The Saint Paul globe., 1897-03-22
J THE PEOPLES FORUM, (;
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another store nominally of the same kind The
proprietor puts in another line as a magnet
to attract trade from his ethical and human
itarfan neighbor.
Either he must branch out to float himself
and give employment to those poor under
paid clerks of his or he must be true to his
alleged principles and go out of business, ad-
m1tt1ng that he cannot keep abreast of the
times, and is unable to keep up with the
fierce march of competition. Does any one
ooupt where he would stand? Does any one
doubt where would be found any of these
kickers against department stores? To the
extent OF their ability they would grid on
Chelr armor and compete with their neigh
pors until both were successful or one or
poth were forced to the wall. 1t would be
simply case of the survival of the fttest,
Wnlch is exactly what this whole question
revolves itself into The proprietors Of the
of aFoIneht = stores are men who saw the trend
OF OF anairs in the commercial world and had
the brains and energy to grasp their oppor-
tunity PP
l quote further: ''Were these establish
ments conducted on cooperative lines there
might be some excuse for their existence. but
thelr tendency is to destroy competition de-
moralize society,"
The cooperative plan is certainly a good
one, but will Mr.. Nash kindly tell how many
stores in the country are conducted on this
basis? Certainly the men who have been
forced out Of business will not interpose a
claim that they managed their stores on
cooperative plan. This is merely desert Of
ideas. Further Mr.. Nash SAYS:
II the fathers. in drafting the constitution,
Ialled TO anticipate the fearful possibilities
for evll. OF accumulated, concentrated capital
which confronts this generation, and made
no provision by which to cope with these con-
oltions, then has not the time arrived for us
10 revise the constitution to meet the REQUIRE
ments of the age? In their primitive mode
OF Ire they had no reason to anticipate such
cono1t-ons. Then, every man had his store
MS Dench or his workshop, the handicrafts
were wen defined and men were well content
with reasonable annuity and competence
but today the principle dominating the bus-
at large" -N---0
How unfortunate it was that the trainers
OF our constitution did not have the benefit
OF Mt. Nashs s advice. How sad to contem-
plate that they did not realize the possibilities
OF tnls country and its resources What a
sorroWful thing to realize that they were
reprived of Mr.. Nash's ethical and human;
tartan ideas. And yet marvel of marvels
ana wonder of wonders. that in spite of this
great handicap they promulgated an instru-
ernment under which it had career unex-
ampled, has enjoyed a prosperity unrivaIled
among the nations Of the earth. For the last
Few s years we nave suffered from commercial
depression, but it has been brought about
Dy other conditions, which the limits of this
article make 1t impossible to discuss
Mr. Nash points out what terrible mon
sters these department store proprietors are
but very carefully he refrains from citing
any terrible examples. He depicts the ruin
they have wrought, the homes they have de-
stroyed and the happiness they have sub
Nerted, but he forgets the fact that through
these years of financial depression when the
whole commercial world is staggering under
a tearful load, the people have focked to
these stores as to their deliverers. These
stores have answered popular demand and
DO today. For that reason they have come to
stay. Their growth may carry down some
weaker and less capable merchants, who find
IN zNxyfff
sympathy as they fall by the wayside. but
we might as we'll attempt to dam the waters
OF Niagara, or fetter the step Of freedom
IN TINS proud land as to turn back the tide of
commercial progress in which the growth Of
department stores is but the first step
Progress.