The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-16

surprised to ind that there could not be
legally enacted a law that would deprive
an honest and upright merchant frcm pur-
chasing his goods IN any market he chose.
and so long As he honestly paid for them.
selling them to whom and how he chose
al prices that might be mutually salts
factory 10 himself and his customer. and
furthermore that the same Law that pro
teeted the little retailer and shopkeeper
whom they were anxious. for political
reasons, 20 help in his hght against his big
competitor. equally protected the larger
merchant. aad that a practically pr0hibi-
tory lax which they proposed TO place
upon each separate department in the
larger stores. was Unconstitutional.
boycott Of The department stores by the
shoGkeepers and retailers and<heir fami-
lies and an agreement TO patronize each
ether only, soon came to grief, from the
fact that very soon the shoemaker discoy-
cred that the retail grocerymans wife
WAS buying her shoes at the department
store, because, as she claimed she got the
same shoes fifty cents cheaper. while the
trunkmaker ayarred that the grocerymau's
wife had bought q new trunk down town
because the department store offered her
the same trunk a dollar less than he did,
It was only the natural desire Of the in
dividual TO spend his money where he
could get best value Cor IL that promptly
busted the boycott
Gne Of the most amusing things con
nected with the committee who came up
from the State capital 10 investigate and
destroy the department stores IN Chicago
was the fact that most OF the members
while there patronized these very stores
in the interest of their wives and families
on the ground that they got better value
for their money there than they could at
home at the retail stores in their own
towns. This then is the reason for The
existence Of the department stores; the
fact that they sell the same goods for
less money or better goods for the same
money than do the small retail stores or
shops. for as a matter OF course, the
customer viii 90 where he can get the
best value for his money. as he has a
perfect right 10 90. and as he is morally
self and family, especially if he is q wage
Garner and not capitalist. and that is.
as a matter of fast, the monetary status
OF over eighty-fye per cent OF the retail
customers of any town or city in this
country So long then as the department
stores undersen The shops and small re
tail stores, just 50 long viii the depart
ment stores De prosperous and flourish
Il is the advantages Of organization and
OF aggregated capital, and owing to the
peculiar habits and manner OF living OF
the retail or sEsop-keeDing class in our
country it IS bound for some years to
maintain its ascendancy. that is until a
new and more sensible class Of shOpkeep-
ers and small retailers develop along he
lines OF the prosperous small storekesper
in Brussels and Paris. Who snaps MS fin
gers at The great stores in his Own cities.
whose patronage is generally from visit
ors and foreigners only, for the small
shopkeepers IN Paris and Brussels put
themselves in competition with the de
paTtment stores and easily hold their own
and beat them Al their own game. Howe
Simply by furnishing better articles OF
their own especial manufacture and IN
derselIing the large houses But how 90
they do this asks cur swell small shop
keeper OF retailer. Because they are not
swells. They do their own work T me-
chaniee and stand behind sflefr nr-n-e nsin-
tiers If shopkeepers. They live over their
stores or shops-their wives or daughters
are their bookkeepers and assistants;
their sons are their helpers and clerks;
their profits are most reasonable, aad
they essay to do their work within them
selves. Now take the case OF our own
retailer or shopkeeper. In France one
rent covers everything Here there is not
only shop rent, but there. is q house
rent as well. with a servant or Two to
pay. ana a clerk OF two 10 eat up profits
that might not infrequentIy be kept in
the family IN fact, what We need and
what viii prcSably. eventually obtain TO
successfully compete with tie department
store VIII be q new Development Of hon
. est. upright, Industrious. and economical
retailers and shopkeeperz who viii be
content with small profits and beat the
great stores by doing every thing possible
within themselves and furnishing better
goods a lower prices.