Truman T. Schafer (left) 



Cashier of the Banit 



"From $175,000 to $500,000 in deposits 



since April lOth." 



perity of a town like ours. In 1897 the 

 manufacturers learned a long time ago 

 not to build up surpluses. The farmer is 

 learning that lesson now. He is learning 

 that when you create surpluses in any 

 line you destroy the market and don't 

 get a living price for your products. 

 Farm surpluses are down now and as a 

 result our business here in the store is 

 up fully 20 per cent." 



Mr. Schaeffer, cashier of the new Na- 

 tional Bank of Aledo, said he couldn't 

 very well make any comparisons with 

 previous years in Aledo as he was a 

 newcomer and anyway the bank has only 

 been in operation since April 10th, 1935. 

 "But," said he, "for several years Aledo 

 was without banking facilities due to 

 the closing of four banks here in town. 

 We opened with deposits of $175,000. By 

 November 1st, our deposits had jumped 

 to $500,000. The nice thing about it is 

 that the banks all around us in nearby 

 towns, which had carried the deposits 

 of Aledo people before we were organ- 

 ized, have shown corresponding increases. 

 Farmers are either in good shape 

 through refinancing or they are doing a 

 good job cutting down their indebted- 

 ness. We know they're more prosper- 

 ous." 



L. C. Detwiler has been operating his 

 big hardware store for nearly 60 years. 

 He says, "We deal mostly with farm- 

 ers, of course. I will say that business 

 is better this year than in 1933 and '34. 

 In the last six months we have been 

 making money for the first time in years 

 and it's all because of increased farm 

 prices. The buying public is in a buying 

 mood, especially the last six months. 

 They are more optimistic. If business 

 keeps up we will have to put on more 

 people. I notice that farm people are 

 buying a lot of household appliances 

 now. The deals are good pay, more out- 

 right cash sales and when on credit, 

 bigger down payments and better col- 

 lection." 



The Hall Shoe Store is right next 

 door and there Will Hall and his son 

 Hays, purvey the latest style in foot- 

 wear to the men and women of Mercer 



NOTICE ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL 



ASSOCIATION ELECTION OF 



DELEGATES 



Notice is hereby given that in con- 

 nection with the annual meetings of 

 all County Farm Bureaus to be held 

 during the month of December. 1935. 

 at the hour and place to be deter- 

 mined by the Board of Directors of 

 each respective County Farm Bureau, 

 the members in good standing of such 

 County Farm Bureau, and who are 

 also qualified voting members of Illi- 

 nois Agricultural Association, shall 

 elect a delegate or delegates to rep- 

 resent such members of Illinois Ag- 

 ricultural Association and vote on all 

 matters before the next annual meet- 

 ing or any special meeting of the As- 

 sociation, including the election of of- 

 ficers and directors as provided for in 

 the By-Laws of the Association. 



During December, annual meetings 

 will be held in Bureau, Clark, Coles, 

 Cook, Crawford-Jasper, DeWitt. Du- 

 Page. Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, 

 Franklin, Grundy. Henry, Iroquois, 

 Jackson. Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Ken- 

 dall, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Mc- 

 Lean, Mason. Massac, Morgan, Moul- 

 trie, Piatt, Pope-Hardin, Randolph, 

 Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Steph- 

 enson, Tazewell, Union, Vermillion 

 and Wabash counties. 



(Signed) Paul E. Mathias, 

 Corporate Secretary 

 November 11, 1935. 



county. Said Mr. Hall, senior, "I've been 

 right on this same spot for 40 years. 

 Business is undoubtedly better this year. 

 Of course I'm a native son, came off a 

 farm myself, but I don't believe there is 

 a better agricultural county anywhere 

 than Mercer county. People are buying 

 better shoes and paying more without 

 any fuss. We are very optimistic about 



Detwiler's Hardware Store 



Attracts Stove Customers 



"This year we'll make money and need 



more salespeople." 



conditions. Our trade is largely with ag- 

 ricultural people." 



Mr. D. E. Farr owns and operates a 

 men's wear store on the main corner 

 in Aledo. His trade is made up largely 

 of farm people and his store on Saturday 

 was crowded from mid-afternoon until 

 late at night. Said he, "There is no 

 question that business is very much 

 better than a year ago. Our customers. 



"There are more cash purchases of auto- 

 mobiles and bigger down payments." 



all farm people, are in a better frame of 

 mind and they are demanding better 

 merchandise and have the money to pay 

 for it. They don't seem to be running 

 so close to the line on purchases." 



Down the street Bob Davison sells 

 automobiles and runs a big garage. 

 Standing in the showroom of his place 

 called General Sales and Service, Mr. 

 Davison said, "Sales are better this year. 

 There are more cash purchases of auto- 

 mobiles and bigger down payments 

 where they are buying on time. The 

 biggest per cent of our sales is to rural 

 people. Higher farm prices have made 

 business better and you can't make it 

 out any different." 



Across from the Mercer county Court 

 House E. T. Carlson, the well known 

 livestock photographer, has a thriving 

 electric appliance and repair business, 

 going full blast. Said he, "We are get- 

 ting a tremendous number of inquiries 

 these days about new radio models, 

 washing machines and refrigerators. 

 When we follow up the inquiries we 

 are getting a bigger percentage of sales. 

 Down payments are better, collections 

 are fine. Most of our business is done 

 with farm people and we find they are 

 buying better quality products all 

 around." 



The Aledo Times reports an increase 

 in advertising in its columns. This year 

 will show a marked increase in the num- 

 ber of subscribers to the paper. Every- 

 where you go and ask you will be told 

 by those who do business in Aledo, that 

 times are better and the future looks 

 bright. 



There you are. Aledo is dependent on 

 agriculture for its income. Agriculture 

 is dependent upon a fair price for any 

 spending money. The two conditions are 

 interdependent and Aledo furnishes prob- 

 ably one of the finest examples of how 

 agriculture, if given a fair price for its 

 products, will buy America back to pros- 

 perity. 



Business is good in Aledo. Farmers 

 made it so. By the same token, farm- 

 ers all over the state, over the nation, 

 jre bringing a new prosperity, a new 

 optimism and a new security to the 

 public as a whole. — John Tracy. 



I. A. A. RECORD 



