The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-14
The Grocers' Protest.

Those who have had their eyes open TO
what was going on have heen expecting for
some time past the meeting Of the Retail
Grocers, held last night, to consider the en-
croachments on their trade which have
been made for several years through the
agency Of the great dry goods houses. One
OF the circulars distributed by the gfocers
among themselves said " II you do not take
action you will be ruined. II now becomes
your duty to defend yourself. We are not go
ing TO be humbugged. We will maintain
our rights. Protection il the watchword.
Time is precious. Now or never ~ In an
other an account was given of the varieties
OF groceries now offered for sale in an estab-
lishment that had until lately been wholly
devoted TO the dry goods business, and Of
the depressing influence thus exercised upon
the trade of the regular grocers. THE re-
tail grocery trade It said, ais about to he
revolutionized." 1t attacked the methods
Of those dry goods stores that have gro
Gerry annexes,'' which, however, it Is ad-
mitted, have been successful. Two sug-
gestions for defence were made in the
resolutions that were adopted at a recent
meeting. One Of them was to induce job
bers and manufacturers to refuse to furnish
ktOIEEy oAbtSiCb W AZ opICSbhohhOho obho
lishments; and the other was to boycott
every dry goods store that has a grocery
annex. I'VE agree to withdraw our pat
ronage from them, and to instruct our fam
lilies to buy their dry goods elsewhere" Evil
IDENTIFY the grocers regard their affairs as in
q very serious situation.
The late A. T. STEWART was the first i'm
portant dry goods merchant to take on the
- -.--- II -. IA
has been fast spreading throughout the
trade, conducted on a standard Of prices so
low that the original grocers have discov-
cred that the life Of the business in their
hands Is going out.
What makes the dry goods competition in
groceries particularly threatening is that
the principle Of the leading article" or
the sale of some one very desirable thing
for a price without profit, in order to attract
custom for other goods, has been applied to
groceries; and so far as the dry goods new
grocery branch is concerned. IL is but a lead
ing article. While not directly enriching
the dry goods merchant, 1t makes the grocer
poor indeed. The latter must carry on
the competition disadvantageously, for he
has not the resource Of profit from other
lines Of trade.
No wonder that the grocers feel them
selves to be in danger. and assemble with a
interest to present a united front in
opposition. What help, though, can they
have beyond pairing down their profit
TO the last living point For all business
this is the day of trusts, and Of combinations,
by which trades totally dissimilar are con-
under one management. Business
men are just beginning to learn what
be done by superior talent, and
are organizing their affairs on a scale
and with a comprehensiveness Of which
The old magnates of never
The allproviders, merchants
who, under one roof, will furnish a man
with everything he needs, barring a wife,
and fortune. are coming to the
snd old-fashioned tradesmen of any
inc Of goods, like musicians who can twang {
nut one string, are in danger of losing their I
living.
The grocers derive their rights and oppor-
.'unities from the same laws that are enjoyed q
'y the dry goods men, and though they have I
10 more rights than the latter, they have
10 less. We should say that the best plan s
or them, IL they see that they are to be I
'eaten in their old style of occupation, c
, the bold and aggressive measure OF
themselves breaking in upon the dry goods {
leld, instead Of trying to drive the dry s
pods men out of groceries. Z
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