Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-01-17
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secretary's Report.
20 the Retail Merchants Association Of
North Dakota
Another year has passed and gone and
most Of usshave taken inventory Of stock
4 and are beginning the new years busi-s
ness. How many Of US have thought
4 how we can better our methods of
doing business from year to year?
Doubtless many of us have made resolu-s
tions in our own minds where we would
sdraw the line in the way Of buying u
another, perhaps; in the way he would
conduct his credit business another that
he would cut out his credits entirely and
60 strictly On cash basis. All Of which
4 are splendid resolutions to make and.
sif carried out bring results. On the
other hand, how many Of Us who are
+ here today have given the work of our
I association the proper amount Of our
.attention IL
lille we have shown an increase of
members this year and a splendid one
for the amount done, our membership
rs less than it should be by at least
300 to 900 members. w have not at
present one local association affiliated
with the state association and If there IS
Il one local association III the state I do
N not know of it. What we need is or.
ganization, and hope this subject will
be thoroughly discussed and some plan
conceived whereby we can organize
every town Of any importance.
There are 50 many things we could ac-
\ complish if thoroughly organized. For
{ iristance take our sister state of South
( Dakota. You no doubt have all read
about the suit brought against this assoc
ciation by Montgomery Ward & Co.,
asking for an injunction prohibiting
them from passing resolutions which
/. was making it impossible for them to
buy goods to do business. Why is it
that practically every good manufactur-
er and likewise the jobber, refuse to sell
these concerns? Is it because they do
y not want the business, or is it because
4 the retailers all over the country know,
as association dealers say, You may
take your choice; sell us and not the
catalogue house or sell the catalogue
4 house and not us. believe we should
be fair in all issues and not be radical.
But manufacturers and jobbers are all
4 human as we are and are in business for
gain as we are, but / think the South
Dakota association did Just what we
should in passing those resolutions.
Another great evil which needs our
attention is sthe manner IN which our
grains are, being hauled, We are all of +
as deeply interested in this and should
take some steps toSsee that something be
done to relieve the farmer. from the
gratis made on grain never have been
believer in farmers elevators, but this
year ii has been thoroughly demon strat-
ed to me that they are one OF the most
\ essential enterprises town can have.
On all sides of my town we have them
and the prices have been from three to
seven cents higher where they are To-.
Gated than our elevators have paid !
believe we should encourage such enter
prises. 3s sssl s. Il
There is another thing we should pc pc
deeply interested in and that is politics.
I, do not mean by this I'VE should all be
politicians, but we should have a. fair
representation, and the laws Of our state
should be such as would protect our in
terests equally with professional inter-
ests hope youa will all adiscusss TINS
subject, which is a part of our program,
thoroughly. W
Another important subject which \ \
4 wish you to consider, and that Is 'of the
jobbers operating retail stores. Several
complains have come to my Office dur
ing the year Of a certain jobber doing
business III this state owning several re-:
tail stores, / have made an investigation
of each complaint and am convinced IN
my own mind that they do control them
and the parties who are supposed 70
own the stores have practically no money
invested and are doing bushes on g g
large scale.
have been asked BY several good
members Of our association 70 have this
subject brought before the convention q1
( Another important subject winch 'Hls'll
should be passed upon By this convetl-
4 ton, is that goods sold in the state
should be guaranteed BY the rlanuftac-
turer to comply with the pure food laws.
We are assembled here for three days
]. to get all knowledge possible from each
other, and as the different papers and
subj ecfsI come before his let each and