The Washington herald., 1908-06-28

offered 20 merchants from the South who
may come TO the Monumental City to buy
goods will go into effect July l and re-
main good until October l.
This rebate is the return TO the pur-
chasing merchant Of onc-half Of his trav-
cling expenses when he buys S,200 or
more OF goods from one or more members
OF the association. The announcement
was made IN the form Of a circular letter.
sent 10 retail dealers through the South,
West Virginia, Ohio. and Pennsylvania.
The rebate is paid 70 the purchaser at
the wholesale houses In Baltimore through
tho secretary Of the Merchants and Man
ufacturers' Association. The practice was
established in 1900 and has been main
tained from year to year since that time
In 1900 only 661 merchants. mostly in the
Southern States. took advantage Of the
offer and were repaid one-half of their
transportation expenses. Since the first
year the number Of rebates recorded at
the offices OF the association has in
creased. and last year 1.65S orders for re-
bate fares were issued Ii was noted last
year also that the retail merchants TAX
ing advantage Of the offer were much
more widely distributed than had for
merly been the case.
All DO Not Get Rebates.
The number OF these rebates does not
indicate the exact number of merchants
in the States coming to Baltimore 10 buy
goods. as the rebate privilege is extended
only to those who purchase goods of a
member Of the Merchants ard Manufac-
turcrs' Association which is made up
largely OF manufacturers. jobbers. and
wholesale merchants
II Is customary Cor the inland merchants
who come To tho Monumental City 10 pur-
chase goods 20 visit the officers of the
association soon after arrival In the city.
partly because the Office Of the aSSOCia-
tion IS centrally located and furnishes "A
convenient business headquarters, where
mail can be received. letters answered.
sc. But principally by this means the
visiting merchant becomes known. and
through special committees working with
In the association these merchants are
taken care of and their comfort pro-
vided FOR. They are suitably entertained
evenings. often being taken 10 one OF the
local clubs. or I'm some manner made TO
feel that they are among friends THE
merchants Of Baltimore have found from
experience that such a course pays not
only In the aggregate trade OF the city.
but the individual merchants who par
ticipate in the expense incurred i'm work
ing out the plan
Eighty-tbrec Houses In IL.
This year eighty-three business houses
OF Baltimore are represented in the move
ment and last week. through the offices
OF the Merchants and Manufacturers As
sOciation. 10000 announcements Of the re-
bate privilege were sent out TO merchants
I'm the South and in the States enumer-
ated. The trade campaign this year is
aimed at n larger patronage. and the Bal
timore merchants hope % bring more
than 1000 retail dealers 20 the wholesale
and jobbing stores In their city. The
hope Is based upon the improving condi-
tons in the South especially. and the ex-
peCtation that merchants in Virginia. the
Carolinas, ana other CommOnwealths will
be laying in large stocks OF goods for the
fall trade.
The plan which has been put into sue
cessful operation I'm Baltimore resembles
the retail trade experiment tried out with
such good results in Washington last
year Ivy the retail merchants.
Might BE Done Here.
While Washington's wholesale facilities
are not so large as those OF Baltimore. the
Capital has a growing and energetic con-
tingent Of wholesale and jobbing houses
competing for the very trade herein de
scribed. Doubtless some OF the merchants
who take advantage Of the rebates in
Baltimore stop in Washington for a part
of the supplies with which to stock their
stores Anyhow, Washington is gradu-
ally gathering "A respectable clientele
among the successful merchants in the
territory covered by the operations Of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Association
OF the neighboring city.
Washington wants more OF this trade.
There is no reason. in the nature Of
things, why il should not be brought here
Washington is nearer 20 the retail stores
OF all this Southern country by fOrty-tive
miles than Baltimore is. Freights are. or
ought 10 be. a little cheaper. The supplies
OF goods are. or ought 10 be. as good or
better than those To be had IN Baltimore.
The Washington Herald believes that
with the right kind Of attention paid TO
getting this trade of the South. of Vir-
ginia, West Virginia. Ohio, and Pennsyl-
vania, much Of il could be brought here.
If there is virtue i'm the offer Of rebate
for travelling expenses when $500 or more
Of goods are purchased by the visiting
merchant, IL can be given here as well as
there.
Capital Could Do as Well.
The same courtesy to the visitor can
be extended here, provided the machinery
for it is set in motion. and the argument
seems unanswerable that the inland mer-
chant could buy In Washington with as
great advantage TO himself, and with
greater satisfaction, in that the Capital
has many more inducements to offer the
visitor in the way Of sightseeing. political
sentiment. patriotic appeal and other
things which go long way I'm making
up the life Of the inland merchant who
works hard eleven months in the year and
takes one month off in midsummer "a
visit the wholesale market. buy his goods
and see a little more OF the world than
clrculates In the small town or distant
crossroads where his business is estab-
lished.
The matter Of bringing thi trade &c
Washington has been much discussed here
during the past two years. II was ore
OF the corner foundations upon which the
Chamber Of Commerce was erected That
body now has a wholesale trade commit
tee. whose work rs TO canvass the pos
sibillties Of accomplishing what the Bal
timOre merchants are doing on so larg,
scale and with such apparent success.
Cost Good Investment.
No doubt II will cost money. first e
establish the rebate system. or some Other
inducement 10 bring the retail dealer o
the inland territory to Washington. but +
would prove a handsome investment n,
doubt It would require hard work By
somebody TO set the wheels of the projeo