
Gus stores the best dmusements. The
community that has plenty Of money
always has plenty Of work and plenty
OF amusements. Once the tide turns
to another place the town goes back.
ward.
There is no fair play in that is
there? You hurt yourself and you
hurt your neighbor, you hurt your
town and in the end you haven't gain
ed thing. And down in your heart
dou't you feel cheap when you buy
something out Of town and drop into
the local store and hnd that you could
have purchased it at home Tor less.
You know that you have been done,
but had rather die than to admit it.
The motto OF all good Americans is
fair play" You expect it of the
men you employ. II you are working
for salary you expect fair wage
for your work. If you are honest you
will see that you give fair work in re-
turn.
Apply this same principle in the
bestOwing your trade.
Be fair To the man who sets himself
up In his town. He lives with you
and works with you. His success, his
failure is your fault. Suppose you
were in the habit of sending out OF
town for a doctor, and suppose all the
doctors in time moved away. Then,
suppose something happened.
There is world of tragedy in the
supposition is there not? And what
kind of town would you have if you
dove away all your mechanism the
same manner Really that is what
you are gradually doing when you be-
stow your patronage on the "foreign