Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-03-03
WILL BE LOSER IN TIME.
About Mail Order Houses to
His Sorrow.

Iowa, has discovered that the bene-
fits which appear on the surface as
attaching to the mail order plan
sometimes spell disaster and has
written a very interesting story of
mis- views in certain farm paper.
Here is part of his story:
1--WE farmers need awakening to
the fact that we have Enthusiastically
reached the period where we must
think and plan. l am one of the
slow German farmers that have 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 l began my
farm career. l had an old team and
$50. Our furniture was mostly
home made-chairs, cupboard and
lounge, made from dry goods boxes,
neatly covered with ten cent cretonne
by. my girl wife. We rented eighty
acres. Being boy of good habits l
got all needed machinery and grocer
les of our home merchants on credit,
until fall crops were sold. The first
year was wet season and | did not
make enough to pay creditors. l
went to each on date of promise and
explained conditions, paying as much
as possible, and they all carried the
balance over another year. They
continued to accommodate me until
/ was able to buy forty acre place
of my own.
AS 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 accounts stand in my
home town where / had gotten my
accommodation when l needed it,
We then had one of the thriftiest
little villages in the state-good line
of business in all the branches, mer-
chants who were willing to help an
honest fellow over a bad year, and a
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 celebrations every year.
A farm near live town soon dou-
bles in value. sold my forty acres
at big advance and bought an eigh-
ty, gradually adding to it, until had
200 acres of the best land in Iowa.
l then felt no need of asking favors,
and found it easy to patronize 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 neighborhood bill and
send it to mail order house. Though
we got bit once in while, we got in
the habit of sending away for stuff.
Gradually our merchants lessen
ed their stock of goods-for lack of
patronage. Finally we began to real
ize that when we needed a bolt quick
ly for machinery, or something for
sickness or death, we had to wait and
send away for it, which wasn't so
pleasant. One by one our merchants
moved to places where they were
appreciated. 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.
Nine years ago my farm was worth
S195 per acre; today I'd have a hard
matter to sell it at s167 an acre. 1t
is too far from live town so-ev-
cry 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 the
town down it has cost me $500 in
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