The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-15
PRICES OF BICYCLES.
A. q. Spalding Has Something to Say
About Standard Price-Can.
not Be Established.

A. G. Spalding when asked to express
an opinion on the controversy over the
standard price Of bicycles, said, that as
he understood the question. 1t hinged on
the claim that all bicycles should be sold
for $50, because it had been alleged that
all grades of bicycles cost common
price of $50 apiece.
This contention. ne said. will be ridi-
culed by all men of business,
owing to Its obvious absurdity.
While some bicycles cost $50 to
make, there are many that cost much
more. Every article of merchandise al
ways finds its proper level and in
the bicycle business. as in everything
else. high price generally means high
grade first-class article, backed by re-
sponsible concern and with reputation
for quality. A medium grade bicycle Of
medium quality sells at medium price,
and a cheaply constructed bicycle at a
cheap price.
HATS AS EXAMPLE.
I'VE are told" continued Mr.. Spald-
ing, that In cheap stores you can get
for 81 the same hats We pay IS for on
Broadway, but somehow, one feels bet
ter satisfied and more at ease under a
hat made by the best halter than one
made by a nondescript maker. With
out discussing the actual merits Of
the hats, most Of US are willing to pay 81
for hat and throw In 50 for the satis-
faction. This also applies to carriages,
pianos and other articles we need. Pr
amos can be bought for $50, but are they
as good as $500 or 500 pianos? Certain
ly not. 1t requires many years of ar
duous work to perfect the organization
of manufacturing plant. 1t takes more
than year to build up finely equipped
plant. Experiments with new machin-
cry are costly.
admit, for the sake Of the argument,
that all pianos cost $25 to make; the
buyer. who can afford II, is willing to
pay the additional $475 for the satisfac-
ton Of feeling that he has the best. On
cheap piano you will generally find
the me-plate covered up by an elab-
crate spread, but on the standard makes
the name is always prominent.
1.-THE same line Of reasoning may be
applied to bicycles. Admit. for the sake
Of argument, that all bicycles cost $50
to manufacture. and suppose all bicycles
were sold at $50 and then $40, $50, $50 or
so be added for satisfaction.
MEAN CHEAP METHODS.
Cheap goods and cheap prices mean
cheap methods in every respect. If BIZ
cycles could be sold like sugar or horse
shoes. and no guarantee or further trou-
BILE from them expected after they leave
the warehouse and the demand was SO
universal, then they might be sold on
the margin Of profit of those articles
but there is probably no article of mer-
nchandise that Is so expensive to put
upon the market as the bicycle, for
when in addition to the cost Of manufac.
ture, one has paid the store rent, clerk
hire, interest on the capital invested
certain cost of guarantee and adver.
tising expense. the progressive and sue
cessful merchant will find that the ac.
tual fiat cost to manufacture the goods
in the first place does not represent the
entire cost.
mo manufacturer ever achieves q
reputation on an article unless it has
intrinsic merit. and all the talk In the
newspapers and all the advertising thai
might be given it will not give 1t long
standing reputation unless the article ir
question has the merit to deserve It,"