Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-03-14
ALEXANDRIA FOR ALEXAN-
DRIANS AND ALEXANRlANS
FOR ALEXANDRIA.
Editor Gazette:

FOR ALEXANDRIA.
Editor Gazette:
Alexandria, Va, March Is, 1917
The writer is glad to read, in The
Gazette of today, the communication
| asking "Why the citizens of Alex
andria buy so much of their goods in
other cities,' for it is right along the
line in which my thoughts have run
since coming to this city and patron
izing it's stores in various lines
When ASKING for certain articles that
were readily obtained in the stores
of the larger cities where my resi-
dence had been heretofore. l was
surprised to find that they were not
carried in stock. When asking why
the store did not carry them, in
many instances, | was told that II
was because so many people living
in Alexandria made their, purchases
of that character in Washington and
other cities nearby. The storekee prs
said that in some instances the custo-
mers when solicited for more OF
their business said that "they were
employed in Washington and felt
that they had right to buy their
goods there and then again it was
more convenient" Now, as for
being employed in Washington and
for that reason feeling that they
ought to spend their money there,
that argument is weak for their en-
ployer gets the profit or their labor
land that of others) and what the
firm spends in the other cities is more
than enough. The question is "Why
do they come to Alexandra to live?"
It is either because they like it
better than Washington, they tnrnk
it more comfortable or it is more
/ economical, generally one OF the other
of these reasons. Well. the comforts
of living in Alexandria are made
possible By the taxes paid by the
storelieepers and others owning prop
erty in this city. and it is more eco
nomical to live in Alexandria than
Washington because the storekeepers
make it possible in their charges. AS
no doubt nearly all families patronize
the stores in household supplies to
some extent, because they must, is it
fair to make convenience of them
and buy the rest of our goods flvm
other cities?
Please understand, that this is not
written as a personal complaint of
any storekeeper in any special line,
as l can say that Alexandria has, in
all the lines l have dealt with. the
most courteous and accommodating
storekeepers that I have ever met in
any city in which l have ever lived and
they deserve the patronage of our
citizens. This is written just because
| believe this and wish to do what l
can to cause those who do not think
about it to turn over new leaf and
do as they would be done by. 1t is
certain that most of the buying else
where comes through thoughtlessness
but let US look at it in the spirit that
if Alexandria is good enough TO live
in and have our children grow up in,
why should we not do everything
We can to make it Z still better: little
city by spending every cent we can
with the Alexandria stores and
shops. These men who conduct them
are our neighbors and friends and
why not give them the first chance.
If any one article is a little high in
Alexandria than in Washington it is
because too many of us buy it in
Washington and too few in Alexan-
dria. BY pulling for Alexandria first
we could Slsdy this