The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1914-12-31
NE: HELPED TO
DESTROY A GOOD TOWN
By Sending Money Away to
Mail Order Houses in
Big Bunches.

Big Bunches.
The following is an article by
mail order'' farmer who reformed,
1t was published in the Philadelphia
Farm Journal:
I'VE farmers need awakening to the
fact that we have Enthusiastically
reached the period when we must think
and plan. 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 it was ten
years ago.
''Twenty-nine years ago I began
my farm career had an old team
| and $50. Our furniture was mostly
homemade chairs, cupboard and
lounge made from dry-goods boxes,
neatly covered with l0-cent cretonne
my girl wife made. We rented eighty
acres. Being boy of good habits, [
got all the machinery and groceries
OF our home merchants on credit until
fall crops were sold. The first year
was wet season and 1 did not make
enough to pay my creditors. I went
to each on the date of promise and ex-
planned conditions, paying as much
as possible, and they all carried the
balance over another year. They
continued to accommodate me until
was able to buy forty-acre piece OF
my own. AS soon as 1 owned these
few acres the mail order houses began
sending me catalogues, and gradually
| began sending my loose change to
them, letting my accounts stand in
my home town, where 1 had gotten my
accommodations when I needed them.
"We then had one of the thriftlest
villages in the state, good lines of
i business in all the branches, mer-
chants who were willing to help fell
low over a bad year, and town full
of people who came twice week to
trade and visit. Our town supported
a library, high school, band, ball
team, and had big celebration every
year. A farm near live town soon
| doubles in value.
II sold my forty acres at big adj
vance and then bought eighty, gradu-
ally adding to it until had 200 acres
of the best land in Iowa. 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 to make up neighborhood bill
and send it to the mail order houses
Though we got bit every once in a
while, we got in the habit of sending
away for stuff.
Gradually our merchants lessened
their stocks of goods for lack of pat
ronage. Finally we began to realize
that when We needed 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, our business pla-
ces are 'tacky' in appearance, num-
ber are empty. Our schools, chul ches
and walks are going down, we have
no band, no library, no ball team.
There is no business done in the town,
! and therefore no taxes to keep it up;
hotel is closed for lack of travel
"Go down to the depot when the
freight pulls in and see the sequel in
the mail order packages.
"Nine years ago my farm was worth
S195 an acre; today I'd have hard
time to sell it for Sl65 an acre. 1t 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. l have awakened to the
fact that in helping to pull the town
down, it has cost me $4,000 in nine
years; like the majority of farmers,
I didn't figure far enough ahead.
''This sort of business means the
doing away with country towns. What
will it mean to farmers to have only a
few large cities at distance of 500 TO
1000 miles? What are we going to do
with our children who are demanding
even better advantages than we had?
''Those cities we help to build re.
turn no favors; they take our money,
but offer no credit in time of need. If
we want high schools, etc, we must
raise the money and build near our
: farm homes, or send our boys and
girls to the cities at great expense,
amidst temptations of which the farm
has no equal.
"Neither am the only awakening
farmer. These mail order agents tha t