The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-02-06

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hotel consumption, we can,
think, safely assume that the aver
age advance will run not less than
from 35 to 40 per cent, and coupled
with this terrific increase CORE
spending decrease in the efficiency
of available help. When you tell
your guest the existing conditions,
he sympathizes and frankly adj
mits that In his own home he is
confronted with greatly enhanced
cost of living, but when you speak
of raising rates his mind appears
to wander from the subject. Yet
/ believe that the bulk Of my pa
irons, who are for the most part
commercial travellers, are suffering
even as we are. That their wages
and expense allowances have not
been increased in proportion to
advanced cost of living, and that
they are having to move more
business for the jobbers to get the
same amount of profit than in
other years,
From what information they
impart, their claim is the same as
ours, short profits with the long
end going to manufacturers, raw
material dealers, trusts and farm
ers. But we can't spend much
time on the other fellows troubles
until we have found solution for
our own.
What can we do to remedy the
situation?
For the American-plan hotel on.
ly two logical answers can be Civ
en-. Raise the price sufficiently to
yield our customary profits, or cut
our service.
To do the former, and act inde-
pendently, is step not without
It's dangers, while to do the latter
is step that no thorough hotel
man who has heart interest in
his house could countenance with
out burying the best that is in
him.
TO think of working for period
of years, perhaps generation,
365 days and as many nights, Sun
days, holidays, keeping an estab-
llshment open in face Of all vexa-
tions. sickness and even deaths
shadow, to win name of honor
for your house, and then to sacri-
flee pride, ambition and reputation
by lowering the standard, is not
pleasant.
We are told that "united, har-
monious action is essential to sue
cess" Can we do it where our
interests are so diversified? If
such action could be taken, there
would be no doubt of success.
Our association as it exists today
has as yet never made any attempt
to control rates or advance prices,
but under the cloak of organiza-
tion why should we not combine,
not for the purpose of extortion,
but merely to get fair profit due
us, profit that has been taken
from us largely by the strength of
other organizations2
Each member of this organiza-
tion who feels secure enough of
his position to advance prices
wiuhout danger to his business,
makes it just that much easier for
his neighbors to follow. But
without meetings and organiza-
tions how do we know that Hotel
B and Hotel G will raise if We do?
Perhaps your nelghbors in the
same or next town are waiting on
you to raise, while you are just as
sxpectantly waiting the first ad-
vance from him.
In this day of railway and trac-
ton line facilities, hotel competi-
tion is practically as keen from
your neighboring towns as it is
within your own city limits, so
that the hotel man, even though |
he is without competition at home,
is taking a serious risk if he raises
without consulting his competi-
tors in adjacent territory.
Let us, then, at this meeting,
and at all future meeting of the
D. S. II. A, go a step. further