The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-02-05

| fits which appear GA Inc suridce as
attaching TO the mail order plan
| sometimes spell disaster and has
written a very interesting story OF t
lhsa views IN certain farm paper.
Here is part OF his story:
| 1--WE farmers need awakening to
| fhe fact that we have enthusiastically
reached the period where we must
think and plan am one Of the
slow German farmers that had to be
shown, and am now giving my
experience that others may profit,
for knowledge is more expensive
now than ten years ago.
..Twenty-nine years ago ! began
my farm career. | had an old team |
land $50. Our furniture was mostly |
homemade chairs. cupboard and |
Lounge made from dry goods boxes,
neatly covered with ten-cent Gre
4 tonne by my girl wife. We rented
eighty acres. Being boy OF good
habits got all needed machinery
and groceries OF our home merchants
on credit, until fall crops were sold
The frst year was wet season and
Ii did not make enough to pay cred
itorg. / went to each on date OF
Ipromise and explained conditions,
paving ais much as possible, and
they all carried the balance over an
other year. They continued to ac-
commodate me until was able to
buy d forty-acre piece Of my own.
& las soon as | owned these few
acres the mail order houses began
! sending me catalogues, and grad
ually began sending my loose
change to them. letting my accounts
Q stand in my home town where ! had
Q gotten my accommodation when
q needed 1T.
Eve then had one Of the thriftiest
I, little villages in the statehood line
: Of business in all the branches, mer-
= chants who were willing to help an
II honest fellow over bad year. and
Il town full of people who came
twice a week TO trade and visit Our
little country town supported IL
brarv, high school, ball team, and
4 We had big celebrations every year
n "A farm near live town soon
= doubles in value. | sold my forty
!, acres at big advance and bought
an eighty, gradually adding to 1t I'M
!, til / had 200 acres of the best land
~ in Iowa. / then felt no need OF ask
ing favors, and found it easy to pat
ronize the mail order agents thai
came almost weekly to our door.
"a regret to say that / was the first II
the county to make up neighbor
i hood bill and send it to mail ordel
house. Though we got bit ever.
I. once in while, we got in the habi
g Of sending away for stuff.
w Gradually our merchants lessen
a ed their stock of goods for lack o
n patronage Finally we began t
~ realize that when we needed Dol
u quickly for machinery, or clothin
~ for sickness or death, we had t
i; wait and send away for it, whic
u wasn't so pleasant. One by one on
Ii merchants moved to places wher
they were appreciated, and men {
i, less energy moved in. Gradual
"A our town has gone down; our bus
ness houses are taeky' in appeal
ance, number are empty; OF
schools. churches and walks are 81
ing down, we have no band, no
M brary nor ball team. There is i
III business done in the town, an
|N therefore no taxes to keep thint
III up. Hotel is closed for lack OF tn
HI vel. Go down to the depot whe
MI the freight pulls in and you wi
MI see the sequel in mail order pacl
|N ages.
IIH Nine years ago my farm WI
EIb worth $195 an acre; today I'd ha'
lEH hard matter to sell it at 1857 {
lA acre. 1t Is too far from live tow
Hill $50 every farmer has said tn
HIIl wants to buy He wants pla
.IIl near schools and churches, whe
AII his children can have advantages.
W. have awakened to the fact that
helping to pull the town down, it h
aoSt mo @5 ROl IN nina vnars >,