Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-06
PROTECTION TO RETAILERS.
A Strong Association of Retail business
Mon EstahIished Last Nirht


Men Established Last Night.
In the rooms of the Builders Ex
change Friday night, w. IL. Dodge, O
the Commercial Reporting System O
Retail Merchants, of Chicago, made {
lengthy address explanatory of the
methods and purposes of his organiza,
ton. Between 175 and 200 retail bust
ness men Of Wilmington, representing
every variety OF business in the city
were present. Over $50 OF them had
signed their names to document signi.
Tying thei: desire to join the association
Mr. Dodge explained the workings Of
the organization with great clearness
and very evident satisfaction to his
audience. II is a crusade against the
! credit system when extended to ire
4 sponsihlc parties and very etfectually
aids the retail merchant in wiping out
4 his "bad debts" account. 1t is d system
\ Of cooperation upon the system OF pub
+ licity and combination through which
4 the "dead-beat" is deferred from prac-
4 ticing his systematic victimization of
unsuspecting retail business men. The
Commercial Reporting System of Retail
Merchants, which is the incorporating
l title, has corresponding officers estab-
lishcd throughout the west and in
4 several eastern states. Its Philadel-
phia agency is in the Drexel Building,
with Offices in almost every county Of
Pennsylvania. The organization has
been of great advantage to its members
since its establishment SIX years ago.
In 10 cases prosecuted before the courts
last year all We're successful.
The constitution and bylaws of the
Na-f,r y
Daniel w. Lynch Of the firm Of
Lynch u l4eary, was chosen secretary
pro TEN. The following officers were
elected: President, William Lawton;
Nice-presideut, A. D. Warner; Secre-
tary, r. d. Morrow; Treasurer, Alfred
Gawthrop; Executive Board, James
Megary, A. B. Gillespie, NJ. y. Murphy,
John Thompson, Joseph Davidson,
theodore Rosin. The enrolled mem
pcrship is about 175.
TiiS agency uses no dishonorable
means to force collections or settle
lnents, but the merchants propose to ex-
ercise their legal right to refuse credit to
person who gains the reputation of not
treating a member Of the agency honor
ably.
There is no law compelling mer-
chants TO sell their goods on credit.
There is no law forbidding merchants
refusing credit to any person when they
see t1t, and when merchant sells his
goods on credit il is as an accommoda-
ton TO the consumer, and if such con-
sumer has no appreciation of the favor
extended and wilfully neglects to make
reasonable and honorable adjustment of
his Indebtedness, then he should be
compelled TO pay as he buys. 1t is bet
ter for him and much more profitable |
for the merchant. Many poor worthy
man has been refused credit for the |
necessaries of life because of the mer-
chants unpleasant experience with bad |
debtors, but this system will tend to
ohviate all that, because the man
who does respect his credit will be
known and have a standing among |
merchants, while the dead beat
and Others Of his kind will also be
known to the members Of this agency
and be absolutely refused credit; no
matter if he moves to another town or .
state his reputation us poor pay will
follow him and the merchants in such
new place of residence will also refuse
him credit. This agency issues a regular
and legal bi-monthly abstract of unset
tied accounts. Each member agrees to
forfeit $50 to his branch as a penalty, in
case he extends credit to person whose
unsettled account appears in the abstract
and ne account can appear therein until
The debtor has had a full and fair op-
10 go to the merchanthe he owes
md in some way arrange such indebted
ness. The man who can pay and wont
pay and the man who cannot pay, but
will not 50 10 the merchant and state
ais condition and make effort to ar
nnge, is the person this agency is after
This agency docs not interfere with
he credit of men who deal honorably,
10 mattcr if they are slow; neither does
7 IN any way regulate prices. Its sole
'biect is to compel men to be honest
With merchants or to pay spot cash for ,
'oods purchased. Something of this
ind has been needed for long time
nd this system will work "In combi-
ation there is strength The members
ave the success or failure of this system
. their hands. Wherever merchants
ave properly combined, the system has
royen a great success The west is ,,
eing carefully covered by this agency,
nd the merchants in all small towns
re visited and solicited to Join the
)unty branch. c
The next meeting of the local branch E
III be held in about three weeks. =