The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-11
CROSS ERROR TO
ORDER BY MAI
Catalogue Houses Threaten
Very Life Of Farmer.
PLAIN FACTS ABOUT TRADE.

6HlN HOIC HUUUB lIlHUks
Only Interest of Octopus IL Farmer
Customers Money-Growth Due TO
Susceptibility of Persons In Small
Communities = Mail Order Houses
Consumed With seIfshness.
copyrighted. 1914. by Thomas ]. Sullivan-l
Error is not a fault OF our knowl-
edge. but mistake Of our judgment
It is almost as difficult to make a man
unlearn his errors as his knowledge
Malinformation Is more hopeless than
noninformaton. for error Is always
more hopeless than ignorance.
Ignorance is blank sheet on which
we may write. but error is scrubbed
one from which we must first erase.
Ignorance is contented to stand still
with her back to the truth. but error
is more presumptuous and proceeds in
the wrong direction Ignorance has no
light, but error has farther to go be-
fore she can arrive at truth than has
ignorance.
So that these mail order traders may
not plead ignorance in extenuation Of
their offense we give below a cate
goricaf list OF things which the mail
order houses do not do. We trust they
will prove eye openers to the unwise.
What Catalogue Houses Do Not Do.
The retail catalogue houses do not
buy the farmers produce
= q
They do not buy the farmers stock
and hogs.
They dc. not help to educate the
farmers children.
They do not pay any taxes In your
community.
They do not help support your
schools. churches and charitable instt.
tutions.
They do not encourage the farmer
boy or young men In small cities to
engage in business.
They Don't Build Your Roada
They do not help to build your roads
or care for your streets.
q q
They do not sell you as good grade
OF goods as you can buy In your own
home town.
They do not show you goods before
sou pay for them.
They do not deliver promptly goods
that you buy from them.
o q
They do not advocate the building
up of country towns.
They do not oppose the centraliza.
ton OF business in the large cities.
p =
They do not, In return for the farm.
er consumers trade-the farmer who
buys their clothing. household goods,
farm implements. etc.-buy the farm
er's butter. eggs. cheese. grain and
wood.
They do not buy your grain. butter,
cheese and stock from pictures and
pay in advance the same as you do.
q y
They do not buy anything from the
farmer or consumer from a picture.
y y
They do not spend dollar Of their
money with the farmer or consumer.
q U
They never spend a dollar with your
local merchant
They do not furnish employment to
single resident of your community.
They'll Not Give You Credit.
They do not extend to you credit, as
does the local merchant, when you are
hard up.
They do not sympathize with you at
a time when you have sickness In your
family.
They do not sympathlze with You
when your wife or children are taken
from you.
They do not want to see your local
merchant prosper In business.
They do not do anything for any
body except themselves.
Does the small city. town or village
ever see dollar Of their money?
Like Huge Octopus.
The above. 1t would seem, shows
good and sufficient number OF reasons
why this mail order octopus should be
left severely alone by both the farmer
and the residents of small cities and
towns who have thoughtlessly lent 1t
their patronage
It Is spreading out over the Land.
daily gaining In strength and magni-
tude and gradually but surely sapping
the hfeblood OF the small communities,
reducing property values, endangering