New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-12-19
4 BENEFIT 70 OUR MERCHANTS

A BENEFIT TO OUR MERCHANTS
The Enterprise" begs to aclS
nowledge a visit from Mr.. ]. S
Boland. who is here in the inter
est of the Southern Trade FIX
change, Ltd. of New Orleans
| This is an Incorporated institu
ton, and its representative comes
to New Iberia to submit to oul
merchants a business proposition
that should appeal to US all. AT
ter listening to the plan and
scope of the work. as outlined I,
us, The Enterprise feels war
ranted in saying it should com
mand the closest attention from
our merchants. In the frs,
place the entire nature of the
work is confidential. and the pro
position briefly stated is this:
There are certain peoples in
every community. whom from
pas t experience have proven
themselves to be worthy of ac-
commodation This class MOST
every merchant is eager tn do
business with. and in times of
temporary embarrassment. not
only willing. but glad to assist.
There are others, however, who
are not deserving, who will go to
the merchant with the avowed
purpose of defrauding him.
Their ways are artful and decept-
i've, usually beginning with small
purchases. paying the first, and
even the second or third account.
all the while gradually ingratia-
ting themselves into his conf
dence. until they feel the limit
has been reached and are seen no
more, The loss may be only a
few dollars as represented in fig
ures on the merchants books.
which are finally put to the profit
and loss account.
This does not prove. however,
where the real danger to the
merchant lies. 1t may be only
one dollar. or FIVE, as the case
may be. but can it be said that
this represents the true loss .
THE up-to-d date bushes man
knows better, he understands
full we'll that the original error
he made inhanding hisgoods over
the counter to an unworthy Gus
toner meant the profit on pre-
vious sales. Not only this, but
he has run the customer away.
On the other hand. it is impossi-
BILE to estimate the loss the mer-
chant may incur by refusing an
honest customer, though he may
be stranger to him. It's one
privilege to request accommOda-
ton: whether by refusal the
merchant is consulting his own
interest is another question. It
is for this reason the modern
merchant multiplies his losses
by FIVE This is only two of many
reasons why it takes some bust
ness men many years to accumu-
late what others do in half the
time.
This indefinite way Of doing
business is rapidly being discar-
ed and upsto-date methods are
taking the place of the ancient
ideas. The plan of the Southern
Trade Exchange, Ltd. has al
ready been adopted in most all Of
the large Southern cities, New
Orleans, Atlanta, Mobile. Mont
gomery, Birmingham and Selma,
Ala. Vicksburg, jackson Nat
chez. in fact all through Mississ-
ippi. Florida. etc, and many other
towns throughout the South are
gradually adopting the system, |
and when once adopted becomes
a permanent fixture with the |
trade. Cooperation is the domi-
nant tendency of modern times. |
The laborer, the artisan, the me-
the engineer, in fact all
classes of people are to-day COM
to protect themselves
against common enemy. The
retail merchant stands out the
last among all classes in the coun-
try who have failed to profit by
experience and keep pace with
progress.
The system operated by the
Southern Trade Exchange of New
Orleans offers the merchants of
New Iberia an opportunity to
elevate the standard and methods
20 be applied in the proper con-
1uct of his business. The work
20 be issued by the Trade Ex-
change in February next will con-
ain the names of all firms and
Individuals. white or black who
goods on credit in this
:ity, and fourteen parishes ada
'ent An official copy of the as
;essment rolls OF these parishes,
complete list of bankrupts, as
veil as important extracts from
he Louisiana Code that are per-
inent to every day business use
vill be included in the work ,,ma q i,
.ingit an up-to- date and complete !
BUSINESS encyclopedias. Ii
The Southern Trade Exchange ,
J practically a home institution !
nd comes to New Iberia with II
he banking and commercial in I
of a city of 30O, 600 /
eople, innumerable letters Of !
references and q .
uccessful business career da- !
ng since 1895. i
The Enterprise has subscribed .
, the proposition itself and be- 1
peaks for its representative oil
espectful hearing from our mer- !
and a well merited suc- q
ass. lt]
Ii