The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1922-03-02
Local Man takes Exception to
Prose Poem of "Uncle
John"
ARE FANS INCURABLE
Mail Order Addicts Can Be
Cured if Right Medicine
is Administered.

The article appearing below from
the pen of local merchant Is called
forth by the publication in these col
umns in our last issue of prose poem
by Uncle John. Our correspondent
and our readers probably do not know
who Uncle John really is, but the ed
itor is satisfied that he entert4iils
nothing but the best intentions which
is clearly shown by his appeal for
patronage for the home merchant
The writer asks for mo apology for
the home merchant for the reason that
it makes the mail order fans see ret;"
Advertising and delivering the goods"
will effect a cure. The article follows:
What follows, Mr.. Editor, will prob
ably seem like rank ingratitude. But
honestly, that Home Merchant wall
by Uncle john which you ran last
week calls for protest.
Mr.. Editor, when You are selling adj
vertising space you don't base your
argument ON the liberal support you
are continually giving a multitude Of
community enterprises. You don't
sell advertising by reminding your
prospect how much taxes you pay and
how many basket ball tickets you buy
annually.
You bet you don't You talk about
how economical it is to use your ad-
vertising space to carry a message to
your large list of subscribers.
Then why-Oh why? are you con-
tinually asking people to patronize
their home merchants because they
are, perchance, willing to extend cred
it promiscuously, because they can
oaI IL thn kfdAiaey hxy hni
pay taxes, buy chicken dinner tickets,
donate to the church and subscribe to
the Farm Bureau
OF course, Mr. Editor we know
why. It's because you so sincerely
deplore everything that tends to tear
down the home community that you
occasionally work up too strong q
head of steam. For, after all, Mr..
Editor people will trade where they
feel they are doing the Designating
they have the ready money. And all
other appeal is futile
So why not scrap the incidentals to
this big question, grab it by the scuff
of the neck and shake it down to
finish.
Contrary to what seems to be the
general opinion, there isn't any magic
about buying that enables the cata-
logue houses to buy their merchandise
more cheaply than the merchant right
here in Grangeville. This 'treinen-
dous buying power that the cata-
logue fiaunts at you from every page
isn't the hokus-pokus stuff that it ap-
pears to be. At the best it means a
buying advantage of only IA very small
percentage, while on the other hand it
just as frequently back-fires to the
disadvantage of the catalogue houses,
Tor they, OF necessity, must contract
for their merchandise far in advance
of their requirements, and in big
quantities-for all of its merchandise
must be Illustrated, described and
priced in the big annual catalogues.
Thus the very nature of their business
prevents them for availing themselves
OF breaks that frequently occur in the
market and shuts them off entirely
from the opportunity of picking up
stocks of good, reliable merchandise
that manufacturers frequently find
necessary to move at considerab BILE
sacrifice-quantities quite sufficient
for the home merchant, but entirely In
adequate for the big mail order house.
Again. this tremendous buying
power" is responsible for the accum-
ulation at the end of the season Of
vast stocks which did not move an
rapidly as contemplated-a serious
predicament and one In which the
country merchant. If he be worthy of
the name, need never find himself.
So 1t will he seen that matching
advantage aga inst disadvantage, the
tremendous buying power Of the
mail order houses is a false alarm,
ana OF value only as an advertising
. feature.
, The home merchant does need your
, help Mr. Editor, but if your help Il
to do him any good, he must first helr
, himself. He must eliminate from his
overhead costs the expense and lossei
, OF the credit system. He must bt
alert in his purchases He must IN
= able to pay cash for his merchandise
, so that he can buy where and when he
. enc oses. and avail himself of all dis
cornts. He must keep his own over
head expense within reason.
And. finally, he must advertise ad
vertise, advertise.
, Every person who has studied
, mail order catalogue knows that tn,
. PICTURES and descriptions give no ide,
= OF. relative values. Cover up the pri
= es and you can't for the life OF yar
. tell whether The thing you are look
Continued on page ~