The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-04-27
Proposed to Organize to Fight
Mail Order Houses.
BUY GOODS MORE CHEAPLY
Matter Was Brought Up in CONNER.
p cial Club Yesterday Afternoon;
Quorum Fails to Respond.
From Wednesdays Daily.

Only eighteen members of the Com
mercial club put in an appearance at the
regular meeting yesterday afternoon
whereas it requires twenty five to make
"a quorum, so no business could be
transacted. Still those present held a
session and put in profitable hour. 1t
was decided to hold a special meeting
tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock to
transact some necessary business, in
Guiding the filling of two vacancies on
the executive board, caused by the resig-
nations of c. n. Andrews and w. A.
Funk. Mr.. Funk announced that he
had prepared his resignation and would
present it at the first opportunity. He
considered that the club had made a
mistake in putting too many profess
sional men on the board and not enough
retailers.
President Hixon introduced Mr.. Nc
Dade, who is organizing a Retail Com
Gently started in Iowa.. and includes the
merchants of the villages. Mr.. Nc
Dade- said that the purpose of it was
to compete with the mail order houses.
His purpose in coming to this city was
not to secure members, but to see
whether this city could not be made a
distributing point for the union. The
merchants will place buyers in the field
and buy goods o-Operatively-the best
goods at the best prices directly from
the manufacturers, where possible. The
goods will be sent in carload lots to
the distributing centers. If this city was
a distributing point it would give the
city almost absolute control of the sur
rounding district. He asked that the
club appoint a committee to look into
the matter and see whether it is d feas-
ible plan and whether it would be of ad-
vantage to the country merchants and
whether the, club would be justified in
helping the project. ~,
Mr.. Funk asked what the effect would
be upon the local wholesalers and small
manufacturers located in the city. 1t
was question whether it would be the
best policy to encourage this or more
manufacturing plants.
Mr.. McCabe replied that it is the plan
of the organizers to establish manufac-
turing plants throughout the country
and guarantee market for them if
their quality and terms are right. 1t
will not take the business out of the
country. Local merchants are not buy
ing all of their goods from home jobbers
now.
Mr.. Hixon asked what would be the
effect upon the manufacturers of SELL
ing directly to the retailers. He thought
it would be that they would have to
take less for their goods.
Mr.. McDade said that this was not
necessarily so. He said that if the club
would make an investigation it would
save each merchant making an individ-
nal investigation The traffic that
would come through the city would be
its reward. Many men and bookkeep-
ers would be employed. The shares are
5000 each, and each merchant is entitl-
ed to take one share, and nobody but
nfS fal
share entities the holder to one vote.
The membership fee is S.. No one but
merchants can put money into the I'M
ion. The union advocates harmony in
stead of cutting, and educating and
harmonizing patrons, teaching them that
it is to their advantage to buy their
goods of the village merchants.
H. E. Hance was asked his opinion
of the project, and said that he consider
ed it nothing more nor less than the
merchants starting a jobbing house.
Whether this was any advantage he was
not prepared to say, or whether the ex-
pense of maintaining the distributing
houses would eat up the profits.
DIR. Andrews thought that it was a
good business proposition. A New York
boot and shoe factory could not sell
cheaper than a Mankato factory.
Mr.. Hixon said that the matter was
"a one that should be left to the retail
merchants.
Mr.. McDade said that it was not for
them to endorse, but for all of the citi-
zens, because it would make Mankato
distributing point. The property own
ers and the general public would bene-
fit.
DIR. Andrews suggested that commit
tee be appointed to investigate the mat
ter, and President Hixon said that if
this was the sense of the meeting he
would appoint committee. He named
n. E. Hance, L. c. Diamond and c. M.
Masters.
F. NJ. Currier told of the experience
that he had had in the farmers alliance
seventeen or eighteen years ago. 1t
had had a short but glorious existence,