The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-05-12
STUDENTS TELL WHY BEMIDJ PEOPLE
SHOULD PATR0NlzE HOME MERCHANTS
Judges in Essay Contest Announce
Winners, Vernon Lamson Being
Awarded First Place.
MANY REASONS ARE FORWARDED
Local <oct c2> = Order House Trade
vividly u Solo, e< Dollar Spent
Here 1ncrea, ~erity. :

here lnCrea. ~erltV
i
Numerous reasons why !, mer-
chants are entitled to the patronage
of Bemidji people are wildly pointed
out in series of essays written by
pupils Of the public schools for the
contest which recently closed. Mes
danes E. H. Denu, B. w. Lakin and
F.. S. Arnold, contest judges, have an
nounced the winners as follows:
The Contest Winners.
First, Vernon Lamson; second,
Milre Achenbach; third, Marion
Segal; fourth, Lorraine Kreatz; fifth,
Norma Nissen: sixth, Ella Norrie,
and seventh, Frances McManus. All
Of the winning essays are of much
merit. Prizes of three and two dol
lars were awarded foy first and sec
Ond place and dollar each for the
others.
Following is the essay written by
Vernon Lamson, winner of first
place:
Why I Should Trade in Bemidji.
1.-The mail order houses are the
only competitors of local industry.
Their business policy of trying to
give the public more trash for less
money is wrong. Their profits are
obtained through poor service, poor
quality, misrepresentation and BATS
They are robbing this city of money
which rightfully belongs to it's mer-
chants. l may get a few pounds
more of sugar, but a dollar going in
to the Golfers of mail order house
never returns. Every dollar sent
away helps build up city miles away
saw and who cares only for the few
coins he can coax from my pocket.
Sears and Roebuck never contributed
to my education or helped me in any
financial enterprise, or bought my
products. Why then, should l take
a dollar which should go to man
who is trying to help and give it to
man who is willing to give me a
poorer article at a little, .-~ smaller.
price? -
Cannot Be Purchased. -.
Moreover, the dollar spend in
Bemidji buys much that is not and
cannot be offered by a mail order
house; service, quality, good business
relationship, character and respect.
If we spend our money here it means
larger firms, more employment, lower
prices, lower taxes, more advantages,
prosperity and the slogan of every
loyal Bemidji citizen-'Bemidji 25,-
900 in 1925! Would it not be bet
ter if fewer dollars went out of the
city and more kept coming in? If
l spend my money here the value OF
my property will increase, for it is
evident that land is worth more near
a city of twenty-five thousand than
it is near one of ten thousand
Then I owe it to the city that has
educated, aided, protected and con-
tributed to my pleasures. 1t is the
merchant who has paid the taxes,
helped finance the city's enterprises
and bought our products. I know
the mail order house is no philan-
trophic organization created for the
purpose Of helping me save money.
No, it has only one aim-to make me
spend it and give me nothing in re-
turn. The city of Bemidji is work.
ing in my behalf and it asks a small
favor in return; that is, to give their
merchants a square deal and to buy
more quality, service, sanitation and
respect and little less quantity.
A Debt of Loyalty.
Il want to trade here because it
is debt Of loyalty and my duty; be-
cause l believe in a square deal; be-
cause I care more for the friendship
and respect Of my fellow citizen than
l do for the few extra cents of the
mail order house dollar; and because
I want larger, richer and more salts
fled Bemidji. Do your
Which Deserves Trade?
Following is the essay written by
Milre Achenbach, winner of the Sec
ond prize:
"Some years ago all the necessary
things of the home were made by the
women. Times have changed. Now
a-days things that were made are
bought, and because of this the mail
order house has developed very
fourishing business. This gradually
leads up to the question:: Where
does our duty lie? Shall we trade
with our home merchant or the mail
order house?
Home Merchants Help Us.
"The home merchant helps us, so
why not help him? He stays here,
pays taxes to the city, makes improve
ments in the community and all the
time he is indirectly benefiting us.
What does the mail order house do
for us? Our money is sent away and
it is gone from our city for all time.