The Winslow mail., 1912-07-20
A Yankee Answer.

When asked, why do you trade
with mail order houses?'' many will
answer by asking the question "Why
should we buy of the local merchants,
when they ask US more than we have to
pay the mail order people?'' Many far
mers think the only reason they are
expected to buy of the local merchants is
that of patriotism, and patriotism
in this sense is simply matter of SEN
timent. They forgot almost entirely
patriotism, when considered from the
standpoint of fidelity to local mer-
chants, is not sentiment, but one of the
best forms of business judgement.
Granting simply for the sake of argu-
ment that the local merchants do ask
slight increase in prices over those
asked by the mail order houses, and
even after granting such false state
ment to be true, patriotism to local
dealers is still matter of good, sound
business Judgment. Such fealty on the
part of the farmers means that their
nearby village can continue to thrive
and remain an important civic center.
1t means that the village stores can re-
main the center Of activity, socially, as
we'll as of merchandising.
The patronage of the farmers in any
community is the chief supporting force
Of the local village. When the farmers
are prosperous the villagers are pros
porous. The residents of the village
and the rual communities band forces,
and obtain better highways, maintain
their schools to high pointof efticien-
cy, consider local political conditions
in the same honest light that results in
efficient township and county officials
beng chosen. T.
The village is the hub Of the farming
community. 1t is the shipping point, as
we'll as the social center, fort agricul-
turist. The farmer is not only able to
dispose of his propucts in a convenient
manner, but local dealers are the ones
who pay him cash for his wares. The
village is the seat of the post Office
whence the rural mail is dispatched to
the home of the farmer. The local bank
er advances hefarmers cash to tide him
over, or extends large loan when he
desires to buy additional land or make
improvements. The local physician is
within easy call, when the farmer or
member of his family is stricken. The
farmers horse on a moments notice
The hardware and the implement deal
er are prepared with emergency repair
for machinery, when the farmer wants
such repairs and wants them quickly.
Even the local dentist is more than
eager to use his forceps on an aching
tooth. Now, do the mail order houses
afford any of these conveniences?
When farmer once begins on new
method of supply ing mis- wants, quitting
his support of the local merchants, and
starts sending his money to. the mail
order merchants in the large cities, he is
delivering a harder blow to himself than
to anyone else. Take the village and
the village merchants away from any
farming community and the farmers
prosperity will drop large per cent
The value of his land will decrease and
his convenient methods m marketing will
be thing of memory only. Anyhonest-
minded farmer, who is enjoying pros
perity, will admit that his prosperity
! in large measure is due to the fact
that thriving village is located near
by. Why then destroy this aid to pros
Fperity? When the soil tiller by his
own acts, does things which tend to de-
stroy or mar the commercial welfare Of
his nearest village he is directly begin
ming a method that undermines his own
prosperity.