Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-02-12
The Losing Side OF Mail Order
Trading.

Hans Garbus. a German farmer of Iowa,
has discovered that the benefits which ap-
pear on the surface as attaching to the
mail order plan sometimes spell disaster
and has written a very interesting story
OF his views in a certain farm paper
Here is part Of his story:
I'VE farmers need awakening to the 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 and $50. Our
furniture was mostly homemade chairs,
cupboard and lounge made from dry goods
boxes. neatly covered with 10-cent cretonne
by my girl wife. We rented eighty acres.
Being boy of good habits, got all needed
machinery and groceries Of our home mer-
chants on credit, until fall crops were sold.
The first year was a wet season and did
not make enough to pay creditors. | went
to each on date Of promise and explained
conditions, paying as much as possible,
and they all carried the balance over an
other year. They continued to accommo-
date me until was able to buy forty
acre piece Of my own.
las soon as ! owned these few acres
the mail order houses began sending me
catalogues, and gradually | began sending
my loose change to them. letting my ac-
counts stand in my home town where |
had gotten my accommodation when |
needed it.
I'VE then had one of the thriftiest little
villages in the State-good line of business
in all the branches, merchants who were
willing to help an honest fellow over a bad
year, and town full Of people who came
twice a week to trade and visit Our little
country town supported a library. high
school, ball team, and we had big celebra-
tons every year.
"A farm near live town soon doubles
in value. sold my forty acres at big
advance and bought an eighty. gradually
adding to il until had 200 acres of the
best land in Iowa. then felt no need Of
asking favors, and found it easy to patron
ize the mail order agents that came almost
weekly to our door. ! regret to say that
was the first in the county to make up a
neiehborhood bill and send 1t to a mail
order house. Though we got bit every
once in while. we got in the habit Of
sending away for stuff.
Gradually our merchants iessened theil
stock of goods-for lack Of patronage
Finally we began to realize that when we
needed bolt quickly for machinery, OF
clothing for sickness or death, we had tc
wait and send away for it, which wasn't
so pleasant. One by one our merchants
moved to places where they were appre.
ciated. and men Of less energy moved in
Gradually our town has gone down: our
business houses are 'tacky' in appearance
a number are empty our schools, churches
and walks are going down. we have no
band, no library nor ball team. There is no
business done in the town, and therefore no
taxes to keep things up. Hotel is closed
for lack Of travel. Go down to the depot
when the freight pulls in and you will see
the sequel in mail order packages. ....
mine years ago my farm was worth
$l95 an acre; to-day Id have hard mat
ter to sell at $i67 an acre. II is too far
from a live town'-so every farmer has
said that wants to buy. He wants place
near schools and churches, where his
children can have advantages. have
awakened to the fact that in helping to
pull down the town. it has cost me $4,000
in nine years"