The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-11-28
MAIL ORDER TRADING
How An Iowa Farmer Lost Over
$500

Hans Garbus, a German farmer OF
Iowa. has discovered that the benefits
which appear on the surface as attach
ing to the mail order plan sometimes
spell disaster and has written a veiy
interesting story OF his views in GER
tain farm paper Here is part of
his story:
We farmers Deed awakening to the
fact that we have Enthusiastically
reached the period where we must
think and plan. i am one OF the slow
German farmers that had 10 be shown,
and am now giving ray experience
that others may profit, for knowledge
is more expensive now than ten year
ago
Twenty nine years ago began my
farm career. Rad an old team and
$50. Our furniture was mostly home.
made-chairs, cupboard and lounge
made from dry goods boxes, neatly
covered with ten cent cretonne by my
girl wife We rented eighty acres.
Beng boy Of good habits, | got all
needed machinery and groceries 81 our
home merchants on credit, until fall
crops We're sold. The first year was
wet season and did not make enough
TO pay creditors, ! went to each on
date of promise and explained con
ditions, paying rs much as possible,
and they all carried the balance over
another year. They continued TO
aceomm odate me until was able to
buy a forty acre piece OF my own.
As soon as / owned these few
acres the mail order houses began
sending me catalogues. and gradually
| began sending my loose change TO
them, letting my accounts stand IN
my home town where 1 had gotten my
accommodation when / needed il.
I'VE then had one OF the thriftiest
little villages in the State-good line
OF business in all the branches, mer-
chants who were willing to help an
honest fellow over bad year, and a
town full of people who came twice a
week to trade and visit. Our little
country town supported "A library.
nigh school. band ball team, and we
had big celebrations every year.
a farm near n live town soon
doubles In value. ! sold my forty acre
at big advance and bought an eighty.
gradually adding TO it until / had 200
acres of the best land in Iowa | then
felt no need of asking favors. and
found 1t easy 10 patronize the mail
order agents that came almost weekly
to our door. / regret to say that / was
the first IN the county TO make up a
neighborhood bill and send il to a mail
order house. Though we got bit every
once in while, we got in the habit
of sending away FOR stuff.
Gradually our merchants lessened
their stock OF goods-for lack of patron
rage Finally we began TO realize
that when We needed bolt quickly
for machinery. or clothing for sick
ness or death, we had 10 wait and
send away for IL, which wasn't 30
pleasant. One by one our merchants
moved 10 places where they were
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 ball team. There
10 no business done i'm the town. and,
therefore, no taxes to keep things up.
Hotel is clio ied for lack Of travel. 10
down to the depot when the train
pnlls in and you will soc the sequel in
mail order packages
Nine years ago my farm was worth
Sl9h an acre today ia have hard
matter to sell il at $i67 an acre. 1t ~
too far from live town'-so every
farmer has said that wants TO buy
He wants place near schools and
churches. where his children can have
advantages have awakened TO the
fact that IN helping to pull the town,
it has cost nie 50, 600 in nine years. -