Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-02-24
THE NAIL ORDER HOUSES
ARE A DETRIMENT TO
COMMUNITY GROWTH

1
as vigorous as II is timely.
Mail order houses are legitimate in
so far as the literal and restricted
meaning OF that word is concerned
The affluent and influential propd-
etors of shese great economic suction
pumps have carefully seen to their
administration In years agone. But
their trend and tendency is anti-social
and as such they are In the broadest
sense offensive to the basic law Of the
country.
Mail order houses cater to farmers.
II was the mail order house influence
that figured in the Hobbies most promi-
nently when the law was enacted
which gave the rural free delivery Of
mail to the country's farmers. Con-
venient as II may be TO the farmer, the
rural free delivery law, because OF its
use by mail order houses, is umdermiu-
ing the business Of the country's farul-
I
ers for the reason that II Is crushing
the life out OF the cities and towns
where the farmer finds the market for
what he has to sell.
Because he can sometimes get an
article for slightly less than he pays
for II mt home, the average farmer be-
lieyes he Is blessed in his opportunity
to buy fsom distance. He will sen1
his cash away. Then when he wants
credit he will come to the storekeeper
in his nearest town ana make n pur-
chase on time.
II the ambition of our mail order
houses were realized we would haze
no towns In any civic sense OF the
word. We would have country Of
farmers and few large mail order
centers. There would be- little more
in the country's towns than postoffices
where the farmer could get mail orders
to send TO the mail order houses ami
express and freight offices where the
country customer could receive his
shipments.
Aside from the fact that the small
town affords him his market for the
reason that nearly everything the
farmer grows is perishablc, there are
other reasons why the farmers sup
port is morally obligated 10 the town
II affords a civic center for his politi-
cal. social and religious life. The
small town merchant keep these cen
tiers Of civic life pulsating. The mail
order house Is not Il community builder
except incidentally where the estab-
| lishment happens TO be located. But
/ as far as the small town Is concerned
the mail order house takes out but puts
nothing in. II paves no streets, pays
for no lights, contributes nothing 10
the maintenance Of police or fire de-
partments, bears none Of the burdens
Of charity and does not give one cent
10 the churches or the schools.
|. There are small towns In Kansas
which once were 1ourishing communi-
ties hut which today are little more
than whistling stations for the reason
that so many Of their inhabitants ami
farmers living in their territory gave
the bulk of their business to mail order
houses,
Mail order houses have most subtle
method Of creating a friendship for
themselves In any new territory they
seek to penetrate. one Of their meth
DDS is to increase their capital stock
and to sell some Of the issue to persons
in the section they intend to invade
They know that where Il mans Invest
ments are, his heart is nearby. Sales
Of mail order house stock In III Paso
should be discouraged In every possible
way.
We all understand well enough that
any business is operated primarily as
means OF livelihood for Its owners.
But the local business house does more
than that II II is successful. 1t forms
vital part of community life and is i
necessity to the locality. The mail
order house serves but one purpose.
That purpose has the entirely selfish
object Of amassing wealth for its own
ers at the expense Of every community
in the country.
The mail order houses should, there
fore, be dealt with according TO their
merits by the communities they men
ace.-El Paso Herald.
ANOTHER OIL WELL
~