Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21

ton unfayorably and some one slipped down to Lincoln with the
chloroform jug.
Cooperation among dealers is no lei Idle talk among the
retailers OF Nebraska who have organized these associations. 1t is a
feature of the business world as it is represented within the bound
aries of the state. When one of these ORGANIZATIONS, such as the
lumbermen, hardware dealers, butter makers, jewellers. druggists
or hotel keepes decides on a policy 1t means dennit plans for the
future conduct of the particular line of business and some of the
associations go so far IS to lay down a code of trade ethics which
must be followed by the members O r they will be asked kindly, but
firmly. for a resignation.
General prosperity in the state. competition Of outside concerns
usually doing business by mail, INSCRIPTIONS dealers and to better
deal with transportation companies, n a few of the reasons for the
existence of a state organization In almost every line of trade. Per-
hans the nrst is the foremost The dealers are usually
and feel they want to come together with other men In the same line,
where they can have a big clearing house of ideas and all take home
a share OF the big heap of knowledge which will be generously passed
to all those who listen. Some of the organizers contend, however,
that necessity drove them to organization. that they had organized
brains against the individual retail merchant and they had to or
ganize to combat competitors and the men higher up who make and
job the merchandise the retailer sells.
The Nebraska Retail Hardware Dealers association met in
Omaha for four days of last week. 1t is a very serious organization.
One of the most earnest which meets in the city, and one of the only
ones which has executive sessions where the public is not admitted
to learn the troubles and secrets of trade. The association is COM
posed of 500 of the busiest and most successful retail dealers in
hardware in the country and differed by men who have made a
ton which is making definite plans-almost rules-for those to fol-
low who n not so successful. The hardware dealers, like the lum-
surance company which Is mutual and this year they wear buttons
which say ssh. This means the insurance company is in such good
shape that it will be to refund this year sS y per cent of the amount
paid in premiums.
Perhaps n line OF business In the country has a more genuine
grievance against the mail order houses than the hardware dealers.
This trouble was the nightmare of dealers until the state organiza-
ton was perfected and the dealers got together and reasoned among
themselves. that IL commerce had made a condition which threatened
to put them out Of business, certainly somewhere commerce had a
way of letting them escape. Hundreds Of dealers have met catalogue
house competition successfully and others II getting wise. Clear
back Of the troubles of the hardware dealers are those of the manu-
fom mail order houses placed in the hands of their customers, giving
the price on everything they had in stock. And the price quoted is
usually about what the retailer must pay a wholesaler for the article.
This is a hard thing for a customer to understand. But it is all In
the buying mower Of the mail order house. Some ~ the b0 Eat"
houses re able to buy almost the entire output OF a small factory.
1 Suppose it is some patent can-opener. The factory is making 10000
: per month and selling them to the iobbers for s cents each in small