West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-09-19
HOME TRADE LEAGUE
This New Organization Works to
Save Small Communities.
FIGHTS CATALOGUE OCTOPUS.

Thousands Of Merchants Combine to
Retain Patronage - Jobbers and
Manufacturers vitality intorcsted-A
Pull All Together.
An. organized attack OH the mail
order houses is TO De made by the
Home Trade League of America.
The backbone OF the league IL
formed OF commercial associations.
national. state and local In character,
In Illinois. Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan.
Kansas and Minnesota. Ne officers
of associations I'm scores OF cities are
In constant correspondence with the
league. which will continue to have its
national headquarters In Chicago. says
the Chicago Tribune. Officers of the
league will be selected from the most
aggressive OF the leaders of these as
sociations OF business men.
Alfred G. Clark. manager OF the
league. outlined the policy OF compe-
tition with the catalogue houses as
now being conducted In thousand
cities and towns. principally in the
middle west Summed up II Is:
Forcing the wholesaler. manufacturer
and Jobber to give local merchants tho
same rate as tho mail order concerns.
Merchants arc to pledge themselves not
to buy a dollars worth OF goods OF job
Der or manufacturer who sells TO cata-
loguo house. Many OF the larger mcrcan-
tile institutions OF Chicago no longer sell
TO catalogue houses now among them
Hibbard. Spencer. Bartlett & Co.. Carson.
Prize. Scott e. Co. the John V. Farwell
company. the Disston Saw works and
others
To appeal to latent though potentially
powerful sentiment OF local pride or 10y
atty In every community.
To organize excursions In towns affect
cd most and entertain visitors from the
surrounding noighborhoods with the ex-
press purpose OF convincing them they
can sell goods as cheaply as the mail or
der institutions.
Mr.. Clark. manager OF the Home
Trade league, was interviewed at the
headquarters OF the league, 500 Mo
nadnock block. Chicago, busy with the
details of the reorganization plans.
There Is probably" said Mr.. Clark,
mo question that is causing such anx-
iety in the mind OF the lnterurban
population today as the attitude of the
mail order houses This business,
which aroused no unusual comment I'm
It's lnclpiency, has increased by leaps
| and bounds until its volume now ag-
gregates hundreds OF millions OF dol
lars year, and the country merchants
and the citizens OF the thousands OF
American villages and cities stand
aghast at condition that spells ruin
TO their personal fortunes and threat
ems to make of their once thriving
homo toun a nonnrnarcioI
Naturally the business of the manu-
facturer and jobber is likewise affected
as the country retail merchant Is the
foundation ON which they have built,
and the downfall OF one means ruin to
the other
"It has become II question of national
| Importance, and that IL should result In
| concerted action on the part of the
manufacturers, jobbcrs and country
| merchants to combat It's Influence on
| trade was n natural sequence, and to
| do this the Home Trade League of
| America, IA non-profit sharing organiZa-
| ton, was formed.
During the last year the sum total
of merchandise distributed In Chicago
through mail order houses probably
| jobbers. Somebody lost this trade
| which those houses gained. If left to
Itself the expansion of the mail order
business is sure to go on with increas-
Ing deleterious effect upon Jobbers.
| These Institutions have used the job
bling trade as n storage for supplies I'M
| I'll they reached position where they
| were large enough buyers to purchase
| at first hand. This enabled them to go
| on with increasing force.
They now are using the manufac-
| turers as they once used the jobbers,
| and IL will continue this alliance as
long as 1t is to their interest TO do so.
"Thus 1t Is up to the jobber and the
country merchant to prove they are a
| commercial necessity. / do not believe
| the consumer wishes to contribute to
| the ruin Of his home town. / do not
| think he realizes the full meaning of
mail order blight In his community,
and the Home Trade league hopes TO
4 present this matter to him In such n
| fair light that he will become our
| ally-whlch logically he should be. We
can only hope to bring about this con-
| dition by meeting competition. II will
| be n big move In the right direction
/ when. before he sends his order to the
| catalogue house, the consumer will give
his local dealer Il chance to figure on
H. and II the local merchant cannot
meet the competition the Home Trade
league will place him where he can"