Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-12-12
WE LOSING SIDE OF
- MAIL ORDER TRADING
How An Iowa Farmer Lost
Over $4,000

Hans Garbus, a German farmer of
Iowa, has discovered that the benefits
which appear on the snrface as attach
ing to the mail order plan sometimes
spell disaster and has written a very
interesting story of his views in a cer-
tain farm paper. Here is part of his
story%
"We farmers need awakening to the
fact that we have Enthusiastically reach
ed the period where we must think
and plan. am one of the slow Ger
man farmers that had to be shown, and
| am now giving my experience that
others MAY profit, for knowledge is
morS expensive now than ten years ago
"Twenty-nine years ago begun my
farm career. had 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.
Being boy of good habits | got all
needed machinery and groceries of our
home merchants on credit, until fall
crops were sold. The first year was a
wet season and did not make enough
to pay creditors. | went to each on
the date of promise and explained con-
ditions, paying as much as possible, and
they all carried the balance over an
other year. They continued to accom-
modate me until was able to buy a
forty-acre piece Of my own.
GAS soon as | owned these few acres
the mail order houses begun sending
me catalogues and gradually began
sending my loose change to them, let
tipsmy accounts stand in my home
town where had gotten my accommo-
dations when needed it.
eve then had one of the thriftiest
little villages in the state-good line of
business in all the branches, merchants
who were willing to help an honest
fellow over bad year, and town full
or people who-came twice week to
trade and visit. Our little country
town supported library, high school,
ball team, and we had big celebrations
every year.
"a farm near live town soon
doubles in value. | sold my forty acres
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
il easy to patronize the mail order
agents that came almost weekly to our
door. regret to say was the first in
tKetounty to make up neighborhood
bill and send it to a mail order house.
Though we got bit once in a while, we
got in the habit of sending away for
stuff.
"Gradually our merchants lessened
their stock of goods-for lack of patron
age. Finally we began to realize that
when we needed a bolt quickly for
machinery, or clothing for sickness or
death, we had to wait and send away
for it, which wasn't so pleasant. One
by one our merchants moved to 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, a
number are empty; our schools church
es and walks are going dows we have
no band, no library nor ball team.
There is no business done in the town,
and therefore no taxes to keep things
up. Hotel is closed for lack of travel.
Go down to the depot when the freight
pulls in and you will see the sequel in
mail order packages.
mine years ago my farm was worth
N95 an acre; today I'd have hard mat
ter to sell it at $l67 on acre. II is too
far from live town'-so every farmer
has said that wants to buy. He wants
a place near schools and churches,
where his children can have advantage
es. have awakened to the fact that
in helping to pull the town down, it has
cost me $1,000 in nine years. Re.
print from the journal of Commerce
and Commercial Bulletin, New York,
Oct. 10, 1914.