The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-03
TIE sAaLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.
A Great Effort to Accomplish Its
Success.

E0CO6ISs
The early closing movement is beginning
TO take shape, providing for the closing Of
the dry goods stores during the four hot
months of June, July, August and Septem-
Der. and with every prospect that public
oDinion will be even more pronounced this
wear than last for the closing of the stores
during the heated term at 6 o'clock
The ladies have taken the matter in hand.
ard their auxiliary work, supplemented bv
tha co-operation of the clergy and those
VINO believe that from O'clock a. M. to 7:30
O'Clock D. NJ. is too long for the salesladies
to be kept on their feet, it is believed Will
accomplish the success of the movement.
The ladies Of Savannah are circulating
and signing a mutual agreement in whicn
thew saw that those hours are altogether too
long to be continued during the summer
season. and representing as they do an i'm
7,ortent portion of the patrons of the dry
good stores, and as such believing that they
Can materially aid the salespeopie in their
endeavor TO lessen the long hours By in
dorsing their request to the merchants
TO close at 6 O'Clock p. N. during
June, July, August and September, and
agreeing not to purchase any dry goods or
millinery materials after 6 O'Clock during
the above named months This agreement
is being extensively signed by the ladies of
Savannah whose hearts seem to be in the
cause.
At q meeting of the executive committee
of the Retail Dry Goods Salesmen's Asso-
citation night before last, after the reading
Of several reports from members on the early
closing movement, and after a very free
but conservative discussion of the matter it
was unanimously decided to issue circular
letter to each employee Of the several dry
and millinery stores of the city.
In substance the letter prepared is to the
effect that the association is endeavoring,
by cooperation with the merchants and
their patrons to have the retail departments
close at o'clock p. IN. during the four
months above stated, and as the action of
every employee will either augment or lessen
public favor i'll the reform, the association
urges that the saesladies and statesmen en-
deavor at the present time and in the future
as they have faithfully done in the past, by
every fair and honorable means, to secure
the conjoint approval of merchant and Gus
toner.
The letter points out with distinctness
that the moment the employe enters upon
his or her duty in the morning until the
hour of closing that the entire time of the
employed belongs to the employer, and that
the salespeople should strive by the strictest
attention to their duties to so demeau them
Selves as 10 accomplish Us uluCu, ana IL Dos
sible little more than NAV be- reasonably
expected of them. To maintain this happy
condition of affairs punctuality in attead-
ance is invoked, courtesy to the customer
enjoined and the fact is impressed upon
the saleSpeople that they are the agent
acting between customer and employer, and
that they must study to please both to the
utmost practicable extent, for if the Gus
toner is displeased the merchant loses a
patron, and if the merchant has just cause
to complain the confidential relations be-
tween employer and employed is inter-
rupted.
The letter is well conceived, conservative
to the last degree. and indicates that cool
heads are at the head of the salesmen's
association. Fully two-thIrds of the sales
people are members of the association, which
was organized last year, and it is believed
that before the sultry season the member
ship will be augmented until it embraces
all of the salespeople in Savannah.