The Washington herald., 1908-04-26

Sctcu ana OreaIts DO Not As
sumo "a Very Large Volume.
Washington merchants are not suffer-
ing dependency this spring on account
OF trade conditions. They find business
good. better than they expected it would
be a few weeks ago. and the majority of
them interviewed during the past week
by The Washington Herald reporter had
only cheerful things to say Of the out
look.
In few instances the reporter was told
that the volume Of business has not been
quite so large as last year, but in many
others the contrary was stated to be true,
and all through the great department.
stores and in the smaller places of BUSH
! ness the feeling is that the stagnation
incident 10 the financial depression Of
last October is now a thing of the past.
that business is really improving, and
that the retail trade of the city is on a
solid footing from which it will not be
shaken.
lew expressed the opinion that real
Improvement would come after the Presi-
Dental election in the fall, but the ma
5ority of the merchants said frankly that
they did not see that politics had any per-
cepuble influence upon trade in Wash
ington.
Business Brisk This Month.
The manager of one of the large de-
partment stores stated that business in
his store had been good through the win
ter and was particularly brisk just now.
lie said that in comparing the volume of
business IN March last year with that in
the same month this year there was a
small decrease, but he attributed It 10
the fact that Easter fell in March last
year and in April this year He said that
when the balance sheets We're made I'D at
the end OF this month they would prob
ably show that a considerable advance
had been made in April over last year.
and he was expecting that the combined
trade Of the two months this year would
show a fair margin of increase over the
same two months last year
One of the noticeable views expressed
was that business would not suffer any
set-backs during the balance of the
spring and summer as compared with for
mer years. The manager of one of the
smaller stores had just returned from
New York. and he said the opinion of all
the leading merchants there of his &C
Quaintance was that the reaction incident
10 the financial furry of last year had
been fully discounted and that trade
would SO on with increasing momentum
from this time forward
Credit Not Expanded.
The question Of credits was discussed !
with several of the merchants. They /
stated that it had been necessary to fol- |
low up the collection Of accounts with a |
little more vigor this year than was the |
case last year. and that with the added /
attention given to the matter the amount |
OF money collected on outstanding ac- /
counts had been as great as in former |
years. None Of the merchants would say 1
that any greater volume of credits had /
been extended this year than formerly; /
il fact. in several instances the reverse
was said to be the fact.
Merchants generally in Washington are |
OF the opinion that trade IS rapidly re-
turning to normal conditions Il was
stated that it really had never been far
removed from that condition here The /
majority Of customers in Washington /
either pay cash for what they buy or
credit is extended only for the month
following that of purchase. This, in trade
parlance, is equivalent to cash trade. as
TIE great majority Of outstanding ac-
counts are settled within thirty days, few
OF them running so long as sixty days. |
Persons employed by the government re-
ceiye their salaries regularly in cash and
are enabled TO pay their bills with the
same regularity in bad times as In good
times,
Smaller Stocks the Rule.
One merchant stated that the main diff
ference between business now and year
ago was to be found in smaller stocks in
the stores, quicker disposal OF merchan-
disc on hand. and a more frequent turn
ing over Of the money invested. The
merchant who said this declared it was a
more healthful condition than that which
prevailed last year In that It brought
business a little nearer TO a cash basis,
which is universally recognized as the
ideal condition
Retail merchants this spring are finding
proof that the circle Of trade is WIDEN
ing. Not only are there more customers
IN the city itself, but more are coming
this year from the nearby territory in
the State OF Virginia and Maryland than
IN former years. This is attributed in 7
part 70 the special inducements offered !
By the local merchants last fall Ia the 7
trade weeks" movement. which ac- I
quainted buyers at some distance from Z
the city with the advantages Of buying Z
supplies in the stores of Washington. !
d. 4. r. Delegates Purchasers.
One of the noticeable features of the
trade Of last week in many Of the stores
was the buying of many pretty things for
personal use for gifts by the women in
attendance upon the convention OF the D. :
A r The merchants find that this tran !
sient trade from the outside has become 4
a factor IN their business, and not few
Of them expressed the opinion that It be-
hooves the retail merchant in the future
10 do what he can 10 bring this trade ID / s
his place of business.
After careful survey of the field and :
after talking with representative mer- :
chants IN all lines of trade the eonclr- .
sion was forced that the merchant who is
confidently going after business bv CON
sistent and careful advertising IS getting
his share Of trade and doing well mis-
spring, I
Mr.. LisneF Is Hopeful, I
? Lsner. proprietor of the Palais b
Royal. stated that business in his store c
had been better this year so far than
ever before He said there had been at y
no tine any cessation Of trade with him. b