The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1914-11-06

them lot Of little Junk shops" with
stocks which locked as if they had been
placed on the shelves by a cyclone.
Keep the good stores in your town
busy. Make them better by boosting
for them and pushing for home trade
all you can, and be proud of your town
instead ashamed Of it. Anything you
can possibly do to increase the volume
of business done in your community is
bound 10 react to your own individual
benefit, because increased business
volume means increased property values
which in turn means larger tax returns,
and the consequent benefits which FOL
low in every progressive community.
Some people are Of the prejudiced
opinion that if they spend their money
at home it simply goes to make one Of
the local merchants little richer, and
would have absolutely no other results.
They think that all movements to en-
courage spirit OF loyalty to home in
situations are based on the purely selfish
interests of the merchants promoting
the campaign, who want to gather all
the money in sight for their own indi-
vidual benefit.
They are unable to see that better
business conditions in their town would
in reality work just the other way.
Once the word went abroad that theirs
was a live hometr trade town, progress
sive and up-to-date merchants from all
over the country would soon seek To-
cations there to share in the prosperity
created by a loyal devotion to the spirit
OF home patronage; thus creating new
competition which could only tend to
lower rather than increase the profits Of
the merchants who started the ball
rolling.
No, the merchants of the little towns
and cities throughout the country are
not robbers. They are just plain,
everyday American citizens, who, like
the rest OF US, want to make an honest
competency and give and take square
deal from everybody.
The Case in a Nutshell
In summing up the evidence which
has been gathered and which has
formed the basis for this series of
articles, of which this is the last, it
seems to the writer that five concise
and potent reasons have been clearly
established why it is profitable for the
consumer to patronize their home
merchants:
First-Considering quality, transpor-
tation charges, service and terms, home
prices are as low, or lower than catalog
house prices; statements by such con-
Germs to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Second-Home merchants are in a
position to, and do, render incompar-
ABLY better service than distant houses.
In buying from home merchant one
may see the goods in person; discuss
the merits of the articles and prices;
readily exchange them if unsatisfactory;
and have other privileges that are not
accorded by the mail-order houses.
Thirdly the very nature of things
one may rely upon the home merchants
more than upon distant concerns. This
is because the home merchant meets
his patron face to face and has to make
good.
Fourth-The home merchant is in
position to extend credit accommoda
tons to his customers and is generous
and courteous in doing so. This the
mail-order houses absolutely refuse to
do under any circumstances. In this
country where men and money are
both busy, this matter of credit accom-
mediation means much. The home
merchant is the consumers friend when
he is in need; he is at least entitled to
square deal when one has cash to
spend.
Fifth-The interests OF the country
people and the merchants are identical
and self-interest on the part of the
consumer demands that he pat
ronize home institutions. Thorough
investigation will show that in by far
the majority of cases local dealers can
meet and heat mail-order connection.