Graham guardian., 1915-02-05
KILLED HOME TOWN
How an Iowa Farmer Lost
$5, ,6OO--- Killed His Home
Town, Lost Property

Hans Garbus, a German farmer
of Iowa, has discovered that the
benefits which appear on the surface
as attaching to the mail order plan
sometimes spells disaster, and has
written a very interesting story of
his views in certain farm paper.
Here is a part of his story:
I'VE farmers need awakening to
the fact that we have unmistakabiy
reached the period where we must
think and plan. | am one of the
slow German farmers that had to he
shown, and | am now giving my ex-
perience 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
home made chairs, cupboard and
lounge made from dry goods boxes,
neatly covered with ten-cont Gre
tonne by nv 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 first year was a wet season and
| did not make enough to pay my
creditors. 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 accommo-
date Inc until was able to buy a
forty.acre piece of my own. i
As soon as | owned these few
acres the mail order houses began
sending me catalogues, and gradu
al, | began sending my loose change
20 them, letting nv accounts stand
in my home town where had got
ten my accommodation when need
ed it. - = -. -t~-.t. 80
We thcn had one Of the thriftiest
little villupes'in the state--g0Od lue
sc business n all the branches, mer-
chants who were willing to help an
honest fellow over a bad year, and
town full of people who came
twice week to trade and visit.
Our little country town supported II
library, high school, band, ball team,
and we had big celebrations, every
year .-.t
"A farm near live town soon
doubles in value. sold my forty
acres at big advance and bought
an eighty. gradually adding to it
until | had 200 acres of the best
land in Iowa. | then felt no need
of asking favors and found it easy
to patronize mail order agents that
came almost weekly to our door. |
regret to say that ! was the first in
the county to make up neighbor-
hood bill and send it to mail order
house. Though we got bit every
once in while, we got in the habit
of sending away for stuff.
Gradually our merchants lessened
their stock Of goods-for lack of
patronage Finally we began to
realize that when we needed bolt
quickly for machinery, or clothing
for sickness or death, we had to wait
and send away for it, which WASH t
so pleasant. One by one our mer-
chants moved to places where they
were appreciated, 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
bal team. There is no business
tone in the, town and, therefore. no
xes 10 keep things up Hotel is
!osed for lack of travel Go down
o the depot when the train pulls in
'and you will see the sequel in mail
order packages.
Nine years ago my farm was
worth Sl95 an acre; today would
have hard matter to sell it at
$l67 an acre. 1t is too far from
live town'--so every farmer has said
that wants to buy. He wants a
place near schools and churches,
where his children can have advan-
tages. have awakened to the fact
that in helping to pull the town
down it has cost me ST. .000 in nine
years. New York journal If Com
merce. ,r.
. .