The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-02-28
DUTY YOU owe
YOUR TOWN
Be Faithful and Honest With
Yourself.
OBLIGATIONS OF CONSUMER.

Before Sending His Money to Distant
Concerns Every Citizen Should Con-
slider the Duty He Owes His Home
Town-Local Merchants Ready and
Willing to Compete.
Copyrighted. 1914. by Thomas ]. Sullivan.l
Duty is a power that rises with US
in the morning and goes to rest with
us at night 1t is cOextensive with the
action of our intelligence. 1t is the
shadow which cleaves to US, go where
we will
Let US do our duty in our shop or
kitchen. in the market, the street. the
office, the farm, the school. the home,
Just as faithfully as if we stood in the
front ranks of some great battle and
knew that victory for mankind de-
pended upon our bravery, strength and
skill
When we do that the very humblest
army which achieves the welfare Of
the world.
A Dollar Lost.
1t should be the slogan Of every
rural consumer never to send away
for goods that he can just as we'll buy
at home. Every time you send dol
| lar to a mail order house that dollar.
as far as you and your community are
Of cir
| lation.
Your own home merchant is the one
who helps to keep up your schools,
your churches and your town. He is
| the one who deserves your trade and
not some catalogue house in Chicago
or elsewhere.
Goods on Unsecured Promises.
When you have nothing to give in
exchange, to whom do you go for ac-
| commodations until some uncertain
time when you can pay?
Do you not always find your home
merchant ready and willing to let his
goods go on promises. not guaranteed
notes. but verbal promises, trusting to
your honesty and good luck in meeting
the obligation later?
How many farms have been paid fol-
by your merchants advancing both the
goods necessary to keep life in the
body and cash to meet that dreaded
interest on the mortgage?
Under the same conditions would
the farmer trust the merchant fol
months and months with the produce
of his farm, or would be ask for cast
or its equivalent upon delivery of the
goods?
Not Robber or Cheat.
We know that the average consumer
does not feel that his local merchant is
robber or a cheat; but, like all hu
mankind, the catalogues and prices Of
mail order houses appeal to him, an6
he forwards his order and cash with
out considering the injustice he is do
ing himself. his merchant and hi:
home town.
The catalogues OF the mail orde
house are ilIumined with pictures tt
catch the eye of the unwary. The,
range in complexion from brunett,
banana to a blond canary bird. The!
J offer to sell you anything from a phi
losopher's stone to cypress shingl'
sawed out of a sunbeam.
: Cash Versus Credit.
1t seems unbelievable, but it is nev
ertheless a fact, showing the entir'
lack of any sense of justice. that man.
people regard their local stores a
merely institutions of accommodation
When these people have cash to spen'
ii goes to the faraway mail orde
houses. but when times are dull. whe
they are sick or out of work or durin:
the season when farmers are not turn
ing their produce into cash. what d
they do? Do they write to the cata
lOgue house and ask for credit?
If they did do you think they woui
get it? Not on your life. Those cor