The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-21
LABOR WITH THE CLERKS.

The encouragement given to home in
dustries by the meeting of the mer-
chants and manufacturers promises TO
push the movement forward with
vim that if maintained must certainly
ensure success. There is an earnest
ness exhibited which has not been wit
messed in connection with this question
for many years.
While on the home industry subject,
lit may be just as well to refer to the
fact that there are many clerks in this
city who. it is said, will push an i'm
ported article in preference to one pro-
duced at home. A weIl-known mer-
chant the other evening said:
Il am an enthusiast on homemade
goods, and carry all thai are in my
line. 1 have found, however, that my
clerks do not share my enthusiasm,
and as a result, l dispose of but few
Utah articles. l have often wondered
why Utah goods should remain on the
shelves, but now 1 know the reason.
Il was in the store much later than
usual not long since, when customer
came and inquired for a staple and
much used article that is certainly as
good, if not better, than the imported.
The clerk, not being aware of my pres
ence, replied that we did not keep II,
but there was an article made in st
Louis that was much better. When
the customer had made his purchase
and left, l called the young man into
the office and asked him why he did
not give the customer what he had
called for An eloquent silence fol-
Inv
after the first, his services might be
required elsewhere-but l had no FUR
Their ned for them.
'"Then it was that. the truth came
out If l We're to discharge him Tor
that, he said, then l had better clean
out two-thirds of my employees, as
they were all doing a similar thing. L
found it to be only too true. There
was a roundup in my office a lew
days after that, and there was also
riot act read. They are all pushing
home goods now"
ITO what do you attribute this favor
for eastern products?" he was asked.
ITO the influence of the gay and fes-
tive drummer, who comes to town once
lin a while, meets the boys, has good
time, paying for it out of his expense
allowance. and leaving a good impress
sion behind. In some cases, / am NOR
ally certain that money has passed
from the drummer to the clerks. How
ever. [ could not prove this; but l do
know that if the merchants will look
after their clerks, homemade goods
| will not become as shop-worn as they
do now"
Now we would be very sorry to think
that this sort of thing was anything
like general in this city, We are sure
that most of the clerks in our mercan-
| tile establishment hold themselves
above such indictments. We expect to
see them take hold of the home in
dustry boom and give it all the i'm
petus in their power. But it is saying
nothing against them when we suggest
that what the merchant to whom we
refer has disclosed may be used as a
pointer to theirs.
We have stated more than once our
conviction that unless the sympathies
and cooperation of our merchants and
clerks are enlisted in the cause of
home industries, our manufacturers
will have a hard road to travel to
reach success. But with their hearty
assistance a great triumph will be
achieved. Shall we not have it and
thus build up our own industries and
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