Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-22
RETAIL MERCHANTS, MEETING.
Interesting Report of a Special Com.
mittee, and Adoption of n COnstItu.
ton and Bylaws

Interesting Report of n Special Conn.,
mittee, and Adoption of n COnstItu-
ton and Bylaws.
An adjourned meeting of retail merchants
was held last evening in the county Court
house, to receive the following, which, after
discussion, was adopted. (Mr. P. Walsh
presided):
We the undersigned Committee appoint
ed to draft code of bylaws for the gov
eminent Of this organization, would sub
NIT the following report:
We deem it prudent and proper to set
forth just the objects and purposes of this
association and propose the following as
setting forth the objects and purposes of
this Association, to be known as the Retail
Merchants and Retail Liquor Dealers As
ISOLATION of Nashville, Tenn, and that they
do not believe that the wholesale dealers
and jobbers of Nashville deal fairly with
the retail merchants and retail liquor deal
ers of the city, inasmuch as said wholesale
dealers, in many instances, do sell to pri-
Vate parties who are not retailers, and to
consumers in small quantities at the same
prices as charged the regular retail dealer,
thereby giving the retail dealer no margin
for even the smallest profit; they, therefore,
feel it their duty, as well as their privilege,
to demonstrate with the wholesale merchant
against persisting in such a course, as the
same is Injurious and; detrimental to the re-
taller, and is calculated to drive them to
some other market free from like eompeti-
ton. But many claim to be both whole
sale and retail merchants, to which there
could be no objection, if they do business
on fair and proper principles Of legitimate
trade, which is justice to all in each branch
of trade. They should give the retailer
some margin of profit above wholesale
prices or he cannot compete with the whole
sale and retail dealer, aud, as there is none
but the retail dealers to whom they, the
wholesale dealers, can wholesale, then why
should they sell both at wholesale and re-
tail at the same price; perhaps by so doing
drive us to some other market. If the
wholesale dealers sell in small quantiLies,
then they should, in justice to Ia
their regular and constant patrons,
sell by the wholesale to us
regular retailers, at prices that justified by
the wholesale prices sufficient to pay for
handling and license, which we cannot
make under the present state Of wholesale
trade regulations.
But we think there is magnanimity
enough in our wholesale trade to see at
once the business Of our complaint, it being
only justice to us, the retailers, and not
unfair or unjust to the wholesale merchant.
Nor could it be the cause of complaint on
the part of the consumer, they knowing full
well that the retail dealer is dependent
upon the wholesale merchant, and they
(the consumers) are dependent upon the
retailer; for should the entire retail trade
withdraw their patronage from the whole
sale dealers located in this city, it perhaps
would drive many of them into the regular
retail business.
Therefore the attention of the wholesale
dealers is respectfully called to the justice
and propriety of establishing some regular
rule as to the quantity constituting whole
sale, and that any amount less than that so
should be sold at such advance
above wholesale prices as would Justify the
retail trade in patronizing home wholesale
dealers.
Hoping that the justice Of the above will
meet with favorable consideration by the
wholesale dealers and jObbers of this city,
we would submit the following resolution,
and recommend its adoption:
Resolved, That committee Of five be
appointed to lay the subject matter con-
tanned in the foregoing report before the
wholesale dealers and jObbers in all the diff
ferent branches of business in this city, and
ascertain some expression of opinion on
their part, and report to this association as
early as practicable, and submit the follow
ing code of bylaws.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
Signed,
G. Hoop,
JOSEPH RYMARKOWIEZ,
WI. KIMPKAW,
p. WALSH,
J. H. AMBROSE,
B. HINES,
Committee.
The bylaws were discussed seriatim,
adopted seriatim and then adopted as a
whole; and the meeting thereupon ad-
journed subject to call.