Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-07-29
THE LOSING SIDE.
How an Iowa Farmer Lost Over $4,000
in Mail Order Trading.

IN Mall OrQer trading.
Hans Garbus, a German farmer of
Iowa, has discovered that the benefits
which appear on the surface as at
tach1ng to the mail orde; HIan somo-
times spell disaster and has written a
very interesting story of his views in 4
certain farm paper. Here is part of
his story:
I'VE farmers need awakening to the
fact that we AVE Enthusiastically reach
ed h period where we must think and
plan. l am n of the slow German
farmers that had to be shown, and 1
am 10Y giving my experience that
others may profit, for knowledge is
more expensive now than ten years
ago.
Twenty-Five years ago 1 began my
farm career. / had an old team and
$50. Our furniture was mostly home
made-chains, cupboard and lounge
made from dry goods boxes, neatly
covered with ten-cent cretonne by my
girl wife. We rented eighty acres.
Being a boy of good habits l got all
needed machinery and groceries of our
home merchants on credit, until fall
crops were sold. The first year was a
wet cas- and L did not make enough
to a creditors 1 went to each on
date of promise and explained condi-
tons, paying as much as possible, and
they all carried the balance another
year. They continued to accommodate
me until l was able to buy a forty
acre peice of my own.
AS soon as L owned these few
acres the mail order houses began
sending me catalogues, and gradually
l began sending my loose change to
them, letting my accounts stand in my
home town where l had gotten my &C
commodation when 1 needed it.
w hen had one of the thrifiest
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 4
week to trade and visit. Our little
country town supported q library, high
school, ball team, and we had big cele-
brations every year.
"A farm near a live town soon.
doubles in value, 1 sold my forty acres
at a big advance and bought an eighty,
gradually adding to it until 1 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 or
der agents that came almost weekly
to u door. l regret to say that L was
the first in the county to make I'D a
neighborhood bill and send it to a mail
order house. Though we got bit every
once in a while, we got in the habit OF
sending away for stuff.
Gradually our merchants lessened
their stock of goods-for lack of pa
tronage. Finally we began to realize
that when we needed a bolt a@.ackk..y
for machinery, or clothing 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.
and men of less energy moved in.
Gradually our town has gone down;
our business houses are 'tacky' in ap-
pearance, 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
j keep thing up. Hotel is closed for
when the freight pulls in and you will
see the sequel in mail order packages.
Shine years 6 my farm was worth
S195 an acre; today I'd have a hard
matter to sell it at $165 an acre. It
is too far from a live town-so every
farmer has said that wants to buy.
He wants a place near schools and
churches where his children can have
advantages. II have awakened to the
fact that in helping to pull the town
down it has cost me $500 in nine
years"