The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-04-09
How One Iowa Town Checked
Catalogue Houses,
BEGAN BY REFUSING CREDIT
OLD Lady, Daughter About to Be Mar.
ried, Couldn't Buy Wedding Present
Others Who Patronized Mail Order
Business Unable to Find Market For
Wares.

wares.
copyrighted. 1914. by Thomas J. Sullivan.
1t is NOT victory that makes the joy
Of noble hearts, but the combat. The
greater the obstacle the more glory in
overcoming it. and difficulties are but
the maids of honor to set of the virtue.
The effects of competition are won
derful. There are men who rise re-
freshed on bearing Of a threat-men to
whom a crisis which intimidates and
paralyzes the majority comes graceful
and beloved as a bride. Competition
infames the enthusiast and drives him
on to action.
The Making of Men.
It Is not ease, but effort; not facility.
but difficulty. that makes men. There
is perhaps no station In life in which
difficulties have not been encountered
and overcome before any decided
measure OF success IS achieved
Recognizing the retail catalogue
house &c a worthy foe. competitor.
the local retail merchant. in preparing
for battle must take an inventory Of
his many advantages over the mail or.
der house.
First and foremost he is always
working among friends and acquaint-
ances. The mail order house must al
ways work as stranger.
Did any one ever suggest to him be-
fore thateperhaps he neglected or over
looked many things important to busi-
ness success?
An Iowa Cure For Bad Habit.
I am not an adept at suggestions, 30
will refrain from making any, but will
tell of plan that worked out success
fully in an Iowa town.
The merchants Of that town were be-
ang imposed upon by man order buyers
and orgarized for their own protection
and determined to cancel all favors
and credit heretofore extended to those
offending citizens.
It developed that the first applicant
was a lady who had recently purchased
q sewing machine from catalogue
house Her daughter was about to be
mar-.ed, snd she wished to present her
with parlor set as present ard, find
ing her husband short Of ready money.
asked credit from the local dealer.
The Dealer Politely Declined.
The dealer politely declined, advising
that no doubt the mail order house Of
Chicago from which she purchased her
sewing machine would be most happy
to extend to her the desired credit
The good lady, somewhat perturbed,
hurried over to the other furniture
dealer. Here she met with the same
suggestion. II am sure the mail order
house will grant you all the time you
ask" said the merchant
The lady knew different though. for
she had read the catalogue and remem-
bered 1t said Cash In advance"
Mail ordsr House Doesn't Buy Eggs.
When Mrs Farmer, who had offend
ed, came 70 town with butter and eggs
the grocer said: Really, Mrs. Farmer,
the, butter is fine, and the eggs are
fresh, but l am not needing any today.
I would suggest, though, that you send
them to a Chicago mail order house.
It will doubtless be delighted to receive
them in exchange for another box OF
groceries such as you purchased from
It last week"
Mrs. Farmer Strengthened herself up,
gave the merchant look which meant
that there were more groceries in town
and started out to find them.
She did. and they gave her the same
advice she received at the first place.
The Turn About Game.
Farmer Independent drove load
Of corn to town and was offered about
8 cents less than the market price. He
protested The grain man suggested
that maybe the mail order house OF
Chicago would be glad to have the
corn at tie market price.
The implement man referred the man
with the secondhand machine to a
Chicago catalogue house, remark1ng
sarcasticolly that 1t made specially
Of taking old goods in trade.
The dry goods and clothing men
quoted their stiffest prices and refused
credit, and the hardware man sent
home empty handed the small son of a
catalogue house patron who had asked
for some tools and nails.
An Outcome Pleasing to All.
The merchants all stood firm. Credit
and favors were withheld from all mail
order house patrons.
The victims first became indignant,
but in the course of time came to see
the injustice they were doing their
home merchants and home town, and
soon they began to apologize and ac'
knowledge their error and promised In
the future to confiDe their purchases