Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-12-03
THE LOSING sIDMoF
MAIL ORDER TRADING

Hans Garbus, a German farmer OF
Iowa, has discovered that the pene'
fits which appear on the surface as
attaching to the mail order plan
sometimes spell disaster and has
written a very interesting story OF
his views In a certain farm paper.
Here is q part of his story:
eve farmers need awakening 10
the fact that we have unmistakapiy
reached the period where we must
think and plan. am one Of the slow
German farmers that had to pc
shown. and am now giving my ex-
perience that others may profit Tor
knowledge is more expensive now
than ten years ago.
"Twenty-nine years ago Degan
NV farm career. / had an old team
and $50. Our furniture was mostly
home ade-chairs, cupboard ana
lounge made from dry goods boxes
neatly covered with ten-cent Gre
tonne by my girl wife. We rented
eighty acres. Being boy OF good
habits / got all needed machinery
and groceries of our home mer-
chants on credit, until fall crops
were sold. The first year was a wet
season and l did not make enough
to pay creditors. l went to each ON
date of promise and explained con-
d,t,ons. paying as much as possiDle,
q and thev all carried the balance over
another year. They continued 70
accommodate me until was able TO
buy. a forty-acre piece of my own.
GAS soon as l owned these few
acres the mail order houses began
sending me catalogues, and grad
ually / began sending my loose
change to them, letting my accounts
stand in my home town where l had
gotten my accommodation when
needed 1t.
"We then had one Of the thrift
lest little villages in the state
good line of business In all Che
branches. merchants who were will
ing to help an honest fellow over a
bad year, and town full or people
who came twice a week to trade ana
visit. Our little country town sup
ported a library, high school, ball
team. and we had big celebrations
every year.
"a farm near a live town soon
doubles in value. l sold my 1orty
acres at a big advance and bought
an eighty, gradually adding to 1t
until l had 200 acres of the best
land in Iowa. l then felt no need
of asking favors, and found it easy
to patronize the mail order agents
that came almost weekly to our
door. l regret to say that / was the
first in the county to make up
neighborhood bill and send 1t to
mail order house. Though we got
bit every once in while, we got IN
the habit of sending away Tor stuII'
"Gradually our merchants lessen
ed their stock of goods-for lack 81
patronage. Finally we began to real
ize that when we needed Doit
quickly for machinery, or clothing
for sickness or death, we had 10
wait and send away for it, which
wasn't SO pleasant. One by one our
merchants moved to places Where
they we're appreciated, and men OF
less energy moved in. Gradually our
town has gone down; our business
houses are 'tacky' in appearance >
number are empty; our Schools
churches and walks are going down.
we have no band, no library nor pal
team. There is no business done IN
the town, and therefore no taxes u
keep things up. Hotel is closed for
lack of travel. Go down to the de-
not when the freight pulls in and
YOU will see the sequel in mail
order packages.
mine years ago my farm was
worth 3195 an acre; today / have
a hard matter to sell it at $167 an
acre. It is too far from a live
town'-so every farmer has said
that wants to buy. He wants plac'
near schools and churches, where
his children can have advantages.
h.va .uakaDad tn the fact that il