The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-25

i. ,,Aa.fnx OF more than usnal Interest
49, the informal conference held az Fettls
haH last Thursday eFeE1ng between the
S.artge Retail GEoceFs and Fruit Dealers
EXCHANGE ara the commission merchants.
There Was q fail attendance o. members o
TIRE exchange. ard Almost every prominent
commission house IN the city was repre-
scented.
rF-hA c,rfererce embraced q number OF
touscs OF mutual interest 10 the two
classes of merchants. and as nothing but
TIRE utmost rood fellowship and frisa1a-
ness prevailed. il may DE taken for granted
that the discussion was entirely satiStac-
tory. l. B. Stetson, president OF the ex-
change. delivered an appropriate address
OF welcome, IL the course or which ne said
The Seattle Grocers' and Fruit Deal
ers' Exchangs vas organized sor the Far-
pose o, unftiug all engaged In those lines
OF business Tor their individual ana Som-
mon benefit. Its aim ) TO prosect all
from TIE ravGses o. unworthy as2toIs'
and TO institute reforms for the soate-
Inent OF trade abuses. II Is not Ia any
sense the aim q The organlzstlon 70 IN
augurats a system for extorting higher
70 exercise his own judgment as 10 run
ming his own affairs. Neither - II the
aim 20 demand undue faVorz from ahy
one.
compiished are not OF nature TO tn10re
or Cypress any one or any iine or bAsi-
ness While they would be OF great and
perrna nsnt benefit TO all In the trade tney
would be OF almost equal benefit 10 ali
who sell 10 or purchase from its members.
The question may be asked. how are
we 10 increase our profits II se are Eot 10
increase uricese The prevention or 2csSes
IS In itself equivalent 70 an increase IN
profits. To accomplish this the first and
greatest object OF the exchange Is the
a. s.-l.s e. Fnrs
all VINO sell goods on that plan. The sys
tenn we have IN use for eles using cur
books Of undesirable debtors is simple.
effective and inexpensive, and should re-
Ceive the closest attention from all men,
hers OF the organization. Just in proper
tion to the curtailing of losses OF this
kind. the dealer becomes safer end more
desirabi customer for the wholesaler.
Therefore the efforts Of the exchange in
this direction appeal directly 10 them for
their support and announcement. This
ore object alone Is we'll worth the entire
effort Of the organization end II its con-
sideration BY the wholesalers should re
ceive that attention which It's Importance
merits ne question whether they would
not demand that all who purchase from
them on credit should unite in making
this most important object effective. IN
tudicions cre3iting Is one 81 the most
fruitful causes Of failure. II is not i'm
proper 10 say here that the elaborate sys-
tenn which IS furnished by commercial
agencies IL too extensive for most small
firms. The chief motive behind them is
TO provide big revenue to corporation
foreign 10 the city. while ours IS equally
effective. not one-tenth so costly and
therefore within the reach OF the smallest
dealers
Another object claiming the attention
Of the exchange Us the enforcement q,
honest weights and measures. and the
proper packing and grading % all goods
and produce shipped 70 this market. The
abuse of this bears heaviest upon the re-
tall dealer, and We feel sure We impose no
undue hardship upon the wholesaler and
commission man when we ask their CO.
operation in securing such action upon
the part OF shippers as will prevent. or
al least check. It's continuation. The I'm
positions suffered under this dishonest
practice are manifold and are fresh i'm
the mind OF every dealer Apples with
fine. smooth fruit for tor facing and
scrawny. worrny windfaiis in the center
ries in the same deceptive condition: cab
haee with fine heads on the outside OF
the crate and leaves and stunpr for I'LL
ing; melons sold by the dozen from the
car or pile ripe or green. with no picking.
until they reach the consumer and then
y the melon proves TO he green the dealer
must max Il good. while I'm turn his COM
plant 70 the commission man does no
good for his commission IS Just as much
on green melon as on q rfpe one. these
are some OF the abuses from which our
customers demand protection from US
on the same grounds we in turn deroa M
Ike protection from the commission man
and N the interest Of right and Justice
we think they should indor<e a strong
resolution by the exchange against the
continuation OF these abuses The estab-
fishing and enforcing OF market regllla-
tons and inspection In our city viii have
wholesome effect in this direction and
relieve 10 very great extent the resrson-
slDillty resting upOn commission men FOR
the rejection OF inferior and unwholssorua
Justly blamed
We believe that home manufacturers
and home products, quality being A1uaI
should 81 all times receive first consider
alton and We deplOTe the shortsighted
policy adopted BY our city council IN NOT
taking a bold stand for the eSta hIf=h-nent
q free public market and protecting
the same with a proper license. with san
itaTy measures for the condemnation OF
rotten and unwholesorne stuff.
There is one r1o-e subject which ap-
this time. and which q Of great Import
auce 20 the interests represented here
] refer 10 the combining OF business within
proper channels, Soon after the organize
ton OF this exchange was effected a r.
quest was made o. he commission men
20 stop retailing. or. 20 PIT u more Drop
eFly. stop selling single packages 10 con-
SnulerS at the same Crice and in many IN
stances at actually less than was charged
% dealers who were steady patrons ard
from whom the comm ssfon man must ex-
pe-ct the bulk % his business. This abuse
had long been submitted 10 in comparative
silence, but had reached a poiut where
fOroeaEaDce ceased 20 be q virtue as the
direct effect Was 10 depress the trar5o
and damorai.ze prices. thus working a
three-fOid injury. First. 20 the shipper:
second - the consumer. BY causing some
20 repack goods IN order to gain thereby
a sufficient amount 10 enable them 10 sell
IN competition with the very men who
sold them their goods. third a gross in
Justi0e 20 the dealer.
This denorallzing way % doing busl-
ness was the child u tnexppTier,.~p and
nursed nv greed and unnatural ana un-
" 1oie@crne business Motley. Although
prompt 70 respond to the request Of The
exchange, followed BY a praise worthy at
tempt 70 live up 20 x. the wrong had be-
come 50 firmly tu:re1caed that fss evil
effects still iinFsr. But - the reform -
faithfully oarrisf out the adoption OF
more oussness-like methods NIL soon
overcome thu injury.
The granting Of these reforms was not