The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-03-23

order houses.
When we say local merchant. we are
speaking of country nerchants as a
whole. not limiting our remarks to
Crystal Falls merchants
Now. localizing. are our local mer-
chants a specimen of the average
country merchant Are local condi-
tions such as reign in the average
country merchants locality We he.
rlieve that il our farmer friend has any
kick upon the "local merchant ii is
the Crystal Falls merchant that he has
the COMPLAINT against and not the
country merchant in general.
There are three items that enter into
the cost Of goods at retail; first tie
cost 10 the merchant; second the ex-
pense Of doing business and third the
profit that the local merchant figures
10 get on his wares. The first value is
fixed one, whether il Is the mail Or
der merchant or the country retailer
that handles the goods The difference
then, must come In the last two items.
the cost of doing business and the pro-
tit expected. We believe that the local
country merchant is satisfied with
reasonable profit; more 30 than the
mail order man. When we say profit.
now, we do not mean the advance that
he puts on his goods over their cost
price but the actual profit that he
figures he ought 10 make upon his
years sales after the expenses Of doing
business are deducted.
There is left then the expense OF
doing business and the items that may
ether this list are numerous. We sus-
pect that ii is with this item that the
farmer has the biggest kick coming
because OF the extensive credit system
existing hereabouts and the many
rascals who prey upon the local mer-
chants. Every bad account that
merchant loses must be paid by some
one. Who pays itf The merchant
Not IL he can help IT, He adds it to
the expenses Of his business and makes
the good customers pay it, In short
the man who pays his store bills like
wise pays the store bills OF every dead
beat in the COMMUNICATING in
general terms, of course.
II is recognized fact that the cIe-
dts extended in this community are
out of proportion to what they should
be. Local merchants have the right TO
stake John Doe, when he goes into
boarding house business, at their own
risk but they have no right 10 stake
him at the risk OF every good customer
doing business with them. There
should be a wedding out and contrac-
ton OF credits Goods should be sold
cheaper to the fellow who pays spot
than TO the fellow who is risk and
he risks should be- made to pay its own
cost II this were done, IL the mer-
chants had double standard then they
could handle the business without the
OF our farmer friend being
registered truthfully against them.
And then. advertise. the fact. We
hesitate to elucidate upon this subject
iere for fear that our readers may get
ne impression that this article is writ
jen with an eye to our own profit az
lothing is further from our mind.
assure You. Let the farmer know that
tou want his trade and that for his
ash in advance the method he has TO
iollow when he sends to II mail order
mousse you are prepared to give him
cash in advance prices Let the
,redt buyer know that the cash gets
better price than himself and see how
quickly the big proportion of the
will swing to cash basis.
Let the fellow who gets credit under
stand that he is paying for the risk
you take advertise the fact.
The amount of money sent out OF
this city for merchandise each month
would support two big stores in adj
iition to the ones we have. Some
would send out anyway because they
maze mania for so doing but they are
few This IL all cash business the