River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-03-05
DUTY YOU OWE
YOUR TOWN
Be Faithful and Honest With
Yourself.
OBLIGATIONS OF CONSUMER.

Concerns Every Citizen Should Con-
slider the Duty He Owes His Home
Town-LccaI Merchants Ready and
Willing to Compete.
copyrighted, 1914 by Thomas j. Sullyan.1
Duty is a power that rises with us
in the morning and goes to rest with
us 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,
just 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 we'll buy
at home. Every time you send dol
lar to a mail order house that dollar.
as far as you and your community are
concerned, is practically out of circu-
latiOn.
&c, AIn
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
or its equivalent upon delivery of the
goods?
Not Robber or Cheat.
We know that the average consumer
does not feel that his local merchant is
a 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 q brunette
banana to blond canary bird They
offer to sell you anything from a phi
lOsopher's stone to q cypress shingle
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
it goes to the faraway mail order
houses, but when times are dull, when
they 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-
logue house and ask for credit?
If they did do you think they would
get it? 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
house gets good and ready to fill his
order
But when home people want credit
or favors Of any kind they hustle or
to their home merchant, very obliging-
ly order what they want and tell him
to charge it, expecting him to wait at
least from one to six months for his
pay.
Dealing With Neighbors.
In buying from your home merchants
you deal with neighbors. Buy with
goods before you. Pay when you get
the goods il you SO elect. Have goods
delivered free Return goods If not
satisfactory. Build up your home
store.
Help build up your own home town
and make of yourself a man worthy Of
your day and time. Every man should
take pride in being good American
citizen, and we believe most men do
and that most men are, or at least de-
sire to be, but what kind of citizen is
the man who supports an octopus?