The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-06-14


the town drunkard and the village
cut-up, the mali who sits upon the
dry goods boxes in front of the local
stores and defies the merchants. He
boasts of the fact that his money goes
to the mail order houses; that he has
right to buy goods wherever he can
buy them for the smallest price. We
will mot deny his right, but we will
investigate, you and /, the wisdom Of
his action.
How the Boomerang Works.
Ordinarily this sort of a man Is a
small property holder; he has little
cottage and a small plot Of ground
which practically represents the saw
ings Of his lifetime-for he is not a
provident soul, this man with the
philosophy that he can send his money
out of town without hurting his town
and community. 1t is easy to prove
that he is selfish individual and not
desirable citizen. For instance, sup
pose that instead Of one man of this
character in community, so per cent.
of all the community were of his kind;
the result will Immediately make itself
evident to you. Fifty per cent. of the
business going out of the village
would close half the stores. No vii
lage could stand such a catastrophe
without a fiuctuation in real estate
values.
The loss of a large percentage of
the natural business that should go
to the merchants means that your
property and the property of the man
who is spending his money out of town
will depreciate alike!
What puts value on village real
estate? A good. thriving business in
the village; a satisfied, contented, en-
ployed people; few places offered for
sale; few vacant desirable houses.
When business is good in a village,
real estate will gradually increase in
value. 1t will decrease when the
number of houses for rent is increas-
ed; when a number of houses for sale
are put upon the market; when the
merchants complain and fail.
Why the Farmer Is Interested.
The way to hurt your own property
is to sit on the dry goods box and
claim that you have a right to buy
where you can buy to the best ad-
vantage, independent of home inter
ests.
The farmer who happens in and
hears the man on the box declare that
he will spend his money where he
pleases, is interested in this mans at
titude. At first glance he does not
seem to be, but after the farmer
philosophers a bit he will discover
this man is his enemy as we'll as the
enemy of all good citizens of the viii
lage. Here is what Thomas Harrigan,
farmer, says in the River Falls
(Wis) Journal relative to the situa-
ton:
How can We expect the country
stores to thrive and grow if we, as
farmers, refuse to trade with them,
sending our money to some distant
city which does not interest US or
help us in the least? While there is
always a standard price for some
kinds of farmers produce, how can we
expect the country merchant to buy
our eggs. butter. poultry and other
products, so vital to us all, if We don't
reciprocate? Is it not an object for us
to build up our market town and make
markets for our products? Does It
not add to the value of our land to be
able to point to some thriving near
by town with a ready market, with
schools and churches7 Is not land so
situated worth more than IL 1t is iso-
lated and distant from everything and
everybody By standing by our home
merchants We are standing by each
other. and by standing by each other
We will thrive and prosper together.
Is it to our interest to build up great
houses in distant cities? make the
broad assertion that while some things
on the surface may seem cheaper than
the prices OF our home merchants, aft
er We have scrimped ourselves to get
the cash and paid freight and other
charges, and paid for things We do
not need. because they seem cheap,
We are actually out of pocket; we are
gulled by the cormorants. If We keep
depressing and destroying our home
merchants. We will find after a life
time that our farms are in an isolated
region and have not increased in value
as they would If we had made mar
ket at our very door. I know too we'll
the selfishness Of human nature to
imagine for moment you would join
a crusade against catalogue houses, If
it did not appeal to your cupidity. But
it is a fine thing to cut your mer-
chants throat if it puts money in your
pocket. Still, when It comes to cut
ting your own throat the indueement
is not so tempting"
None of us likes the great lonesome
feeling that comes from living on
far frontier. We like to be at the
heart of things. We like to be near
our fellows; We like to be close to q
good, thriving, prosperous village, and
that is why farm property is more
valuable if it is located within easy
reach of a village.