The daily times., 1922-01-30
COUNTRY MERCHANT
is RECAININC THE
FARMERS TRADE
(Continued From Pare H.

CONTINUED From Pare H.
of the South are doing their trading
at home advantageously, the mer- .
chants having just recently sought
to divert the steady stream of money
which in years past went to mail or
der houses in the East and West.
The News Records opinions empha
size the fact that the mail order
houses have seen their best days,
this being seen in the announcement
from big department stores that have
done away with their mail order de-
partments
Using the 16 million dollar loss
sustained in 1921 by Sears, Roe
buck and Company, probably the
largest mail order house in this coun-
try, as a basis the New York publica-
tion queried business men and re-
tailers in all sections of the country
and from the responses gives the
following reasons for the decline in
all mail order businesses: J
'Various causes are ascribed in the
decreased business of the big mail
order houses in Chicago. The most
general opinion is that it was due
mainly to the lowered buying pow
er of the farmer. The inability of
keeping up with declining market
with bulky and expensive catalog
supposed to last for months is gem
orally admitted, and the advantage
of the small town merchant in such
a market is pointed out.
'sThe country merchant, it is de-
clared, has recaptured great mass
, of farmer trade in the last year by
exchanging his goods for farm pro-
duce, by extending credit and by ad-
vertising that his prices are lower
than those shown ia any mail order
| catalog. This next year is seen as
one of great opportunity for the
small retailer. He may hold the
/ farmer and make further inroads on
catalog business or he may lose much
| or little of what he has gained.
''The influence of the automobile
| toward easier and quicker transpor-
tation is admitted by many business
men interviewed to have hurt the
mail order business. 1t is so much
more desirable to motor to the near
est town ard purchase over the coun-
ter that the catalog is doomed to a
speedy death, some declare. They
believe the best days of the mail
order houses are in the past
DR.. j. w. Peacock, prominent
Thomasville physician, now incar-
cerated in the criminal insane ward
of the State prison here for killing
Police Chief Taylor, will not be
ed other prisoners, says George
Ross Pou, superintendent.
Recently request was made upon
Superintendent Pou to permit DR..
Peacock to give medical attention to
prisoners of the State in the prison
here and at the central prison farm
on the outskirts of Raleigh, butt it
was refused. A request for recon-
mendation from the prison officials to
allow DR.. Peacock to work in the
city has also been turned down.
Until there is a special legislative
act DIR. Peacock will be kept in close
confinement at the penitentiary since
Superintendent Pou says he will not
attempt to set aside the decision of
the court which placed the Thomas
vile physician in the prison for life.
Any effort to obtain the mans re-
lease or transfer to another State
Institution will be resisted by David
son county citizens, the capital
hears. Certainly there will be no
effort made in this direction until
the 1923 legislature meets, If then.
While North Carolina's fire loss
since January 1 is not out of pro-
portion to the losses in other States
it is staggering to think Of" says
Insurance Commissioner Stacey
Wade.
Reports received by the insurance
department since the first of the year
indicate that the loss by fire in
North Carolina was around one and
onehalf million dollars. The loss of
the United States is just as heavy in
proportion also, but this does not ex-
plain the big damage to property at
home. Commissioner Wade thinks.
Governor Cameron Morrison is
back at the capital after a weeks
visit to homefolks in Charlotte
where he spoke to about all of the
civic organizations.