The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-02-12
OPINIONS OF OTHERS

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The articles contained in this column are
inst what the heading implies Opinions OF
others" and the views expressed therein 40
not necessarily coincide with ours Under
this heading we welcome the discussion OF
public questions but in no case will cOmmunl-
cations in which pers Qualities are INDUCED
in. be printed Articles should be written
on one side of the sheet and be made as snort
az possible Any views that we may nave on
public questions will be discussed in another
part of this paper.-Editor.
To the Editor:
In your ast weeks issue, | no
ticed a letter from Mr.. Goodrich, in
which he deplores the loss to the
city treasury Of the money that IS
sent out of town to mail order
houses. etc. He seems to think. and
would convey the idea, that all this
money would enrich the city treasury
if left in town, and that the citizens
in town are sending out one or two
hundred thousand dollars to secure a
revenue of seven thousand dollars.
Let us take an impartial look at the
matter; taking up the first part oil
his letter, mail order houses, land 10
making these remarks, | am rot
advocating or defending the mail
order houses, but simply stating
facts.) l would like to ask, how
much more the individual would
contribute 10 the revenue OF the city
if he don't send his money direct to
Chicago or some other wholesale
centers, but hands his money to the
corner grocery man or dry goods
merchant, aud pays this local man
for ordering his goods and bringing
the goods to his (the purchasers 81
door. He (the consumer saves
nothing by this transaction, either
in freight or the price of his goods,
ard does not thereby contribute one
cent to the revenues Of the city, ex-
cept so far as be enables the local
dealer to make living, and in few
cases. accumulate a little money.
This living ald money must neces-
sarily be added to the price of the
consumer goods. We do not give
employment to any Of our citizens
in the manufacture or production OF
the goods that 90 70 make up the
necessaries of the household, and We
must therefore of necessity send
our money to the people who manu-
facture or produce these goods, and
I do not see where the consumer or
the city treasury would be, or are
benefited, by the interven ton of the
middle man. Assuming for argu-
ment's sake, that all money sent out
of town direct to the mail order
houses was spent with the local mer-
chants thereby doubling their busl
ness. how much would it add to the
receipts of the city treasury? l
venture to say that there is scarcely
a merchant in this city who will not
admit that he could do twice as
much business as he is doing, with
scarcely any, and in many cases,
with no more over head expense
than he has at present.
The city's revenues | understand
it, is derived from the taxes, and
the amount of taxes levied is based
on the value of property, real aid
personal, within the corporate limits
of the city. The assessor bases the
valuation on the amount of goods or
property on hand or carried in stock
on the day fixed by law, not on the
amount of business the merchant
has done, or will do, and this stock
or property on hand will not be in.
creased one cent, as the dealer in
almost any commodity can replenish
his stock in from 48 to 72 hours,
and consequently would not
have to carry~qany more stock on
hand to take care Of his increased
business.
1t is true the twelve or fifteen
local merchants would make money,
but he per cent that would accrue
to the city treasury or the $500 con-
sumers would De about 900 prefixed
by a decimal point, The concentra-
ton, more or less. oil all business is
inevitable, and it is a recognized
fact that the small merchant with
limited capital and restricted field
of distl ibution. cannot possibly CONT
tie with the large corporaticn