Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-06-14

y country OWnD are unfair % the
farmers = h ~ purchase Of farm
produce. 4 good many times the mer.
chants win combine = sssp down the
prices Of potatoes ana othse farm
products. Often they viii ship IN such
products from a distance, Forgetting
their arguments In favor Of BUYING IN
the home community.
One Of the greatest injustices which
the merchant in the country town has
imposed upon the farmer and upon
bis fellows In town a. well IL that Of
useless duplication. In many country
towns there are half q dozen Rrocers
where one could easily do all the busi-
ness Three or four hardware stores
are trying to live where there Is trade
enough to support only one. There II
duplication In delivery systems, dupli-
cation In rent and clerk hire and IN a
dozen other itema All this the farm
q and the town people who patroniss
the stores have to pay. To be sure
that they do pay It there IL often IN
agreement among the retailers to hold
prices at q certain level. Then they
complain when the farmer sends away
for his goods They forget that the
farmer IL business man and that
business man cannot succeed unless
he follows business principles and
buys in the cheapest market. The
remedy Is free competition. Free COM
chants out OF business. This will be
the best thing for the whole commu-
nifty. Better one prosperous merchant
than half dozen who are making a
bare living. The real merchants, those
who can run their business efficiently,
will remain In business. The others
would better be at work on the farm.
The best interests of the whole coun-
try demand that business be decentral-
ized-that 1t be taken to as great an
extent as possible from the cities to
the country towns. To make this pos
sible the country towns must learn to
handle this business at the least cost.
This consolidation Of the business of
the country towns will help to solve
the mail order problem. The local
merchant will not have 70 meet mail
order prices. The farmer b willing to
pay something for the convenience OF
getting goods when he wants them.
He IL willing to pay for the priv
llege Of seeing what he IL buying He
ID not willing to pay the cost Of q
from which he gets no bens-
nt He IL not willing to pay some one
else's bad debts He II not willing to
pay store rent and clerk hire for twice
~ many retailers a. the trade de-
mandA
In the most up to date country COM
the country town and the
farmers work together for the best
good Of all Many Of the, country
towns have commercial clubs that are
live to every opportunity for advance
ment. In many towns Of the middle
west these commercial clubs are the
foremost agencies In securing short |
In agriculture for their COM
nunities. The demand for these short |
is so great that the agricul- !
tural colleges do not as yet have |
enough men to furnish as many OF
.hese courses as are desired. They !
ire allotted to the towns which show |
he most interest and furnish the best |
equipment to work with. The efforts
II the commercial clubs to meet these |
have helped the farmers
# many a community to have the agri- |
cultural college brought to their doors.
1t Is the same with farmers insti- |
.utes. The commercial club provides
/ place and helps bear the expense.
realizing that its prosperity depends
upon the prosperity Of the country.
Some of the towns have undertaken |
another move that is Of great value to
both town and country. They are
grading up and graveling the main
roads for several miles out
INTO the country. From here the work |
n many cases is taken up by the farm
,rs, and the result is system OF good !
.oads for the whole community.
In uumberless other ways the COM
nerciaI clubs and the farmers are |
working together to build up the COM
nunity. Such a community can be
old at a glance. The country shows 1t |
n smooth roads and well kept fences.
The farmyard shows 1t In painted |
1