Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-01-14
Confessions ST a
Mail Order Man
By MIR. M. O. X.
Revelations by One Whose Experience In
the Business Covers Range From
Office Boy to General Manager
WHAT YOUR MONEY HAS DONE
FOR NE.

WHAT YOUR MONEY HAS DONE
FOR NE.
You can't possibly realize what it
meant to a pleasure-loving and self
satisfied man of mature years to real
iZe that you, my beloved contributors
of the past to my prosperity and COM
fort out in the small towns and in the
country. were getting up early in the
morning and were out in the cow
barns milking, and out in the fields
plowing, planting, harvesting shock
ing wheat or husking corn while the
fingers swell and crack and while the
chilblains burn and throb so that you
could send your quota of coin to the
concern that paid me the dividends
that permitted me to lie abed in the
morning until my servant came and
told me that my coffee or chocolate
was ready and that my bath had been
fixed so that I might make the toilet
of the morning luxuriously and with
befitting pleasure and comfort.
Dear reader, all this was done with
the help of YOUR money-the money
that you sent to the big concern that
paid the dividends on my securities. |
acknowledge that when you awakened
and aroused yourself to a feeling
of anger and honest indignation-for
which I did not blame you in the least,
because you had been long and
steady contributor to my idleness-
then you had me on the hip and I was
compelled to seek some other method
of subsistence, although it did go hard
with me to be compelled to go to work
after so many years.
But you must not be too hard on me,
because had merely taken advantage
of the existing conditions. I had cheer
fully and joyfully taken your money
l had written you such optimistic and
jollying letters that you quickly and
generously responded by sending the
cash with your orders and we had
taken the toll that we figured you
would stand without "holler."
We had studied you, gentle reader
and we had figured out to a cent just
what you would stand when touch
was made. You must acknowledge
that we did not fail to weigh you con
sistently and advisedly, because We
had succeeded in exacting the tol
which made us prosperous.
The people are awakening to re
alization of their condition, and the in
habitants of the small towns and o
the rural districts are beginning t.
realize that they are simply killing th'
future of their communities by sendin.
their money away to the big mail OF
der houses in the cities.
We hear all sorts of recrimination
and hard words addressed to the pee
pie In the villages and on the farm
who send their money away to tn
mail order houses in Chicago and else
where, but the masses have consiG
cred it their privilege to do as the
please without regard for the interest
of their communities.
The country merchant pays his take
and he tries to do business with hi
fellow men that will permit him
pay his taxes regularly and also Civ
him living profit on his sales.
In many cases he gives you credi
| and he carries some of you for month
and even years on his books. Do yo
appreciate it?
You do not. You run up a credit bi
with your local merchant, and durin
the lean months you take full adval
tage of his friendliness and his hop
that you will remain a customer whe
the prosperous months come around.
But what do you do? AS quickly q
you get some money in hand, so ths
you can pay cash for your necessitie
and few luxuries, you send the cas-
houses, and buy from strangers, ratl
er than from the man who has helpe
you in your extremity and who ha
trusted you when you were in need.
There are very few readers of tn
publication who have not done exac
ly this thing. There are very few pc
sons living in the country, away fro
. the centers of population, who hay
not preferred to substitute the shade
, for the substance by sending the
, money away from home when the
, wanted to buy something.
: And you know what you got. Yc
know what treatment you receive
You must acknowledge that, in Il
long run, the stuff that you bougl
through catalogue was not all ye
had expected.
What in the world can the attractic
be to cause sober, intelligent man
: woman to deliberately select
stranger as the repository of the
confidence and their money? WI
: should the local man be outraged
spirit and mulcted in pocket becau'
you respond to that peculiar attractiv
= ness Of the unknown-that desire
> gamble. to take a chance. with
. stranger?
This preference for trusting in
stranger, rather than to have con
: dence in a neighbor, reminds me Of
. little incident that occurred when
made trip into Texas a few yea
ago. / stopped at little town, al
at the station asked the agent whi'
! was the best hotel.
There's two of EN-" he replie
"and if was you I'd go to the secol
one up Main street"
! "Is it better than the other one
; l inquired.
= "I dunno" he replied, shaking b
head. but l live at the first one.
know iYr St how had that ono iS "