The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-11-26
Confessions ST a
Mail Order Man
By Mr.. M. O. x.
Revelations by One Whose Experience In
the Business Covers Range From
Office Boy to General Manager
KEEP YOUR MONEY AT HOME ANr
BOOST YOUR LOCAL TRADE,

The mail order business, with the ex-
ception Of the stock market, is the only
business in, which the entire capital is
furnished by the trader in advance of
the transaction.
Furthermore, there is no business in
the world that could not be made
highly Notwithstanding so-if
the customers were to pay their money
in advance at the time of the giving Of
the order.
For the reason that the merchant
or dealer who handles the cash is not
subject to any loss from bad credits,
cancellation Of orders, return af goods,
etc
Did you ever stop to consider that If
there are half dozen, more or less, bad
credits, or, to use a more forceful ex-
preston, dead BEATS in your COM
munity on the books of the merchant
with whom you do business, that it
Is you who must pay for his bad
debts? There is no other way for the
merchant to save himself from loss
Somebody must pay and, naturally, it
is those who do pay their mills who
must ray enough extra to take care of
the bad debts and save the dealer from
loss.
Something like half billion dollars,
sum which staggers the comprehen-
sion of any mathematician, a sum
that you could never count in a life
time were you to count every number
out mentally, is sent to the big cities
every year with orders for merchan-
disc to the big mail order house. You
send your portion of that enormous
sum.
This great sum would capitalize a
half million stores in as many small
towns with thousand dollars each, in
cash. But there are not that many
small towns in America. In fact, the
figures are so big that it is impossible
to compute them with reasonable &C.
curacy. However, if this great volume
Of capital were to be invested with
local merchants in the small towns, in
stead of sending it away to the mail
order houses in the big cities, do you
realize what it would mean to your
own town?
Do you realize that it would mean
that the merchants in your own town
could supply you with everything that
the mail order houses can give you
that everything would be of a better
quality and more substantial and that
you would be able to get what you
want, when you want it? Also that the
money would be reinvested right in
your own town, which would mean
more money from taxes for improve
| ments, better streets, better lighting
| facilities, better schools, better roads
in your county, ETC.?
We're you to 60 to your local mer
chant and give him the money in ad'
| vance for any purchase you might de-
sire, instructing him to buy it for you
and giving him a few days time in
| which to find just what you want
| ed, you would be more effectively
served and better satisfied. Should
| there be an error in his selection you
| could talk it over with him and he
would make it right. He would be
compelled to, even if he did not desire
to do so. But he would realize that it
| was to his own interest to make the
deal satisfactory, without compulsion
| and everything would be on a much
better footing, all around.
Were these conditions to prevail
and they will prevail, without question
some time, there are thousands of dead
| little towns now in existence that
would spring into prosperity, which
worth of every house and lot in the
town. Yes, every farm in the com
munity would be worth so much more
per acre, every bushel of grain, every
ton of hay and everything raised on
the farm would be given an additional
value. ..-..
There would be a great readjust
ment of values throughout the United
States. Country property would be
worth so much more, while the inflated
values of city property would seek a
fair level.
Just think of it, A corner lot in a
city, SO feet wide by $50 feet long, be-
ing set at value exceeding the set
value of a thousand farms in any OF
our most productive states. There are
lots in Chicago, New York and some
other cities, no bigger than the size
| above mentioned, that are valued, and
are transferred on the real estate mar
ket, at many, millions of dollars. You
| can read of these transactions in the
| poucnanors ovorv onca in while
| And speaking of newspapers, it is
the newspaper, the paper in the small
town, that stands between the grip OF
the big city on the prosperity of you
in the small town or the country and
your independence of that life
squeezing power. It is the little news
paper, as compared with the metro
| politan journal, that acts as your
champion, that fights for you every
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