Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-05-30
WHICH SHALL IT Be-.
PATRoNizE HOME MERCHANTS
AND PROPER OR cATALoc
pEALERs AND JUST EXIST.
Country Towns and Rural Districts
Bound TO Receive the Award Either
Way You euy-Two Short
Instances Given for Study.

p = AA0 0AOW - ~ SAeO 40 SssS
houses and the tendency Of consid-
cradle part Of the. country public to
patronixe them, presents q problem
that ID more vital and serious in its
probable effects upon our national
well-being and prosperity than most
people realize.
The writer has NO quarrel with the
catalogue houses themselves. They
have ~ much right to do business -
anyone else md there II nothing ille-
al or necessarily wrong in their sys-
tenn OF business It 10 also possible
FOR catalogue house to conduct It's
business along strictly fair and HON
orable lines, though not having the
same degree e personal responsibility
- the local merchant, and having NO
particular interest In the community
or in the people with whom they DO
business. they do not have the same
incentive 70 give good value and serv-
Ice for the money q the home msr-
chant.
Nevertheless. It II not 20 much the
catalogue houses themselves or their
methods " are concerned with a. It
Is the question Of which system Of
business u preferable from the view
point Of the greatest good to the gem
oral public. Tor, be assured, the two
aystems-local trading and catalogue
house trading are irreconciliable;
etther one can prosper or increase
only ct TIE expense Of the other. It
Il composition. strenuous and fair.
which the home merchant must ex-
pect and can meet.
~ between the two systems It u
evident that catalogue house trading
u IN infuonce that tends to draw
trade and population away from coun-
Try towns and rural communities into
the big cities. It tends to increase the
congestion Of business and people IN
obese big oentsrs with it, many IT.
tendant social and industrial evils. It
also tends 70 stins country trading.
Nh o. the country town and the farm
er's maTlkst for his produce. causes
depreciation Of town and farm land
values and n svsry way makes the
county sp's SssSs n
vniea e nv
\ Crest Common Danger.
The following thonghtful article va
written BY II. g. Kruse. editor Benton
County Times. vinton. Iowa:
More ard more plainly the fact
dawns upon our mind that the system
Of centralized distribution now GAIN
Ing : strong bold on the people y .
menace TO u institutions Of our com
mon country and y . system fraushf
with danger e our very liberties
Heretofore - have looked upon the
great caealo8ee houses p ssencaes
filling certain want, but that theory
win not stAn4 N impartial ana intel
aigent investigation. Suppose this idea
- carried out to The limit and that
the catalogue concerns absorb al the
business ~ ~ country. What thenl
We WIN I'll yoa what them" Say
that the catalogue concerns have sup
planted The Vocal distributaries. 10 II
~ - U00B0y4 $3.50 wess 49,
With ono-half OF the country's bust'
nessf Not mach. The selling Of
everything WIN b only one function
Of the great centralissd system Of dis'
tribution; nsxt Vim come the buying
OF everything and with the sell1ng o.
~ articles q commerce In the hands
Of the few and the buying OF al prod
, ucts n the hAnds q these same rev
whero aEo ~. the common run OF peo
pie. to md . place IN which 70 exer'
else cur powers - individuals: and
what = TO become Of the freedom and
liberties our farmer friends now en-
scy under widely spread competative
svstem.
We Aave ~ aions gone On sne
thsosy that ~ man who earns nia
monsy hAs u night 70 spend It where
~ wlaa. ana Ne stali believe IN tnas
eheoey, WIN oeetaan mooincssaOns' D1'
IL question g eay1ng where one WiIis
hAo oomoenlng involved De0oee tne