Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1907 — Merchants Occasionally to Blame. [ARTICLE]

Merchants Occasionally to Blame.

The following article froiu the Logansport Reporter, altho already printed in amothet Rensselaer paper, is good enough to be given the advahtagebfstillwidercirca lation. and while it may not be especially applicaole to Rensselaer merchants, it is doubtless partially so. Here it is: In the words ofGeorgeA-de: “Once npon a time.” this' story is begun. The particular time and day are not mentioned. They are needless. Suffice that it all hap pened in Logansport and it all happened in one day, aud the day not so very long ago. The story is applicable to merchants —some merchants, and the mo-al is, “Consistancy, thou art a jewel.” Quce upon a time d Logansport dry goods merchant was starting down town when his wife reminded him of his most important duty during the day. “Now, my dear, be sure aud dou’t forget to send to the city for that new Stanhope, so we can have it by Snnday. You. know our old buggy is getting so it’s not fit to he seen.”

Just a few blocks away the merchant who handled vehicles and implements was sitting at breakfast with conversation drifted around to the near approah of school. “And thatrreminds me, John,” said the lady who sat at the head of the table, “I must be going to the city not later than next week. I must get goods for the children’s school clothes and then I want to see about a falTsnltfbrmyself, and I think while I’m np there that perhaps I’d better see something about a new rng for the parlor and some lace curtains for the front windows.” An honr or two later a leading grocer stepped into the bank to buy a draft, which he was going to send to a firm in Ghicago for a swell bed-room snit his wife had ordered about a week before. “How’s business!” asked the banker. the merchant resignedly. “Things are a little dnli just now:” Before the banker finished writing t|ie draft a dapper young man with a grip stepped in and asked how everybody was. The banker seemed glad to see him. He was the representative of a big printing establishment in another state. He and the banker chatted pleasantly for a few minutes after which the young man inquired causually of his friend behind the window if he wanted anything. “I believe I do. Print us 50,000 checks, 500 drafts and a conple of thousand letter heads. ” The yonng man thanked him cordially for the order and bustled on'.. That night Logansport local business men had a meeting in the court house to discuss the growing mail order evil. All of the gentle livered short talks. They all agreed that the farmers were guilty of treason to their home merchants when they presisted' in baying their goods of mail order houses, and the meeting closed by adopting strong resolutions against trading away from home.