The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-03-01

People Little Realize How They Are
Tearing Down Community by
Buying of Mail Order Houses
EXPERIENCE OF IOWA FARMER
Says People Need Awakening to Fact
That They Must Think and Plan
to Keep Up Own Community

That They Must Think and Plan
to Keep Up Own Community
The following article has been hand.
ed in at the Review Office with the re-
quest that it be reproduced. and we be.
lieve that it is worthy of space. II
the people, not only of DenisOn. but
|of Crawford county. but realized how
they are tearing down the community
by purchasing goods from mail order
houses and would buy at home it
would improve conditions a thousand
fold The article follows:
Hans Garbus, German farmer Of
Iowa. has discovered that the benefits
which appear on the surface as at.
tachng to the mail order plan some
times spell disaster and has written
IL very interesting story of his views
in certain farm paper. Here is
part OF his story:
"We farmers need awakening to the
fact that we have Enthusiastically reach
cd the period where we must think
and plan am one Of the slow Ger.
man farmers that had.to be shown,
and | am now giving my experience
that others may profit, for knowledge
lis more expensive now than ten years
Iag0.
"Twenty-nine years ago began my
farm career. had an old team and
$4,000. 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 80 acres.
Being boy of good habits, 1 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 creditors. went to
leach on date of promise and explained
conditions. paying as much as posi-.
bic. and they all carried the balance
over another year. They continued to
accommodate me until l was able to
i buy a 40 acre piece OF my own. y
'As soon as owned these few acres
1.-THE mail order houses began sending
me catalogues, and gradually began
sending my loose change to them, let.
;tting my accounts sstand In my isUme
town Where had gotten my accommO.
Idations when l needed it.
| I'VE then had one OF the thriftiest
little villages in the state-gOOd line
OF business in all the branches. mer.
chants who we're willing to help an
honest fellow over bad year. and Il
town full of people who came twice Il
week to trade and visit. Our little
country town supported a library,
High school ball team and we had big
celebrations every year.
I H-Nvv n
doubles in value. I sold my 40 acres
at big advance and bought an eighty,
gradually adding to it until had 200
acres of the best land in Iowa. then
lfC4t no need of asking favOrs ana
found it easy to patrOnize the mail
order agents that came almost weekly
to our door. I regret to say that was
1.-The first in the county to mako up a
neighborlood bill and send 1t to a
mail order house. Though We got bit
every once in while, we got in the
habit of sending away for stun.
Gradually our merchants lessened
their stock OF goods-fOr lack of pat
|ronage Finally VIC began to realize
THAT when we needed u bolt quickly for
machinery or clothing for sickness or
death, we had to wait and send away
for it, which wasn't SO pleasant. one
by ono 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 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
1.-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 VIII
; see the sequel in mail order packages.
u Mine. years ago my farm was
), worth '$195 an acre; today I'd have a
hard matter to sell it at $167 an acre
!. 1t is too far from a live town-so ev'
: cry farmer has said that wants to buy
f He wants place near schools ana
/, 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 nine
years
4 ~