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Show Who Pays the Taxes, the Business Man, Or The Bellringer? If the tax collector here in Carbon tke comity treasurer ,had to depend on the itinerant peddler or out of the city concern con-cern for taxes to what extent would the community enjoy pub lie improvements of a modern American community like Prieo ? ."Who pays a large share of the levies that give us paving and ;water, graded streets, roads, schools and ail the other advantages advan-tages we enjoy? Is it the local merchant and business man ,or is it the peripatetic salesman or out of town mail order houses? Ask yourself this question the first time a bell-ringer" bell-ringer" or house to house canvasser calls with an oily line .of patter and a sample case under his arm. What would become be-come of this man's town tomorrow if all of its local stores were ...at out of business? Eidiculous, you say? Extravagant suggestion? Not at all! For, unless the buying public awakens awak-ens to the serious menace of the "bellringer" there is grave danger that many a retail store not only here, but throughout the country, will eventually be forced to close its doors or seriously ser-iously curtail its operations. I . To substantiate this statement it is only necessary to cite ,the fact that the prodigious sum of $900,000,000 was taken out ,of the cash registers of the retail merchants of the nation and .given to the "bellringer" establishments last year. Tin.-. Tin.-. clothing industry alone was represented in this vast contribution contribu-tion to mail order houses by the tremendous sum of $77,000,000 .What is the reason for this amazing discrimination against the ; local dealer and in favor of the peddler? Is it that the "b'-ll- ringer" gives better values, better service, better merchandise ,at a lower price? The answer is decidedly no. One very potent reason for this situation is the extraordinary gullibility of the buying public. Nearly half a century arro the late P. T. Barnum of circus fame declared in all seriousness that the American people loved to be humbugged. He was right thou, and Barnum if he livel today, apparently would have sumi, cause to change his opinion. Another reason for this "buv it aboard" policy, which is threatening the very exisb nc of retail stores, is that the people who purchase from the ' bell-.ringers" bell-.ringers" do not stop to think what they are doing. No less .a celebrity than Thomas Edison has implied that only 2 per cent of the people use their heads for much of anything besides a hatrack. If this is true is there any wonder that the "bell- ringer" thrives in the land? Aside from the question of civic pride or loyalty to y rr -institutions it is good business judgment and to the best interests inter-ests of all to buy the necessities of life from your hometown merchants, rather than from out of town peddlers. DoPar for dollar one will get greater values and enjoy more economy in ,the end by trading at local stores. He or she will al.-.o get better service and more courteous treatment. "Wh-?n htivmg from a local merchant we know exactly what we ar getting ,and from whom. We know a responsible, reliable firm stands behind the purchase, ready to make good if it prov.'s unsatis factory. The often heard arguments of the peddl that he can undersell local merchants on merchandise of equal quality t is pure, unadulterated bunk. The local dealer is a shrewd ! business man. He purchases merchandise just as closely as lit is possible and he sells it at the lowest margin of profit in order to attract volume sales. It is true, no doubt, that cheaply made and shoddy, infer (ior merchandise may be sold from door to door at prices that seem lower than local stores. But just stop and think that in all probability it was made especially for peddling," manufactured manufac-tured expressly to provide big, tempting profits to the canvassers canvas-sers large, quick returns to the mail order houses. Value (and quality are elements unknown to the purveyors of t':is type of goods. They expect to "sell you" once and never see you lagain. Use judgment! Think! Which is the friend? Who supports sup-ports local industries? Who is the heart and soul of the ,community? Upon whom does prosperity very largely depend de-pend local merchant or "bellringer"? The Price Sun. |