Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-24
4 EetnIlcr SprakS.

OMAHA, July 24.-To the Editor of THE
BEE:
The numerous dissolutions and failures re-
ported in the retail grocery trade the past
week indicate strongly that the line is much
overdone and that credits are too freely cX-
tended. Collections in the city have been
bad for some time past. The loss of money
through the building strikes had much to do
with this, as mechanics had to be carried by
the tradCsmCn during their illness and they
nave not been able to catch up since. Con
scuucntly the tradeSmen are hard up and un
able to meet their bills to jobbcrs. Candid
men in the jobbing trade will readily admit
that credit is extended to freely in this city,
both by the joUberS and their customers and
by the retailers to theirs, and the sooner "a
halt is called in this respect the better it will
be for all concerned. A certain amount Of
credit is necessarily granted, but a retailer
should not ask the jobber to carry him for
staple goods TO thrice the amount of his work
ing capital.-SundaY Bee.
The amount of truth contained in the above
lines, every retailer in Omaha knows only
too well, especially in the grocery and meat
business. Truly, it is time to call a halt in
this respect. The credit system in this city
is being overdone and abused. When
strangers, utterly unknown to the owners of
the stores, is it not time to call ii halt: No
body knows how much money retailers lose
in a year, by having only a few bad accounts,
which the shrewdest business man cannot
prevent. cuSLptlltTS may pay JuClI DlllS itS-
ularly for a long time, and then, if they take
a notion, may fail to pay their bills for two
or three months, and If the retailer refuses
to carry them any longer, he runs the risk of
losing all coming to him and with
very little chance of collecting II.
Wholesalers and jobbers can close IA trades
mans store by the sheriff 10 get their money,
but the retailer, how can he get what right
fully belongs to him from a customers! Is 1t
not time for the retail merchants to come
tA,Atl,n. "a al lArlfnat fhnnEnlNhG and 1uIAn
to sell for cash only. 1t would take some
time to bring it to this but it can be done.
1t will be better for both the consumer and
the retailer in the end. The coal dealers
have lately adopted this plan, ana ! under.
stand it is working very satisfactory.
Let other dealers adopt Il system something
similar to the ~dairyman's plan. Let them
Issue tickets of the ;, 10, II, p and 50 cent de
nomination., for the accommodation OF custo-
mers who would buy a few dollars worth at
once, but for cash in advance only.
Some retailers would probably object to
such IA plan, fearing to lose their good paying
customers, but if all Join together, then the
rich ana the poor alike will pay for their
goods when they receive them This is not
asking too much of any one. 1t is a good,
sound principle to pay as you go.h
Our customers will think no more of paying
cash than they do now by having it
"charged." The merchant can then sell on
a smaller profit and the consumer will not
buy more than he wants, which he often
does when he runs an account.
In my opinion, such a system would be
good for all concerned and put "A damper on
dead beats" a RETAILER.