New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-03
THE FAILURE OF THE CHAMPION PLAN"
OPINIONS OF DRUGGISTS Of THE sITUATIoN-wHAT
WILL Bg TRIED NEXT.

OPINIONS OF DRUGGlSIb On THE olIOAiiON~ "hAi
WILL Bg TRIED NEXT.
Us. Waite, manager of the manufacturing
department Of .Rker. the Sixth Avenue druggist. was
not excessively jubilant when asked his views
about the failure OF the Champion PLAN, which was do
vised nearly year ago TO boycott retail druggists who
sold proprietary medicines below schedule rates and
the jobbers and proprictsrs who might supply them
II almost wish that tho thing had continued" he
said, 1t was cheap way Of advertising our prepare
tons. We did not lose anything, because loaded up
with goods before the plan got fairly into operation,
buying enough Of preparation to last five years.
Then concluded to make preparations OF our owD and
the sales OF OF them have been high as twenty
three dozen day counter. We are to-day sell
Ing twenty three kinds Of goods at price that
is 81 p0r cent lower than the schedule prices OF the
Campion preparations The plan was complete failure
and those who tried to enforce t found 1t II
had a depressing effect the small retail druggists.
and many OF the manufacturers who were In the COM
binaton have sent circulars informing thst they
had withdrawn from the combination"
Mr.. Robbins. Of the firm OF McKesssn 81 Robbins. who
baskisted by the association several months ago
said: Tho 'Campion plan has proved conplcts
failure and has been abandoned by all the
concerned In IT, The combination OF manufacturers,
however understand. still retain their organize
ton and await proposals from the retail trade OF some
practical plan to promote the same object The current
belief at present Ii that plan would prove enecual
unless its provisions are automatic In other words each
transaction In the OF sac must take OF Itself
Under the automatic plan 1t s proposed that all propre,
goods shall leave the manufacturers
retail prices. after which evidence OF SALE the manu-
factnrer is TO pay the obber and retailer proper COM
mission for their services distributors to the retail
trade and to consumers or course, such system In
wolves amount of labor and will probably be mi
ted q very few lines of goods Precisely what the
effect will be In operation san tell This plan Ia
In practice at present with moderate success In few
articles. believe that the attempt TO enforce the Cam
pon plan greatly injured trade and affected the small
retailers more than any one else
Mr. Wesmanager OtC N. Crttenden's store In Fulton
s In conversation with OF the members OF the
CampOn combination. whom q TRIBUNE reporter asked
his opinion OF the failure He said " The plan was
founded upon any honest principle and had 10
fail"
1.-THE trouble that the retail druggists bought the
goods In large quantities and sold TO jobbers like Crit
tendon here" interrupted the Campon man. The fall
OF the plan In the overanxety OF certain num-
bsr jobbers sell goods and in dishonesty the
part OF retailers who supplied them to the jobbers at
small profit"
{" / CLAIM that II due to the dishonesty OF
a certain number OF In the association who desired
to supply with their goods, and threw then
In by selling them TO retailers who. they knew,
would sell them 10 u.s. They knew that our failure to
get their goods and supply the trade would inJure
them. During tho WI Die light our sympathios have
been with the retail dr. ggst but tho plan never has
beon aud could be made snccersful Consequently
the druggists uphOding the plan lsye really been de-
ceived the interests the cuttors who have had
all the goods they wanted and have undersod them and
outsod them while they have been holding for high
prices"
What do you think OF the new plan-the Automatic
or Coupon plan as 1t r. called"
" IL may work well In large cities, but when the at
tempt 10 made operate II nfty miles away In the
country twill disastrous to tho manufacturers OF
go0Gs sold In that manner"