The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-10
Present Large City Establishments an
Enlargement Of the General Cross
roads Country stores.
ALSO LIKE UNIVERSITIES
FOR THEY EDUCATE THEIR EN-.
PLOYEs IN NUMBER OF WAYS.
American Manufactures So Well De-
veioped that This Country Can Get
Along without French Goods.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 9-Hon. John
wanamaker to-day testified before the in
dustrial commission on the subject of de-
partment stores. He claimed these stores
were beneficial to society, having a sub
stantial economic and moral basis for their
existence. lit is,'' he continued. "a
natural product evolved from conditions
that exist as a result of fixed trade laws.
Cheaper capital, better transportation.
more rapid communication make the mod
ern retail store possible, natural and use-
full, and therefore inevitable. Economy in
the expenditure of money, time and effort
measure department store success. Just
in proportion as these ends are reached
is ii popular. powerful and prosperous"
He commended that the effect OF the crea-
ton of these stores had been to reduce re-
tail prices. In support of this statement
he asserted that upon American dry goods
generally the retailers percentage OF
profits has been reduced one-half during
the last twenty years. This was also true
upon wooden. silk and cotton fabrics. The
total per cent. OF reduction i'm prices to the
consumer could not be stated owing TO the
varying standards of qualities and taste
and improvements I'm manufacture, but Mr..
Wanamaker believed the consumer saves
the entire reduction i'm the retail profit.
He said the profits Of the great retail
stores vary from TO per cent. on the
dollar of business done.
Mr. Wanamaker argued that reduced
prices stimulate consumption and increase
employment. More labor was required for
production, transportation and distribution.
The public service was the sole basic con-
clifton of the growth of the retail business
The variety of articles dealt in was such
that it was impossible to form combinations
and trusts in the retail business II was
much the same as the journalistic and
other learned professions. The only advan-
tage OF the large store over the smaller
was to be found in the superiority of it's
service 1t was also true generally that the
employee in a large store was better of
than the proprietor of small store. Some
of them were paid 5000 a year and many
5000
Speaking of the effect of combination
stores on small shopkeepers. he said IL
could not be denied that one of the effects
of the big stores mad been TO retire from
business small retailers. but he contended
that while this was true, the interests OF
these few people were not TO be compared
with the interests of the mass OF the peo-
PIE. He classified the present large city
store as merely an enlargement of the gen.
eral crossroads country store, and the
greatest advantage found in them was that
they eliminated Adventures and specula-
tors from the business
do not the large retailers often make a
point of buying UP bankrupt stocks?' he
was asked.
IF they do they are children merchants
or idiots" Mr.. Wanamaker replied. He
went on to say that he had been of this
Glass until within ten twelve years ago.
but he had changed his methods in recent
years. He had discovered that the people
did not want debris, such as bankrupt
stocks. etc. The great demand. was for new
things, and often the goods were consid-
cred old which had not been on the shelves
for more than thirty days.
Mr.. Wanamaker also argued that the
properly conducted store was a university,
educating the employe not only in writing.
spelling, etc, but IN morals. Men were
often discharged for lying to customers.
Mr.. Wanamaker said that when he had
first gone into business he had thought
well TO do his own manufacturing. but he
had abandoned the idea, finding IL prefer
able to be able to go into the open market.
lie did not believe In selling goods at less
than cost a mere bait, and expressed
the opinion that stores which followed this
practice expected TO make up the loss on
some other article where the advance
would not be suspected.
Referring to the advance made by the
American manufacturers in making WOOL
ems, Mr. Wanamaker said: I'VE don't need
the French longer I'm this work. France
can go to war with England II she so de-
sires-we would not miss her."
How about England?"
81 would rather go TO the Paris expo
sition than go TO war with England.
am too fond of Joe Chamberlain. who Is
doing so much talking OF late.
In the large stores the purchaser OF large
quantities had no advantage over the buy
er of a small quantity, continued the wit
ness. The mail order business has
not been found profitable. He considered
women quite as useful as men In many
places i'm large stores. and I'm some fnstan-
ces women get as high as 5000
In reply 10 a question the witness said
that he believed the fixing of n gold basis
for the finances of the country and the
proper regulation OF the tariff. SO that IL
would stay regulated. would make step
of progress I'm the interest in the business
of the country He also thought the trusts