The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-01-12
ISN'T 1T THE TRUTH?

ISN'T IL IdE lhO AZ.
NHIS is a farmers editorial. While
Il it is written by the editor he Is
but telling the story to the readers OF
the Courier-R Reporter as it was told
to him by farmer.
This farmer came into the meeting
of the Commercial club last week for
the purpose of telling the business
men a few things about trading at
home. He says he lost his nerve at
the meeting but the following day ne
loosened up on the editor as follows:
81 am not mail-order-house farm
err. My wife nor / have ever sent a
dollar to Sears-Roebuck nor does my
wife make spring and fall buying
pilgrimages to Walla Walla, Yakima,
Spokane or Seattle; or weekend shop
ping tours to Pasco. | am not a
stakeholder in, nor a customer OF the
Grange store and / am unalterably
opposed to the Farm Bureaus en-
gaging in the mercantile business.
am home town loyalist and believe
in, and practice trading at home.
Finally l believe that the solution of
the merchandising problem lies in
cooperation with, and not antagonism
to the home-tow merchant, and that
well-stocked, well-patronized, prosper
Gus, mercantile establishments are
essentials in every community.
"Who are the worst offenders
against the trade-at-home creed? The
farmers? Well, are they?
Zone day I listened to local mer-'
chant deliver sermonette against
the mail-order curse. He said the
amount of money that goes out of
this community every year for goods
that might be purchased here, is APP
palling. l guess he's right for his ice
box was filled with Spokane butter,
one show case was full of Spokane
bread, another Of Chicago hams, ba-
con and lard, his bins were full Of
Prescott, Portland or Lewiston flour,
and his shelves were shy of the lead
ing brands of canned goods stocked
and sold by the Kennewick Wholesale
grocery; up the street there was Wal
la Walla bread for sale; dow1 the
street Portland ice cream, and I ex-
pect that if I had secuted around some
/ could have found Chinese eggs for
sale somewhere in town.
"But the merchants are not entirely
to blame. Stand in the store any day
and watch the customers come and go.
Who is it that carries away the Spo-
kane butter, the Spokane bread, the
Chicago lard, and asks for the for
eign flour? Mrs. Farmer? 1t is not.
It's Mrs. Businessman.
"Yet we wonder why the creamery
has to be refinanced and the mill goes
broke.
Thousands of dollars is sent out
of this town every year by the eating
houses for groceries. The restaurant
proprietors aren't to blame. They buy
in quantities and are entitled to the
wholesale prices. They can buy at
wholesale in Seattle and Portland but
not in Kennewick. Why? Because
the local merchants hold club over
the local wholesale house and won't
let it sell the restaurants. These
same merchants holler their heads off
if farmer sends an order to Jones
Cash store, yet they, by their dog-in-
the-manger tactics are forcing thous-
ands of dollars out of the community,
Fine business!
"No, Pm not thru yet. Do you
know there are business men who
have been doing business here in Ken
newick for years who have never
bought, or tried to buy, suit OF
clothes of local clothier? Well,
know it. Year after year they are
sending their money to my tailor
back home, because he has my meas
urement.' Who is the worst offender
Mr.. Businessman who buys two SOC
suits year from his tailor in Sc
attic, Tacoma or somewhere, or Mr.
Farmer who buys one $50 suit once
in two years of Sears-Roebuck?
eyes, and there are KennewicI