Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-26
COOPERATION TO CONCENTRATE
CUSTDM.

CUSTDE.
Great complaint is made in London,
and by the Times lately, that poor people
are grievously swindled in the small
shops in which they buy their food and
do their trading; and the same is quite
as true of this city and the country gen.
orally. The multiplicity Of shops is one
reason why customers are made to pay
exorbitant prices, for it is life and death
competition for custom, and in small
shops, with small sales, the proprietor
must demand large profits to meet his
rent, clerk hire, and other expenses. The
Saturday ReUielg calls attention to a
scheme which is new in London, but was
tried, with only partial success, years ago
in this cOuntry-whiCh is to concentrate
large amounts Of custom on certain
stores, with the advantage of getting
goods at far lower rates, and even pOr-
ton of the profits in the shape OF per
centage on the amount of ones trade
with 3 certain shop or store. There is
ALWAYS something faulty in the co-opsra-
tive stores established by mechanics and
others-a lack Of responsibility on the
part Of the hired agent, perhaps pecula-
tien, and generally q failure OF the busi-
ness. But the principle is uDquestiOn
ably sound, and the tendency Of trade in
late wears has been to concentrate busi-
ness in a few great retail stores in every
city. Stewart, SherWin and other mer-
chants Of that class, can afford to sell
goods cheaper, and furnish better articles
than the mass of small dealers, and,
moreover, such merchants are their own
managers, are bound to act fairly by
their customers, and have personal re-
sponsibility and character to maintain.
1t is only necessary that large bodies Of
customers should cooperate to cOncen-
trate their custom for dry goods, groce-
ries. meat, and all the necessities of life
to save much money in their purchases.
As it is, poor people pay from 25 to 80 per
cent. profit out of their smaller incomes,
while the rich and well-tO-dO people
rarely pay more than 10 per cent, be-
cause they are able to deal with larger
houses, and with responsible people, who
sell the best classes Of goods at reasonable
prices.
No man who goes about one of our cities
can fail TO be struck with the immense
number Of small retail shops Of dealers in
provisions and supplies for the poorer
classes, who must purchase by the small
quantity and who, with the retailers of
liquor by the glass levy larger tax upon
the people annually, than,these pay into
the Treasury of the United States and Of
the State, together. Ifhe be Ofa reflective
turn, it will probably occur to him that
it would be a great addition to the pro-
ductiye capacity of the country, il the
immense number of able-bodied men
whe are engaged in making a living by
means of the per centsge which they add
TO the cost Of provisions and supplies to
the poor, as their own compensation for
selling to them by the small, and the
not less number Of able-bodied young
men who are doing girls and women's
work as clerks in dry goods stores, meas
urlng and selling by the yard, could be
compelled to emigrate to the country,
and labour at the cultivation of the soil.
We have too few producers and too few
manufacturers, too many who live with
out work, and by far too many who live
by kind of labour unworthy Of q man
either Of muscle or brains; too many
consumers, and too few who by their
Iabour add anything to the wealth of
the country, or are of the least use to it
in any way in the world.
We find in the commercial report of
the New York Herald Of November 18th,
the following quotations Of wholesale
prices in the city Of New York:
-,
ordinary, 124 to l34c.-Java, mats and
bags, 24l to 253c; native Ceylon, lSi to
2Oc-Lsgusyra, II to l74c. gold, net
cash, duty paid.
Here we pay for Java, at cur large
grocery stores, 50 cents, and for Ceylon,
65 cents.
We find the prices of tlossr in New
York:
Superfine State and Western, IS O5t6
8 10; Extra State, So 50t9l0; Choice do,
$40 10@l0 25 f.; Common to medium extra
and choice Western, SSC9l2 IS; Round
hoop Ohio, shipping brands, 50 509l0 so;
Round hoop Ohio, trade brands, 81 50@
/ I3 so; st. Louis, low extra, 50 50@10 50
| st. Louis straight extra, Sl1@l2; st.
/ Louis choice double extra, S120I4; st.
/ Louis choice family, Sl4@l5 so; Com
mon Southern, S109l2; Fancy and extra
( do, Sl2 509l5; California flour, sacks
and bbls) Sl1@1S 25.
And of other provisions: Western
mess pork, $40 rs to $40 80 per bbl Ba.
con, long clear middlings, 134c Short
do, 1870. Long ribbed, 124 to l2a.
The sales were 225O boxes Cumberland
/ cut for November, December and Janu-
/ ary, at 111@113c. for November; and
/ II61lfc. for December and January
/ Cut meats were dull and lower, and nom.
inal at S3@9c. for picked shoulders, 10e,
/ for dry salted do, 102@llc for smoked
do. 133@l4c. for picked hams, l6e for
smoked do, and 17@1Se. for bagged do
The sales were about 50packages within
the range. Lard was quiet, with sales o.
800 packages at 12s91Sic.
Auy one who buys these articles IL