The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-10-11

The Pioneer is sometimes accused
If inconsistency in opposing trusts and
yet advocating the purchase .of goods
from supply houses. There 70 NO IN
consistency In this, for the supply
house is not trust, though IL making
II difficult for the local dealer 70 do
business it has to that extent the effect
of a trust, but the effect is brought
about through. an entirely different set
of circumstances. The trusts absorb
the small dealers and manufacturers In
order to do away with competition,
and then raise the prices OF their com.
modities to suit themselves. The sup,
DIV house uses up the small dealer
because he cannot meet its prices. but
here is the difference between 1t and
the trust: When the competition Is
withdrawn the supply house cannot
arbitrarily raise its, price because OF
strong competition among themselves
The supply house has come to stay,
7 It is o product Of the times. Conditions
are such that goods must go from the
manufacturer to the consumer atthe
minimum of expense. Under the old
system the manufacturers sold the JOB
bers, through their travelling men, at
from so to 90 days time. The manu-.
facturers had to make profit to cover
cost of production, selling and bad ac7
counts. The jobber, on receipt Of the
goods. would send his men to8the re-
taller. and he must sell his goods high
enough to get profit on the cost, plus
freight. bad accounts and selling: and
finally the retailer has to mark his
goods sufficiently high to cover practi-D
cally the same items The supply
house changed all this They buy FROM
the manufacturers for cash. and sell
at once to the consumer Tor cash.
The iteua Of loss from bad accounts
is eliminated, the cost Of selling
largely rednced, and the public
gets the benefit at tho saving. II man.
ufacturers would sell direct to the cons
sumner it would scarcely be an improve,
ment; as it is now the supply house acts
as o clearing house for q large number
OF manufacturers. and relieves them Of
the enormous detail incident upon
handling orders from individuals. and
while the expense Of SO doing by one
factory would be so heavy as to pre-
clude great saving by giving lower
prices; in the supply house taking care
Of individual orders for small quantities
Of goods is reduced to system, and TO-
600 orders can be handled practically at
the same cost as one thousand, 80 that
it is not likely that enough manufac.
tnrers will ever adopt the selling direct
plan to do away with the supply house.
Another point that shows clearly the
stability Of the supply house is that
every year that the Z. M. Roberts Sup
ply House has been in existence its vol.
ume of business has shown an increase
over the preceding years. This also -
evidence that the T.. M. Roberts Supply
House does not send out the worthless,
rotten stuff its enemies say it does.
There may be sucker born every min
ute, but they are not numerous enough
to keep a business growing while being
continually assailed as viciously as the
T. M Roberts Supply House has been
during the years OF its growth and sue.
CESS. . g.. -..s.4Es a.s. l. .@g I'd
The following figures give an idea Of
the size Of the buildings occupied BY
this enormous supply house: The
main building has 1000 square foet OF
floor space, while O warehouse in rear
has over 20, 600 square feet additional.
Besides this 40, 600 square feetare used
la various warehouses in the city for
storage purposes. Having this capacity
makes it possible to carry complete
stock SO that orders can be promptly
filed Mr.. Roberts extends cordial
invitation to country visitors to call
and look over this mammoth establish.
ment. Subscribers and readers are es-
pecially requested when writing to the
It. NJ. Roberts Supply House to say
that they saw the notice Of their bust.
ness III this paper.