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Show Killed The Town. No little comment has been occasioned oc-casioned by the confession of a hide-bound mailorder house buying buy-ing farmer who at last sees the light. This farmer confesses that for twenty-nine years he has patronized the mail order houses thinking that he was saving sav-ing money. But in that time, he admits, the little town near which his farm was located has dwindled away to such an extent that his losses from sending his money away have "come home to roost." In his confession he tells what a live town his home town was, saying they had a good band, a library, high schooi ball team, and they had a big celebration once a year. Then he tells how the farmers began to patronize the mail order houses more and more, and winds up his confession as follows:"Gradually our merchants lessened their stock of goods for lack of patronage. pat-ronage. Finally, we began to realize that when we needed a bolt quickly for machinery, or clothing for sickness or death, we had to wait and send away for it, which wasn't so pleasant. One by one our merchants moved mov-ed to places where they were appreciated, and men of less energy moved in. Gradually our town has gone down ; our business busi-ness houses "tacky" in appearance, appear-ance, a number are empty, our schools, our church, and outwalks out-walks are going down, we have no band, no library, no ball team. There is no business done in the town, and therefor, no taxes to keep things up. Go down to the depot when the train pulls in and you will see the sequel in mail order packages. Nine years ago my farm was worth $195 an acre, today I'd have a hard time to sell it for $167 an acre. 'It is too far from a live town' so every farmer has said that wanted to buy. He wants a place near schools and churches, where his children can have advantages. I have awakened awaken-ed to the fact that in helping to pull the town down it has cost me $5,600 in nine years. This is something for the people peo-ple of Delta and vicinity to think over. What this farmer has experienced, every patron of a mail order house must sooner or later experience. You may save a few pennies now by buying buy-ing from mail order houses but what of the future? |