Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

largely controls the wholesale trade of the
west, and whose retail branch here has a
greater army of clerks than that which
Senophon led IN his march to the sea.
The man l have interviewed for you was
for years the leading spirit of Marshall
Field & Co. He began a clerk, be-
came manager OF the retail store and when
he left It few months ago he was one of
the partners. Now he has a big dry goods
establishment OF his own, which he started
last June, but which already employs
thousands of CLERKS and takes up the best
part of a Chicago block This mans name
is Harry G, Selfridge. He is one of the
youngest Of the successful business men of
Chicago, ana is well fitted to talk about the
twentieth century merchant as he thrives in
the great west.
The Twentieth Century Merchant.
Said Mr. Selfridge in response to my
questions:
Merchandising is changing everywhere,
and nowhere so much so as in the west. 1t
has ceased to be a trade and is becoming
a science When A. T. Stewart had 800
clerks in his New York store it was con-
sidered a wonder. Now we have
tail dry goods establishment in Chicago
which has 10000 clerks and it's annual sales
amount to tens of millions. The standing
of the merchant is rising. In our eastern
states / am told certain classes sneer at
the man engaged in trade. 1t is not SO
here. The merchant is as much respected
>
his position as a profession and is proud
of it."
What has caused the changer" 1 ask
ed.
II suppose it is somewhat due to the
growth of the modern store Such a bust
ness today requires the very best ability
to handle it. 1t needs large capital, wide
knowledge and more than ordinary educa-
ton and intelligence. The successful
twentieth century merchant is many
sided man. His goods come from every
where and he must know the world and its
markets He must understand financial
conditions, and be able to profit by them
He has an army of clerks and he must
have organizing capacity, a knowledge of
men and the ability to make them take a
personal interest in the business He has
to understand mechanics and labor-saving
devices to be something of an electrician
and an engineer. He must, in short, be
professor of details, of values. of finance,
of progressiveness, of public opinion, of
publicity, of systems, of fashions and of
the worlds markets. Indeed, our business
is now a science which includes all
Sciences
Dry Goods VS.. Department Steces.
II suppose you refer to the department
store PROPRIETOR
mo I am speaking more of the dry
goods merchant, although the same might
be applied to the department store mer-
chant. There is a difference between the
dry goods store, such as that of Marshall
Field, my store, and other stores over the
country, and the department store. Our
stores have many divisions, but they are
mercantile establishments, pure and simple.
and we do not pull your teeth, take your
photograph" or ''cut your corns while you
wait" We do not like to have the term
department store applied to us, and we
call the different divisions of our bust
ness Sections" rather than departments"
We'll then, Mr.. Selfridge" said /, has
the big store, which sells almost everything
under the sun, with many sections, come to
stay?"
'.There is no doubt of that" was the re-
ply. "Such stores are demanded by the
times. They are in the interest of the con-
sumner and are in accord with the spirit of
modern progress. They may be and are in
far as that is concerned, recognizes no law,
except the survival of the fttest, and the |
small dealer is crowded OUT
But will not this system keep growing |
until there are no small stores"'
There will always be small stores" said |
Mr.. Selfridge But they will be restricted |
to localities where they are convenience |
to the Immediate neighborhood, or else to |
the smaller towns away from the great |
centers. The retail business of the big |
cities will always be done in big stores"
A Great Merchants Trust.
"But are not such stores against the in |
terests of the consumer? Will they not |
monopolize trade and then swallow up |
each other? Is there not danger that we |
may some day have great merchants.
trust, which will hold all consumers by the |
throat?"
such thing is not possible was the