The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-12-10
ALEssoN FOR FARMERS.

n I6SSON = OV AN" mo-
The following Is an absolutely true
story as told by an Iowa farmer who
has had his lesson in sending for it"
His experiences are true of thousands
in this state. The smaller towns are
being killed off and the larger ones
in this state are not nearly so good as
they would be if there was a spirit of
loyalty or community reciprocity.
1--WE farmers need awakening to the
fact that we have Enthusiastically reach
ed the period where we much think
and plan. l am one Of the slow Ger
man farmers that had to be shown,
and l am now giving my experience
that others may profit, for knowledge
is more expensive now than ten years
ago.
"Twenty-nine years ago l began my
farm career. l 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 a boy of good habits I got all
needed machinery and groceries of aur
i home merchants on credit, until fall
crops were sold. The first year was
wet season and l did not make
enough to pay creditors. l went to
each on date of promise and explained
conditions, paying as much as possible,
and they 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.
"As soon as owned these few acres
the mail order houses began sending
me catalogues, and gradually began
sending my loose change to them, lett.
ing my accounts stand in my home
town where l had gotten my accom-
mediation when l needed it.
1--WE then had one of the thriftiest
little villages in the state-good line
of business in all branches, merchants
who were willing to help an honest
fellow over bad year, and town
full of epople who came twice a week
, to trade and visit. Our little country
town supported library, high school,
band, ball team and We had big cele'
brations every year.
"A farm near a live town soon
doubles in value. sold my forty
acres as big advance and bought an
eighty, gradually adding to it until
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. I regret to say that !
was the first in the country to make
up a neighborhood bill and send it ia
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 pa
tronage. 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 ap.
pearance, a number are empty, our
schools, churches and walks are 60
ing down, we have no band, no library
nor BAL team. There is no business
done in the town, 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
$l95 an acre; today I'd have a hard
matter to sell it at $167 an acre. It is
! 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. 1 have awakened to the
fact that in helping to pull the town
down, it has cost me $500 in nine
years."
On the first of the month the Man.
ming hotel passed into new hands.