The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-06-20
THEY DECEIVE
WITH PICTURES
FdVorit0 Method Of the Cata-
lOgue Houses.
THE FARMER AND THE COW

Would He Buy One From a Picture?
Mail Order Houses Use Exaggerated
Drawings and Paintings Instead Of
Photographic Reproductions - Stung
and Nothing 10 Said About 1t.
copyrighted. 1914, by Thomas ]. Sullivan. ]
A book with pictures and book
without pictures differ nearly as much
as room with windows and a room
without windows, for pictures are loop
to other scenes and spheres where the
fancy for the moment may revel, re-
freshed and delighted. They are win
dows Of imprisoned thought.
A picture is invariably an exaggera-
ton Of the object reproduced, and, gen
orally speaking, to please it must de-
ceive
Of Deceptive Value.
The deceptive value Of drawings or
paintings over photography is recog-
nized by no one more fully than by the
great catalogue houses. hence their
adoption Of the most expensive method
Of displaying their goods to the public
well knowing that photographs tell the
truth, so far as q correct pictorial re-
production Is concerned, and would not
be conducive to good business methods
when the goods offered are faulty.
How many farmers would think of
buying cow from picture in a
newspaper or catalogue, with just a
name and description under it? OF
course the description would say that
the COW was fine black and white
COW, weight 800 pounds and so many
hands high, free from blemishes and
offered at the reduced price Of $39.97
because Of a spot cash deal with a
stock farm which failed.
There is as much sense in a pur
chase of that nature as there is for a
farmer to buy buggy. ''our own
brand" at $24.7O when he can get the
real article from his home dealer for
$50 and have the privilege Of inspect
ing it before buying. And no freight
to pay.
Did Farmer Consider Everything?
While talking to farmer the follow
ing was cleaned: Farmers, as a rule
do not like to send their money to Chi
cago or any other place for their goods
They would rather buy Of their local
merchants If their prices are not out
Of reason Merchants generally buy
their goods where they can get them
the cheapest, whether in Chicago, New
York or Asia, no matter how much OF
the same goods the farmer has to SELL
The price Is the first and last consider
alton. They fix the price of what he
sells as we'll as what he buys. Can
the farmer be blamed for buying
where he can get the best bargains?
He wants to enjoy the same privilege
as the merchants do. Fair play is all
be wants"
A Business Injustice.
But did the farmer who made the
above remarks take everything into
consideration? Did he remember that
while the local business men are main
tanning markets for the farmers. assist
ing in making roads to these markets
and doing all they can to help the farm
err, the lnail order houses that have not
a cent invested in his vicinity do not
buy a dollars worth of the farmers
crops nor contribute cent to the vel
fare of the community? Yet they are
getting a goodly portion Of the local
trade, and business men naturally feel
that it is an injustice. 1t is, and the
only way to overcome it is by ADVER-
Using.
Visit to Country Town.
Merchants should publish COM
parison of their prices with those Of
the retail catalogue houses-fght them
with their own weapons. While visit
ing a country town recently the writer
made some investigations and discov-
cries. For example, Chicago mail
order house was selling 100 pound
grindstones mounted for $40. The