The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-20
WOMAN TO BUY
IN HOME TOWN
Quick 10 See Mail Order De-
CGpti0n.
WILL BUILD UP LOCALITY.

tlce TO Family and FRIENDS by Send |
ing Husbands Earnings to Out OF
Town Competitors - Now Boosts
Home Trade.
Copyrighted 1914. by Thomas ]. Sullivan
A couple of years ago / noticed while
passing through a manufacturing sub
urb of Milwaukee that hundreds of
large. expensive catalogues were being
distributed
] was amazed at such an outlay. as
it did not seem possible that they could
get returns from town which was
situated at the side door Of large,
prosperous city.
The big mail order houses have
found ii necessary in order TO win the
confidence OF their patrons to offer bur-
gain bats and therefore scatter here
and there through their catalogues
list of certain goods, with which the
public is familiar with prices attached
that viii serve TO convince the pro
spectiye purchaser that the bargains
are real and not fictitious.
Without license to do so they seem
to be able to prove TO their prospec-
tive patron that they are advertising
items in their catalogues that are Of
rered at prices the local dealer, who
sells the same goods, cannot duplicate,
and the chances are the patron will be
convinced that every article advertised
in the book is sold nj a bargain.
Catalogue Houses Alert.
But the mail order house knows its
business. 1t bet on the weakness OF
human nature aud won. as a personal
investigation of the town few weeks
I later revealed.
| | checked up the money sending In.
cilitles Of the town ana was surprised
and amazed to learn that in the few
days that had elapsed since the cata-
logues were distributed no less than
2lS money orders had been issued in
favor Of the catalogue house. agg-esat-
ing total of several thousand dollars.
Why City Does Not Prosper.
| Can any one imagine anything so
ridlcuous-a manufacturing city where
all residents are wage earners. who
| live modcstly and without luxury.
where cash sales with the home mer.
chant are the exception, not the rule
sending 2ls money orders 10 mn out
side concern for Household and person
nj necessities which could he bought rs
cheaply and delivered more promptly
right mt home?
And those same people wonder why
their city does not thrive and prosper
One woman with whom had talked
bought shoes for her children She
said that she had to pay only $i.i5 a
pair, while they would have cost her
SLIGO at home.
Yes; she always bought on credit at
home. but usually paid in two or
three months No; she bad never asked
the retail mail order house for credit
She Was Not Taxpayer.
No; she was not taxpayer but she
sent her children TO school. They have
good schools too. Yes; they haye,s sew.
ers, water and street lights, and the
city is patrolied and protected 10y an
ample police force.
Who pays for 1t all? Why, the bust.
ness men and taxpayers, OF course.
No; the Chicago mail order houses do
not pay anything toward the ,educa-
tlon of her children or the comfort OF
her family.
Sure. she was church member. and
the church often gave fairs and So
ciablcs and things. No: the Chicago
mail order house never bought any
tickets. but the home business men
did and paid cash for them too
Yes; her husband was employed In
the suburb. and his employer depend.
ed upon and must have local business
I'm order to provide work and money
for his help.
Admitted She Did Wrong.
Yes. she now. for the first time. real
lied that she was doing herself, her
children. her husband and. above all,
the home merchant Il grave wrong
by sending her husbands earnings to
an out Of town competitor, but she
would never do it again.
o. y
The world Is full Of just such wo.
men rs described above. They do not
think or understand. but when they
do no power on eartlwIll swerve them
from their sense Of right and duty,
Then let us change NIL this and get
together. 1t IS only right and honora
bic and just to ourselves and high time
to reform-to adopt the buying ut home
system OF everything we need.
re
, Even IL some of the neighbors have
. not vet learned that they owe duty
10 their town 1t cannot be snid that
> sheir case Is hopeless, for we can sci
! them good example.
We can show bHactlon that we will
never TO n party to putting the loca
merchant out of business through lncl
Of patronage
!, DO yon know lof one single mail or
der house that hns ever spent dollar