New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-01
The Axe at the
Root Of the Tree

Root Of the Tree
Perhaps the first axe that lent its aid to
this great August Furniture movement was
swung in some Northwestern forest. Thou
sands of them are swinging there today.
These semi-annual trade sales are far
reaching in their effect, and have become
a great factor in the great industry. But
the manual strength that brought the forest
TO the sawmill, and the manual skill that
turned that forest into artistic furniture,
compose only one chapter of this great
story. In the beginning it required
shrewd mind to conceive the scheme that
has had such marvellous development 1t
required skill and persistent business
sagacity to continue to achieve the splendid
results which have followed the develop
ment of the idea. 1t would have been far
easier to have turned aside from that orig
inal plan and to have followed the line of
least resistance in buying and distributing
cheap furniture.
There were imitators of the idea, and
the imitator ALWAYS lacks energy. The
imitators have strayed along the easy by
ways, where cheap furniture was to be
gathered; and in dozen quarters where
August furniture sales were loudly ex-
plotted a few years ago, they are little
known today; because the imitator by de-
ceptive practices has lost the public whose
Requirement was attempted
The WANAMAKER semi-annual trade
sales of furniture have been conducted
only by constantly increasing effort. The
task grows harder and harder with every
six months sale. The vast industry which
these sales have so tremendously stimu-
lated has grown stronger and more secure
in the economy of management Today
the workmen in the industry, from the be-
ginning 10 the end of il. arc receiving
good wages; and production is carefully
guarded, SO that losses are far less fire.
qucnt than they were few wears ago.
II is not easy to prepare a great August
sale that is thoroughly everything that it
prctcnds to be- We have been working
many months in the gathering of the furni-
turc which is displayed this morning. 1t
has required all of the prestige and buy
ing power of our two great stores to
secure the concessions which have made this
sale possible.
There is not a piece of furniture here
that has come from a questionable factory
There is not piece of furniturc thst has
been made to sell at cheap price. Every
piece was regularly made with the cx-
pectation that it would bring its full value
Every piece of furniture is new and per-
feet. There are n sample lots, except
such pieces as are reduced in price from
our own stock and added to the sale. The
superb parlo- furniture is newly up
holstered bright. spick and span as if YOU
paid full price for it, The same is true
of the diningroom and bedroom furniture
Every bargain that is presented has been
secured directly from the manufacturers
who supply our regular high-class furni-
ture. and every piece is of this standard
quality Hard as the effort has been, NC
have overcome all obstacles. and we are
able today to introduce the presentation of
as fine a collection of under-priced furni-
turc as we have ever shown in these semi
annual occasions. II is sale that, in the
very nature of the industry, we know can
not be duplicated anywhere, even in small
parts. There may be offerings, and there
undoubtedly will be, of cheaply constructed
furniture made TO compete with these
genuine bargains; and they may mislead
some. But there is no other, there can
not be such a presentation of high-class
furniture anywhere else, as is gathered
here today for your examination
TNH NJ