Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-04-28
LOSING SIDE OF
MA|L.ORDER BUY|N
IOWA FARMER TELLS WHAT THIS
SYSTEM DID TO HIS COM
MUNITY,

MUNlTY.
There are two sides to every ques-
ton, even that much-talked-of one of
mail-Order trading, and Hans Garbus,
a German farmer of Iowa, has dis
covered that the benefits which APP
pear on the surface as attaching to
the mail-order plan sometimes spell
disaster and has written a very in
teresting story of his views in an
Eastern farm paper Here is a part
of his story:
1--WE farmers need awakening to
the fact that we have Enthusiastically
reached the period where we must
think and plan. am one of the
slow German farmers that had to be
shown, and l am now giving my ex-
perience that others may profit, for
knowledge is more expensive now
than ten years ago.
Started 20 Years Ago.
"Twenty-nine years ago l began
my farm career. l had an old team
and $50. Our furniture was mostly
home-made-chairs, cupboard and
lounge made from dry goods boxes,
neatly covered with 1O-cent cretonne
by my girl-wife. We rented eighty
acres. Being boy of good habits I
got all needed machinery and groce-
ries of our home merchants on credit,
until fall crops were sold. The first
year was wet season and / did not
make enough to pay creditors. I
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 accommodate me until I
was able to buy forty-acre piece Of
my own.
''As soon as / owned these few
acres the mail-order houses began
sending me catalogues, and gradually
/ began sending my loose change to
them, letting my accounts stand in
my home town where had gotten
my accommodation when neededit.
I'VE then had one Of the thriftiest
little villages in the state-go0d line
OF business in all the branches, mer-
chants who were willing to help an
honest fellow over bad year, and .
town full of people who came twice
week to trade and visit. Our little
country town supported a library.
high school, ball team, and we had
big celebrations every year.
"A farm near live town soon
doubles in value. l sold my forty
acres at a big advance and bought
eighty, gradually adding to them
until l had 200 acres Of the best land
in Iowa. / then felt no need of ask
ing favors, and found 1t easy to pat
ronize the mail-order agents that
came almost weekly to our door.
regret to say that was the first in
the county to make up q neighbor-
hood bill and send 1t to q mail-order
house. Though we got bit every once
in a while, we got in the habit Of
sending away for stuff.
The Town Ran Down.
Gradually our merchants les
sened their stocks of goods - for
lack of patronage. Finally we needed
a bolt quickly for machinery, or cloth
ing for sickness or death, we had to
wait and send away for 1t, which
wasn't so pleasant. One by one our
moved to places where
theye were appreciated, and men OF
less energy moved in. Gradually our
town has gone down; our business
houses are 'tacky' in appearance, q
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
keep things up. Hotel is closed for
lack of travel. Go down to the depot
when the freight pulls in and You
will see the sequel In mail-order
packages.
mine years ago my farm was
worth $195 an acre; today I'd have
a hard matter to sell 1t at 1857 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 chill
dren can have advantages. l have
awakened to the fact that in helping
to pull the town down, 1T has cost me
$500 in nine years.