The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-11-07
Mistaken Policy of our Merchants.

We shall not presume to dictate to our
merchants what policy shall govern
them in their business, nor assume the
province even OF advising them; but
there is one poinC that we feel at liberty,
as it affects the manufacturing interests
of the whole country, to call their atten-
ton to. II is a fact generally known
that merchants are in the habit of TAX
ing certain line of goods and making
what they term run" on it. That is,
they take a line OF goods, generally
some staple, and put 1t down at prices
often less than the original cost, and
make a great blow about it TO attract
customers. OF course what the mer-
chant loses on his sales of staples
must be made up on some other line of
fancy goods lie msy lose q half cent
on the yard, on a bolt of brown domes-
tic, and get it all back, and make a
handsome profit, in the sale of veil,
handkerchief or few yards of valencia
laco. But if this policy is generally
pursued through tho country it will
necessarily depress the value OF brown
domestic, and that, too, without benefit
ing the consumer one iota; TOR, what he
saves on domestic he loses when he pur-
chaSes his fancy articles. Now ii the
value of brown domestic is deprecated,
1t is a direct and almost fatal thrust at
the manufacturing interests of this sec
tion; because this is the only line of
goods manufactured TO any extent in
this State; and we insist that IL is eX-
tremelY unfortunate that the policy Ct
the merchants should conflict with the
interests of the manufacturer. If the
merchant sells domestic that costs him
l. cOnts Tor II, when he goes to replen-
ish his stock, ho will he compelled to
ell the iobber that he can sell that line
for only ii cents and must buy so as to
make profit, The Same tale goes up
from merchants everywhere, and til g
manufacturer is compelled to reduce
his price. This policy is ruinously Grip
piing manufacturing, which is, as yet, in
its incipienoy, in this part OFT the country.
And so our merchants instead Of foster
ing, are marring and retarlling the pro
gress of these great interests.
But why should not the vendor of
goods make proiiton his staples? Cah
the merchant answer? There is but one
response. Some of those who sell goods |
in their eagerness Tor trade, make runs"
on their staples, and other merchants |
have TO mako their prices tally TO keep |
from being under sold. We do not be- |
lieve that any sensible and tonable Tea- !
soE can be given to show that profit |
cannot be made on staples. If calicoes |
and dom0stics can DO bought for l. cents |
per yard, why not sell them for 10 OF 10 |
cents? That would be u fair and rea-
profit, and one that such goods
ought to bear. 1t would not cost the
consumer any more in the end. ON
,be contrary it would be public benefit;
for the better tho price OF brown domes-
tic, the moro numerous will become
and the more manUfac-
tories we have, the quick er will we be-
,ome an independent and wealthy peo-
pie. We believe l. is q mistaken policy
Tor our merchants to sell staples with-
put profit, aud that it is indirectly
thrust at our growing industries. II
hey will curtail their profits on notions
and advanceun brown domestic, ahappy
ssue will be the result.