The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-07-08
eanaru N serve of the tendencies Of the times, = the de.

4 WV SnctAl ~ MIST HAN II BEEN long apparent 10 a c1ticai D
Pr, ,,c,!ts" ~ server of the ,endeners of the times, j" the de-
partment store. to which 50 many master mind, applied themselves during
the IeglsIsti ye sea~Dn just closed. was bound, sooner Or later, to rise to the
Idiguity and importance Of a new social problem 1t exhibited precisely
those traits that appeal 80 poserfuny to the sh0rt-,ghted philanthropy and
superficial knowledge of the new 1rial reformer. 1t required "A large con.
Icontmtion Of capital. which has com to be prima facia evidence Of social
IpcrL' Because Of certain economies it was able to effect, it brought about
a reduction in prices, which i. likewise believed by a ~eI-knewn school Of
"outosrlcted economists" to he a deplorable evil, Finally, it tended to
crowd to the wall smaller concerns dealing in the san class OF goods that
found themselves unable 10 compete with 1t.
Here were all the elements that 90 to make up a hr>t-rns social prob
LEM \ vivid imagination. infamed by a deep .ymrathy with immediate
innpnycniencc- and suffering drew a narrowing picture Of distress to indi.
ydual. and society. In the first place. there were the small shopkeepers,
higb~pirtcd and independent, driven out Of business and compelled to be-
come mere clerk" under the roofs Of their merrless rival. In the second
p~c there were the empty stores scattered all over a city that had been &C.
rapj"d to the advantage Of their owners. In the third place there were the
los. ot general knowledge Of any given business the confinement of the poor
clerks to some special department, and their reduction to the humiiating
and parayzing position Of 'only cgs in a great piece Of commercial ma.
rhmcry, " Is it any wonder that such a spectacle moved the hearts Of the
pbia0thropiSts and statesmen in the legislatures Of Missouri, Minnesota,
Illinois and New York; Wa, it not a., plain As a pkerar that something
~as wr0ug> Wa, it not the duty u the society q" to remedy it: Whocoud
be % ignorant and Gallons as to insist that these questions were absurd
that they applied to the spinning jenny and tile power loom AZ we'll as to the
department storet
Yet such is the fact. The department store is IS much a abor..aving
device a a steam engine or the telegraph and telephone. One as much as
he other - product Of industrial evolution. Like the mediaval fair or
The modern market, the department store is a segregation OF commodities
and Of buyer, and seller, Like the pcrfnctng press also, which unites in
one machine several distinct processes. such as linking, printing, cutting and
folding it is an indignation under one management of a number Of forms OF
Trade carried on under different managemcnt>. 1t enables capitol to gain
such eener"u, rewards that it can command executive talents of far higher
order than those content with the profits of "A small concern. As conse-
qurncc, it, management is the most efficient that is to say, the most eco.
nomicaI. oh"ying still further the laws Of evolution, the several depart
ment, also fail into the most efficient hands, The >ub,rdinates are likewise
intr0ted with the particular duties they ire best fitted for. Thus, from
top to bottom, there is an adaptation OF means to ends far beyond the reach
Of an establishment where the management so a low order Of ability and
the NotordInatc' unite in their duties a variety Of functions. A further
gain is had from saving in rents and from the purchase Of goods in large
quantities. Besides economy in prices 50 important to the multitude of
consumers whose welfare the new social c'ormer seldom considers, there
is economy in time and effort. The department store enables them to obtain
what they want with a minimum OF movement.
In absolute ignorance OF the nature and achievements of the immutabe
law mat mas ClnCd he department store into existence, the ."DcW' social
reiorner has begun to w%tlc, a. already stated, with the problem it pre-
sent. He has begun to rcpcat fine forc. that cvervi inventor from A..
wright down has had to face. TO be sure no department store has been
sacked "T burned; but the legislation proposed as a "remedy" has virtually
the same object in view, namely, the destruction Of an important Iabwr.sa
ing device. ''ut, most happily, it presents difficulties to its enemies that a
mere machine does not oNer, Not long ago when a number of them met in
Chicago to propose a solution OF the problem. - they could not, a might
have been forcScenL agree upon the limit to put upon the kinds Of goods the
department store should sell, Hardly had the druggist vented his grievance
and suggested tia rigid exclusion Of his goods before the tobacconist arose to
protest against the iucur>nn Of The druggist into his domain. The grocer
filed a like complaint against the butcher, who sells vegetables as well as
meat. 1t was discovered also that the butcher tressed upon the fshmonger
ana oyster dealer, In selling beer and LIQUOR the grocer was guilty of a sim
1lr onenso asaInstt me Samon keeper. Equally culIablc was the toDacconist
VIII" sold papers and umbrellas: the shoe dealer who sold trunks and vaise,;
1T '''NN'ier VINO dealt n candy and stationery; and the milliner who sold
rorSc'S and toilet articles In fact, the meeting contained hardly Il protc~
tnl that did not deal in N OF more articles outside of his speciality. and
thus present the SAINT serious problem that the department store doe,
Naturally it bFok" up without having reached a decision as to how the
problem should be solved.
Although the same in,uprrablc dnfculttc, confront the new social re.
former and are not unlikely to prevent him from getting the legislation so
generally regarded Is the solvent OF most troubles, the problem of the de.
pertinent store is not insouhlc. That is to say. a limit upon it's scope is not
impossible nr Improbable. But the limit will not be drawn by the wise
legislator, but by the law OF evolution itself There is reason to believe
that the small store devoted to special lines of goods, will not succumb alto.
gcthrr, OF certain staple goods and Of all goods Of "A medium or inferior
quality, the department store will doubtless retain the monopoly. But in
the highest class of certain goods, such as furs linens. tailormadc gowns and
suits diamonds and jcwery porcelain and furniture, the small dealer may be
expected to control the retail trade. lie alone will possess the high degree
special knowledge and be able to give the personal attention that his bus
tn"S> requires He alone will find it worth his while to cater to the few but
wealthy customers that want the best to he had. The department. store will
find 1t more profitable as indeed IA u does nw to cater to the larger class
a" customers that care more for cheapness than great excellence. Because of
TINS Fact 1t 5 noticeable, particularly in the inland cites, that specialists
begun l." establish themselves, usually taking modest apartments in
some large commercial building. Thus, in spite OF the department store and
without the aid of the new social rrformcr, there will be preserved to the
w"rlIt this class Of people with all their "manhusdr and .rndempdepce "
Thought [" II" o important to civilization Popular Science Monthly: JUL.