Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-20
MAIL ORDER HOUSE 4 b

During the winter ninSteen state high schools, en-
rolled in the Hish School Debating league, have particle
pated in the preliminary debates for The Herald. cup.
The final debate was held at the university on Friday
evening. and the decision was won by the Egeland team
in a spirited contest with Courtenay. Because Of the
subject. the effect of mail order trading on the welfare
Of the state. the debates were followed With greater in.
terest than has attended any other debate in the history
of these contest. When the fact became known that
this subject had been selected mail order houses in the
great cities saw an opportunity to place before prospec-
tive customers a side Of the subject which would be. Of
advantage to them, and they contributed freely Of sta
tistical and other material to be used on the mail order
side Of the argument. North Dakota merchants, be-
cause Of similar reasons, interested themselves in sup
plying material on the opposite side Of the question. The
presentation of the arguments was followed closely and
with intense interest, and the series Of debates was from
every standpoint a very popular one.
The debates generally are said to have been of an
unusually high order, and this was certainly true Of the
final, in which the arguments were we'll thought out,
logically arranged. and f%orcefully presented. The de.
baters on both teams won all the praise which was show
cred upon them at the close Of the final debate.
A noteworthy feature Of this debate was the fact
that both teams dealt with basic principles and really
pertinent facts, and did not seek to win a decision by
strained Interpretation Of the question or by insistence
in non-essential technicahues. The debate was therefore
not only interesting as an intellectual exercise. but it
was a means of real information to those who heard il.
Among other things, excellent judgment was shown
in the avoidance of all assumption that the mail order
business, whatever may be its ultimate effect, is in itself
either illegal or immoral. Such a mistaken ption
is often made the basis of foolish and futile argument.
$50 far as the business itself is concerned it is just
as legitimate and just as praiseworthy to sell goods by
means of a catalogue and deliver them by mail or by
freight as II is RI handle tbo h,,sinee -, ,o. o+h.. ..,~
ner. The business is not in itself corrupt or fraudulent.
There are fraudulent mail order concerns, Just as their
are fraudulent local merchants, but the business itself
is not fraudulent. It's advisability must be considered
on other grounds, and it was considered on other grounds
by the debaters.
Our present intention is not to discuss the details
of the mail order business. but to present briefly two
points for consideration.
First, the local store IS a necessity in a community,
and if the community is to be properly served the local
store must be given such support as will enable it to
maintain itself and yield a reasonable return to the man
who invests his labor and his capital in it. With equal
effort and ability devoted to the service of the con1mu-|
nifty the mail order house located in a distant city can.
not compete successfully with the local store. Because
of special conditions it may be able to undersel on GER
tain items. but in promptness of service, opportunity fo:
personal inspection and prompt delivery the local store
is in a class by itself.
Second. the local store forms an important and nee
esss1s part Of the community center, and without a
center to serve as a sort of crystallization point for many
Of its activities the community itself cannot exist. There
may be families situated here and there. each intent on
its own affairs, but unless there is a common meeting
ground and a common interest there is no communists.
The community needs and must have its center for edu-
cational and religious activities, for social intercourse,
for the developent Of political thought, for the adjust
mcnt of its financial affairs, and for the conduct o, il.
commercial business. II any Of these features is lacking
the life of the community is incomplete. The mail or
der business tends to destroy the commercial side Of
life, and. in so far as it does interfere with
the necessary and legitimate service which can he and
ought to be performed by the local merchant, it is mimi
cal to the welfare OF. the community.