The sun., 1901-10-09
THE MERCHANTS MECCA.

rr acip.t warL"t tor ,'e Country
;.ctaii Dealer.
Ewert.er, Pembroke & Co, of Nos. 3T4,
anl 37S Broadway, wri.e as follows:
We think that those most competent
TO judge cOncede that New York has be-
come the leading mercantile center in the
world, as it has always been the mercan-
tile center of the United States. New
York is the port of entry at which goods
imported from all parts of the world are
landed, and from here distributed to
other sections of the country Here are
located the distributing stores of the
manufacturers of the country or their
agents. Here the wholesale merchants
of the United States are obliged to come
for their supplies. Here are found the
newest styles, the largest stocks, and the
closest prices. Opposed to those ad-
vantages there is but one argument that
can be adduced, which is-that goods
may be obtained by some sections of the
country in a little shorter time and with
a little smaller freight charges. The
first objection does not apply to the reg
ular spring and fall purchases; for the
distant customer, starting week earlier
can have his goods home by the date he
wishes them. Between seasons the Gus
toner has to anticipate his wants two
to five days earlier than if he were order
ing from interior centers. The difference
in freight charges sinks into insignifi-
canoe when the difference in the prices
at which goods are sold, as between the
New York market and other markets, is
taken into consideration.
"These matters are well understood by
the larger and keener merchants of the
country, and the most prosperous ana
successful, keenest and most progressive
merchants from every section of the
country come to New York for their
supplies. Retail merchants from the
Western and Southern jobbing ccnters
come here for their supplies If the
local market is equal to this, why do they
come here when they can buy their goods
in their own city and have the goods de-
livered the same day, without any freight
charges or expense for railroad passas
1t is because they all recognize that New
York is headquarters, and they all recog-
ME Indl Dluer JoDbihS cthteiS nav w
come here for their goods, take them
home, pay the freight on them, and put
their profit on what the goods cost then
laid down at their place. And mer
chants coming to New York always find
new things that have not reached the
other jobbing centers.
1T has come to our knowledge that
the retail merchants who buy their sup
plies at interior jobbing centers do not
allow their clerks to give out that the!
have gone to the interior market; but i
is always announced that the merchan
has left for New York to obtain his sea
sons supplies. That is accounted for b!
the fact that the whole country recog
nizes that New York is headquarters.
s'New York is the financial, as well a
commercial, center of the United States
In 1890 there were forty-four cities max
ing their bank exchanges by means o
clearing houses; their total exchange
reached to the colossal sum of SoS,S45
279,505. This total was contributed b
the forty-four cities in the following pro
portions: New York, S3I ,660,6 0,6S6,ol2
forty-three other cities, including Chi
cago, Boston. Philadelphia, St Louis
Baltimore, Cincinnati, San Francisco
New Orleans, and all the cities of an
Size Ill the pnUlrt DUlltu othttS, F-i,ioT
593,O33. Thus you will see New York
annual business is nearly twice as muc
as the combined annual business of tn
forty-three next biggest cities in America
"Now, as an importing center, tn
United States annually buys upward
S75O,OO0000 worth of foreign merchar
disc. OF this total, more than $5O0OOO
600 is imported by New York merchants
OF manufactured products New York in
ports fully nine-tenths. 1t is PRACTICAL
the sole importing point for many classe
of merchandise, especially the product
of highly specialized European skill. Fc
these it is the primary American marke
Those who buy elsewhere buy at secon
hands, select from limited variety, an
pay two or more intermediate profits.
'Successful merchants are successf,
because they show prettier, more stylis
and more novel goods than their compel
tors. Therefore, the merchants wh
come to New York for their supplies 81