The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-01

Iney ought to be brought face to face
with the question and asked to deter
mine what would be the result with
three or four department stores in the
city and no others. The several heads
OF departments in department stores
are paid good wages, but all others re-
cefve but pittance. There is not in
his store, Mr.. We'll said, a clerk who did
not draw at least $50 each month, and
at the wages paid by department stores
he could hire three girls for the salary
of one of his clerks
The only reason why girls can subsist
at the wages paid, ne said. is because
they lived with their parents Not one
of them could live decently on S12 or
$40 month. To educate the people is
the proper plan. The empty stores on
street would be good lesson. and in
six months there would be others.
Within the past year, the speaker said,
not one store in the city. other than de-
partment stores, had netted its owner
a cent of profit.
The plan of the managers of depart
ment stores is to mark down an article
carried by an. individual dealer and
make it up on other stock carried. Care
is taken by them to put a limit on
sales, so that the outside merchant
could not purchase the entire stock
and the result is that he is forced into
bankruptcy and the department stores
are enriched by buying his stock Of
goods at their own figures.
| Mr.. Well said he had nothing to say
against the proprietors of the depart
! ment stores in Sacramento-they are
his friends-but he protested against
their business methods.
A. j. Pommer felt that petitions sign
ed by all the merchants and business
men, protesting against the department
stores would bear good fruit The first
thing to do, he said. was to organize,
and the next was TO get a membership
Mr.. Davis said if an organization was
perfected thousand people would join
it at once, and that thousand would
cut some figure and have a powerful in
iuence on other citizens.
GEISER ANSWERS CAMPBELL.
| W. 3. Geiser stated that Mr.. Camp
bells theory that the money power be-
hind the department stores could not
be successfully combatted is erroneous.
Unity of purpose and organization
would meet the evil and defeat it. The
very fact that 7,200 merchants of Chi
cago had won a great victory by or
ganizing was conclusive. Education is
the main thing. Since the question
had been agitated a number Of persons
who had traded with the department
stores ever since their advent into the
city had sgnified to him their intention
to do so no more. The people, he said.
were beginning to understand, and as
trade of the department stores would
flow back into the natural channels
1t was possible, Mr.. Geiser said. to
effect an Employees Union or associa-
ton, which might become associated
with the Federated Trades and be rep
resented in its councils by a delegate.
There is power he said, which would
remedy the evil in short order, and
that power would be brought TO bear
as sson as the people understood that
the department stores We're driving out
: all others and throwing many men out
of employment. By organization, the
influence of the merchants would be
felt in politics, and the Board of Trus-
tees would be brought to work in their
: favor. The newspapers would take the
matter up intelligently, and the people
| would be reached by that source The
: power of organization was far greater
than any department store with 500,
: 600 or with S400, 900 behind it. Unity
of action and little enthusiasm was
7 all that was necessary to win a victory
John Shelton said that many of the
merchants present had stopped buying
wood of him because they could get
, it cheaper elsewhere. He always spent
his money among his customers. anC
thought it but justice that they recipro.
cate.
/ Mr.. Frankel said he did not cry ou
: against the department stores. bu
2 rather for a business mems organiza
, ton in the line of an association form
/ ed for mutual benefit. He advocated
= patronizing department stores in on,
5 line of goods, but no other. If the wifi,
r wished to purchase dress goods there
allow her to do so, but draw the line a
\ all other counters. 1t is, he said, mere
D ly matter Of time for the individual
S merchants to win if an effective organ
{ ization is perfected
In conclusion, Mr. FrankeI moved
= that Committee on Permanent Organ
t ization, to consist of five members. b
appointed by the Chairman Carried.
: A motion that a Committee on Mem
5 bership be appointed was also carried
e Mr.. Frankel raised the point that be
Y fore the appointment of a Membership
! Committee were made ii ought to b,
f definitely settled what a department
store is. The Chicago Merchants
= League he said, had determined tina
hats, clothing and furnishing goods
n each constituted a different department
i and the matter ought to be settled as t.
= who should be received as members
S On motion of Mr. Geiser, the commit
?, tee was increased from five to nin'
i members, and the Committee on Mem
e bership was empowered to determin,
e just what should constitute a depart
= ment store, it's decision to be final
: Chairman Purneu requested that tim
S be allowed him in which to select hi
0 committees, which was granted
n Edward H. Yardley suggested tha
d business men other than merchant
a should be allowed to become members
8 and the suggestion met with unanimou
approval
AT late hour the meeting adjournet
2 to the call of the Chair.