Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-18
DUTY YOU owe
YOUR TOWN
Be Faithful and Honest With
= Yourself.
OBLIGATIONS or CONSUMER.

Before Sending His Money to Distant
Concerns Every Citizen Should Con.
slider the Duty He Owes His Home
Town-LooaI Merchants Ready and
Willing to Compete.
Copyrighted. 1914, by Thomas J. Sullivan.l
Duty is a power that rises with us
in the morning and goes to rest with
Ms at night. 1t is coextensive with the
action of our intelligence. 1t is the
shadow which cleaves to us. go where
we will
Let us do our duty in our shop or
kitchen, in the market. the street. the
office. the farm, the school. the home.
lust as faithfully as if we stood in the
front ranks of some great battle and
knew that victory for mankind de-
pended upon our bravery. strength and
skill
When we do that the very humblest
of us will be serving in that great
army which achieves the welfare of
the world
A Dollar Lost.
1t should be the slogan of every
rural consumer never to send away
for goods that he can just as well buy
at home. Every time you send dol
lar to mail order house that dollar,
as far as you and your community are
concerned, Is practically out of circu-
iation.
Your own home merchant Is the one
who helps to keep up your schools,
your churches and your town. He is
the one who deserves your trade and
not some catalogue house in Chicago
or elsewhere.
Goods on Unsecured Promises.
When you have nothing to give in
exchange, to whom do you go for ac-
commodations until some uncertain
time when you can pay?
Do you not always find your home
merchant ready and willing to let his
goods go on promises. not guaranteed
notes. but verbal promises, trusting to
your honesty and good luck in meeting
the obligation later?
How many farms have been paid for
by your merchants advancing both the
goods necessary to keep life in the
body and cash to meet that dreaded
interest on the mortgage?
Under the same conditions would
the farmer trust the merchant for
months and months with the produce
of his farm, or would he ask for cash
goods?
Not Robber or Cheat.
We know that the average consumer
does not feel that his local merchant is
n robber or cheat; but, like all hui
mankind. the catalogues and prices of
mail order houses appeal to him, and
he forwards his order and cash with
out considering the injustice he is do
ing himself, his merchant and his
home town.
The catalogues OF the mail order
house are illumined with pictures to
catch the eye of the unwary. They
range in complexion from brunette
banana to blond canary bird. They
offer to sell you anything from a phi
iosopher's stone to a cypress single
sawed out of sunbeam.
Cash Versus Credit.
1t seems unbelievable. but it is new
ertheless a fact, showing the entire
lack of any sense of justice, that many
people regard their local stores as
merely institutions of accommodation.
When these people have cash to spend
goes to the faraway mail order
houses. but when times are dull. when
tney are sick or out of work or during
the season when farmers are not turn
ing their produce into cash. what do
they do? Do they write to the cata-
iogue house and ask for credit?
II they did do you think they would
get 1t? Not on your life, Those con-
Germs must have cash. must have it in
advance. must have it before you can
even see the goods you buy. The con-
sumner sends his money and then sits
down and waits until the mail order
mouse gets good and ready TO ill his
order.
But when home people want credit
OF favors of any kind they hustle Off
10 their home merchant. very obliging-
~ order what they want and tell him
10 charge it. expecting him to wait at
least from one to six months for his
pay.
Dealing With Neighbors.
10 buying from your home merchants
you deal with neighbors. Buy with
goods before you. Pay when you get
.he goods II you so elect Have goods
uenvered free. Return goods If not
satisfactory. Build up your home
store.
neip build up your own home town
ana make of yourself a man worthy of
your DAY and time. Every man should
10 In,