The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-15
MUST TAKE ACTIVE
PART IN POLITICS

pARl IN PULIl|Cs
Continued from FIRST pagel -
factor in industrial civilizations.
aHe brings to the public at large
the purchasing public, OF which e ,,,,r
man is part tmember the ar ,,,a ~.
OF necessity or luxury which no man
individual effort could bring toge.tihei
without the greatest excess OF time
and money and labor.
by finding n market for producls
ar merit ana use, he enables the man
ufacturers thereof to produce, and pro
duce at a profit, even greater amounts
of merchandise.
"He collects tho varied products OF
tho whole world in such quantities anu
in SO economical n way that every mar nan
In every walk of life may cal on mn u ~
for the handiwork OF the universe, uhu
get what he seeks.
"And in the broader sense of the word
the true merchant is part OF the mos.
conservative banking guild OF tne
world lie may not sell money di li. T.,
W as does the national bank. but ~
furnishing funds to the producing man
iufacturcr FOR goods purchased from
him. before the merchant has resold
the manufactured product, lie acts as
n true banker, loaning on the most ne. te-
ultimate security IN the Woflo--'ie
needed products of labor.
The Middle Man.
at different times certain theorists
have predicted the elimination OF the s
So called middle man, and nave polnteu
out great benefits to be derived from
his elimination. But as is the case
with all theories proved .unsound by
practice, the theorists have not coilect-
ed sufficient data to judge from.
1.-THE merchants forms distriputlng
medium Impossible to neglect he does
a legitimate service, for which he re-
ceives legitimate (though very smalD
compensation.
will deny that the purchases in bulk
which the merchants make from Inc
manufacturer expedites cheap proauc-
ton in quantity.
will deny that the service rendered the
manufacturer in the safe Cor conlpar-
atively safe) credit of the merchant tor
.sNo one can deny that in taking on
his shoulders the labor and RESPONSE,
bility for marketing the manuiactured
goods taking the risks OF erea lss, On ~.
purchaser in every possible LOCALITY, the
merchant Is invaluable. .,
THE merchant is local institutio or
he is confined to the area in which ms
own activities extend. He is local to
n town to State, to a nation, TO
continent, to the world IS his abi NY
may extend. And he may only eHlsl
in his local area. as his ingenuity ana
enterprise and courage may enable HIM
Srst to win and then to hold by actual
marketing of goods he has bought out
right from the producer the area lie
is active in.
Chinese Sense of Honor.
THE Oldest civilization in the world
and the most enduring places the mer-
chant as the most honorable class OF
all citizens. And time is really the
great judge after all. time eln emma ..1s
all that is unnecessary; time Levels all
things to their proper stratum. And IN
the Chinese Empire, where commercial
integrity is considered the highest OF
virtues ana merchants the most nonor-
able of citizens, things have been sifted,
and sifted we'll, by time.
I'm some ideal states, as imagined
by those who are sometimes consld-
steal producer is judged to be the only
ideal citizen of the ideal state But
they forget that when goods, are pro,
duced they are quite worthless until
need them. And how else than by the
merchant can that be obtained?
Merchants are not compensated eN-
cessively. Indeed. few pursuits require
bility and a proper reward in the re-
spect OF those who know count often
for more than money with many a
man And the merchant must take
OF good work well done-the best re-
ward for the good fighter always.
I have often compared the relatiye
necessity for perfectly accurate meth
DDS OF thought, for the calmest of un--
preiudiced Judgment and the greatest
belief in ones self in many branches
of human endeaVor: and in no branch
of science or philosophy or commerce
are the conditions so eXacting for sue
cess. Only 5 per cent. of us are per-
,nanently successful, and small frac-
we have not only prize for success.
hut penalty for failure, which Is so
severe that It is measured by one word
ruin, The race is not for. month
or a year, but for lifetime. And one
day. after thirty years success. may
mean failure in the race, instead or
success. Few pursuits are so hazar-
dous and so fatal to bad judgment.
Dcplorcs Extravaganza.
Much discussion has arisen lately
regarding such matters as graft and
expenditures of an eXtravagnnt and un.
z justifiable nature in many branches of
business unduly high, salaries and the
like. The merchant, doing business on
1 work on, and with the risk constantly
to be faced, cannot indulge in such eN-
travagancett If he.has self -preserva tio n
woll in rEinds" Along that road is quick
elimination from the race.
Resale Price.
some, | may say many instances. that
to make a selling price for an arr
ticle in our line of business was a
signal for many buyers to begin an
assault on that price. to try to break
1t, and by SO doing, demoralize the
trade.
This, 1 think. is largely the out
come of our business policy.
No one would think of asking Tiff
fany & Co. to accept a lesser pric,
= than that quoted by their statesmen on
any article they have for sale. for
the reason that it is absolutely we'll
known fact that they are one-prce
house.
Furthermore, they have the distin
Euished honor of being able to dc
business without sign; l think the
only concern in America that does &c
so. a fact to be we'll proud Of.
II prices are made simply to be
considered nominal, and an invitation
to cut them, why not cut them down
at first TO the lowest point you ar,
willing to accept?
Il am believer in tho old sayins
that the Slahorer is worthy of his hire, :
and certainly a merchant is worth,
of fair and reasonable advance Owe
cost on any goods he carries in stool
; or offers for sale TO his customers.
To- And If q manufacturer will stat,
- price which he should receive for hi
goods that is based on good judgmen
q yl1y,r