The Ordway new era. (Ordway, Colo.) 1902-1927, 1913-02-28
HTHE MIDDLEMAN"
By Mike Kinney, Teamster and Editor in 'The Gimet'

why there has been so much written
in the newspapers and magazines
about the extortionate profits Of the
middle man? Have you ever won
dered why almost every publication
| that comes to your home takes shot
at the poor retail merchant? II you
| do not know, let me give you the an
swer 1t is-ADVERTlSlNG The
great metropolitan newspapers, the
farm Journals, and the hundreds or
magazines that are published, cannot
and do not expect any advertising
patronage from the retail merchant.
| Their advertising comes from mail
order houses, from manufacturers,
aud from department stores that are
seeking to deal with the consumer
direct. Therefore these papers con
stantly contain articles encouraging
the consumer 10 every section OF the
country to send his money IL some
far.away merchant and thus save the
profit of the retail dealer at home.
The subscription price of practically
all newspapers and magazines shows
a loss. Often this subscription price
would not pay for the amount of plain
white paper used in the magazines
or newspapers you receive. All OF the
profits Of these publications come
from advertising, and so it Is to their
interest to constantly work for a
system OF distribution that will lead
to more advertising.
II all goods were bought by the
consumer from his local store, there
would only be advertising in the local
paper. Such method OF distribu'
tion, of course, would not suit the
magazines and newspapers. They,
therefore, have been for years advo-
eating and endeavoriDg to build up all
kinds OF selling plans which lead to
consumers buying their goods just as
far away from home as possible.
Advertising was the reason that all
OF these publications were so much in
favor of parcel post. Advertising was
the reason that IL was next to i'm
possible to get any articles opposed to
the parcel post 10 a national daily
paper or magazine.
The parcel post is, Of course, In
many respects very good thing. In
many ways it will be a great CONVEX
fence. We have, however, b cen
promised that IL would reduce the
cost OF living. We have been
promised that it would bring the city
man and the country man 10 closer
contact. have been doing little
nvestigating, and l find that nearly
all the parcel post packages are going
from the city man To the country
man while the country man Is not
sending back any packages t" the city
man. Packages are going from the
city to the country, and money to pay
for these packages is coming from the
country to the city.
Under the old system the farmer
sold all OF the products OF the farm
for spot cash, and bought most the
goods he needed on credit. Under
the new system, as planned by the
unaRa"'nes anu NC "spape' wv
er Is W sell MS eo'us ",'e'o w VI. w,
consumer, "''nou' 'ne ".''' VI
any m'oo'enia l" '"e s"apu
merchant. What l should like to
Kho" 49, ho" Is '"e 'a'"ie' s",'s ="
secure MS Guy cuseoihe's' WIN '"e
FARMER aoVerIise IN Ine newspapers
and magazines! VIII ne sehu ou'
circulars oilerlhR MS ct''cNeps' gigs,
and butter 10 the CITY cohsuher'
Will he sell goods 10 the CITY consuth'
er only for cash, or Will ne give
credit? II he extends credit no"
will he find out about the hhan-
cial standing OF his customers: III