The independent-reporter., 1920-12-30
About Those Signs
(By r. T. Patten

Six large signs calling attention to
the resources and activities of Skow-
hegan were posted about the streets
during Christmas week They were
paid for from the funds OF the Skow-
hegan Merchants Association. This
organization was formed for the pur-
pose of booming Skowhegan. and es-
/ pecially of fostering the Trade at
Home" spirit. 1t would have been
/ particularly appropriate that these
among the first and SO far the prin-
eipal activity of this organization,
should have been purchased at home.
xThey were not Insted they were
bought of the Ithaca Sign Works in
| Ithaca, New York. The money which
| should have been paid for lumber
grown In the Kennebec Valley. and
to carpenter and painter residents OF
| Somerset County was paid to people
about 500 miles away in whom we have
only very remote interest In cases
of mismanagement of this kind. 1t
Is usual to appoint a committee to
investigate and report Such course
is not necessary at this time | plead
guilty. was llClllDCl VI lnC toih-
mittee appointed to purchase these
signs. l asked to be appointed for
the job. l then went ahead and or
dered them saying so little to the
other members of the committee that
they may be released entirely of res
pOnsilliljtY for the outcome. The
Merchants Association itself and the
committee are not to blame, except
possibly for entrustng a matter of so
much importance to a man with so
| little judgment.
i In making this confession and in
asking to be forgiven | want 1t to be
understood that the incident has been
a lesson to me and l shall be very
much less likely to make the same
mistake again. There are eXtenuat-
ing circumstances which I might men
ton in my own behalf. l might al
so cite an absolutely clean record
so far as my own personal wants are
concerned. they being invariably sup
plies by purchase at retail from
some Somerset County dealer. These
factsa nd fairly persistent and GER
tainly we'll meant efforts for the COM
mercial we'll being of the town, COW
ering a considerable number of years.
will perhaps entitle me to some chart
ty.
Having made the above confession,
showing my Willingness to be for
given and accepted the lesson that
goes with it all. l am anxious that
the public should profit with me to
some extent The whole affair turn
i ed out Just about as it always Will
when money is sent out of town for
material or services which can be OBJ
tanned here. The Ithaca Sign con-
Germ were known to be specialists in
that business. 1t was supposed that
they could fill the order promptly,
execute the work accurately, and per-
haps at less price than local par
i ties. The first two counts mentioned
resulted in complete disappointment
and the matter of price can be waved,
as under the circumstances. the
signs should have been purchased
here. even had the local price been
twice that charged by the outside con-
corn AS a matter of fact. the or
der was placed in August shipment
was made in October. the signs were
about six weeks on the way, and ar
rived here so late that il was in ad-
visable to place them in permanent
position. ont on the highways. this
fan The boards are fairly we'll put
together. but they are not SuiiielentiY
coated with paint and am quite sure
! that equally good or better work can
bo done ri4ht here i'll SHOWh eau. 1t
is about aiNaVs SO Distance lends
cnchantment to the view. We read
very attractive advertising and near
remarkable stories about the bargains
IN be obtained elsewhere. Usually.
rs in the matter of the signs the
same goods. equally or more desira-
Bile. and equally or more serYlenahIe.
can he bought right at home. and in
tho large majority of cases NJ the
same price. In the few instances
whore the foreign merchant actually
does offer n slightly increased value.
the difference is nothing like enough
TO make up for the express charFe.
the inability to inspect the purchase
at time of ordering. the DELAY IN
transmitting the order and IN the
trauspnrtation of the article purehaS-
Cd aud various other considerations.
all of which IRE a portion OF the real
value Of the thiag bought
No one wants TO live in a town
without stores. without banks With
ont musicians. dentists. optometriSts.
bospifals. etc \ Maine town with
it's principa' shopping districts
in Chicago. Hoslon. New York. etc.
would be a very undesirable place OF
4 haVp 1nnNH-