The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1914-12-04
INTRODUCTION.

Yes, / have been In the mail order
game for a long time, 80 long that |
hate TO admit how many years Old
Father Time has taken away from
me
The years have been busy ones. /
ave been In the harness since way
back In the early sos when I
started as errand boy for n little con-.
Germ that sold merchandise owe the
counter and occasionally shipped a
package to some irregular customer
who lived out Of town.
have found It profitable. My wages
finally we're transformed into a sal
airy, and the salary was increased,
gradually at first. and then with in
crcases md additions from percent
ages OF profit from the business UNI
til.-well have never had any com
plant 20 make.
The man who can make good In the
mail order game practically can name
his " salary.
Who pays the salary? Why, you
do, OF course.
Probably ninety out OF every one
hundred readers OF this newspaper
have sent money 20 a big mail order
house after reading one OF my bright
and optimistic catalogue descriptions
or after receiving one OF my carefully
written form letters beginning with
Dear Friend
Dear Friend-of course you have
been a dear friend. You have paid
my salary without a whimper, you
have built up for various big concerns
which have become wealthy through
your orders containing CASH magni
fccnt buildings. You have bought
automobiles. bonds, stock, real estate
elegant homes, trips all over the
world. oceans OF champagne, and
everything else that the o exact
ing person could mention,
You have done all this BY sendinf
your orders with the money TO the
big mail order houses.
! know this, and you will believe
that / do know II after you have reat
what am ~writing-my Confession
OF a Mail order Man
Nv work has covered the whole
United States. For many years
have written catalogue descriptions
handled the making Of the not'always
honest illustrations, as YOU know L
your cost and chagrin; written attrac
lively worded letters urging you u
send your orders with the CASH
gone into the market to buy merchar
disc with your money, which yo
kindly sem In advance, and, In fact
| have gone through the entire mill
from Office boy 10 general executive
and have a modest block OF stool
upon which You are paying me div
dends right now. and which YOU wi
continue To make very profitable 70
me for the rest OF my life, unless 70
wake up and quit sending order
with the CASH TO the mail orde
concern which issued the stock
No. you won't stop sending YOU
money to the big mail order house
for several years 10 come. Some Q
YOU will stop. when you begin to rea
lie how you are opposing your ow
local prosperity and interfering wit
your own prospects, but enough {
you win keep OF sending your none
to the big cities, so that ! viii neye
know the difference.
Besides this. ~ see that you d
begin 10 realize Just what you are dc
ing against your town and you
own friends and associates in bus
ness, and n ! think the country
waking mp TO a realization OF the u
ter f%oolishness OF cutting your ow
throats By %patronizing out.of-town col
Germs. then | shall sell my stock.
can get a big premium for II. Their
is enough OF II to insure me from eve
being troubled about money ahaiI
again. You have seen 10 that. So I
the classic words OF the modern All
totle, 81 should worry"
In an attempt 90 analyze my ow
reasons FOR writing these "conte
sions" and exposing the Who'll
mail order game, and showing no
foolish Il Is for the people in the sma
towns 20 continue TO stultify the
own prosperity by sending their cat
away, | am puzzled. Frankly az
openly | must admit that | cannot a
swer this question even TO myself
/, I have no kick coming. ha'
been well treated. have been w
/, paid. | am prosperous.
! Perhaps after all these years
. have discovered a conscience.
: HOW LOCAL BUSINESS ls HuR.
Il -