Show WIL ORDER BUSINESS ENORMOUS structures ERECTED BY montgomery WARD AND COMPANY AND OTHERS suggests question whether giant catalogue houses are benefit or detriment to the fanner and the country generally continued continued from last week KEEP THE MONEY AT HOME every dollar that the farmer spends in the town indirectly copies comes back to him in the way of benefits the town grows it supports better stores more churches better schools to which he can send his children furnishes better near at liand hand markets for his products and finally increases the very value of his farm land As a good illustration the dry goods reporter assumes that such an agricultural town has a population of 1000 its support coming from the country tributary to it the life of the town Is its retail trade it if it ft secures the entire purchasing business of the farmers it must of necessity grow rapidly but montgomery ward so sears I 1 roebuck co and others of t the e enormous mall mail order houses send d out their great four or five pound cata lo 10 bogues aes ues describing everything under the sun supposing that instead of town each farmer in the community spending his a year in his home diverts 50 per cent of his trade from his town and sends a year to the catalogue houses it means that halt half of the business of the town is gone on the basis of one hundred or one hundred and fifty square quare s miles of territory to support the town it can be estimated that there are five hundred farmers in the district three hundred d dol larsa year in trade from each of the farmers means that one hundred and fifty thousands annually are taken from the horie home town in the course of ten bears ears this means one and one halt half million dollars averaging the profit on this amount at t twenty per cent cental it t means that in ten years tirre three hundred thousand dollars profit nie aie taken from the town now on the other hand should the i farmer instead of sending away h his I 1 money to the foreign place for goods he be requires give all his trade to the home town its business would be immediately doubled and with twice the employment for the people year after year the profits made by the merchants would be retained in the town would seek investment in starting new industries and at the tha end of the ten years period instead of a town of 1000 there would be a lively city of 0 from two to three thousand and every acre of farm land within the trade radius of the town would be enhanced in value from ten to twenty dollars ENRICHING ENTRICH UNG THE BIG CITIES it can be plainly figured out that the individual farmer who would divert half his trade to chicago new york or some other foreign city in the course of ten years year s would send away three thousand dollars it if it were possible that lie he could save ten per cent on this amount amounting in ten years time he would save three hundred dollars ills his only compensation would be a dead home town poor schools a poor home market and no increase in the value of his real estate holdings on the other hand by giving his patronage to the home town even though he must pay the merchant ten per cent more than the foreign house the result would be like this on account of increase in farm values one hundred and sixty acres of land worth ten dollars more per acre sixteen hun bun dred dollars or thirteen hundred 41 lars better off in ten years than if he gave halt half his patronage to the foreign concern ills home town is a lively one all public improvements all modern conveniences high schools to which he could send his children cheaply good churches good roads and everything that can add to the comfort and happiness of Us its residents and those who reside neat near it not withstanding that the farmers land 13 enhanced in value his taxation will be but little greater as the business interests of the town will pay the burden of taxation and the amount of each taxpayer will ie be less in pra proportion to carry on government IS THE SAVING A REAL ONE I 1 while the country household in looking over one ef ct the big es and sending an order for 50 worth of goods may be able to figure out an immediate saving of five or six dollars even after they have paid the freight there is no question I 1 as to the final outcome it if the practice is persisted in by all the people ot of any particular locality the home town will suffer the home market will fall to increase it if it does not decrease as will also the value of farm lands undoubtedly the catalogue houses can sell goods cheaper than the average country store for they do a cash bus business you send on your cash with I 1 your order there is no risk in the catalogue or mail order house business possibly it if you arranged to do business on the same basis with your country merchant cash down with your purchase you could get almost as favorable prices but the country merchant Is supposed to extend credit to everyone he iras aas bad bills which he never collects and consequently must make a greater percentage of profit on the things he sells every community which Is imbued with the spirit of building up it its own industries and of supporting its home town with local pride Is sure to be the most prosperous there can be no gainsaying gain saying this fact |