The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-08
GETTING NE PAY
in the !u'n.'c.. TRADE
Forces the Dealers to Observe
UnbasinesslilSc Methods

81; 7; Litehheld, of the firm OF
t-JaN, Daniels & Co., read a paper
Thursday evening before The i.uiG-
lbermens association and presented
his ideas ON the manner III W ich
the lumber dealers are forced TO do
business at the same time Wen the
methods adopted cause the accounts
to unnecessarily increase on the
books. The following IS Mr.. l.itch-
fields paper:
When asked to prepare a paper to
read at this meeting, l felt that II
was up against it," to even think of
finding a new subject. on which |
might say something of interest. TAe
Did subjects on which our learned
members have been writing and
speaking, at Il frequent meetings.,
ave been so thoroughly treated.
snssed and discussed, that | felt :.
ms not in my poor power to AGA
nything of interest along any of
NE lines. Whether 1T be the reno
or retention of the tariff the
0urce of our future lumber supply,
he catalog house competition. the
lode of ethics, rate legislation. rotor
e%station, or any of the other familiar
subjects On which we have ham
nered away, and on which far ADLER
men than l have poured into your
listening ears all the wisdom con
aimed in their fertile brains. None
of these topics appealed to me. h1t
here is one thing that does appeal
% me as being more vital to our wei
are, more important to our bust
ness, than any of tie things pre-
iously ~enumeratea; that is, getting
he pay for the goods we sell.
| believe the average retailer
las as much money scattered around
lmong the community as he has IL
lis yard and stock, and some of us
nave a great deal ore 1t is no
Uncommon thing to find a yard with
lssS$2 900 OF $4,000 plant. a $780,
100 to $4,000 stock II $4,000 to
10000 in accounts and bills receiv-
lbl3 and it is not unusual for a
nlKe yard to have S4O,0 600 to 500
10 outstanding, and ] believe this
hing is true to a larger extent among
umbermen, than among any other
Kass of business men.
2~No this leniency on our part, | as
I'm a great many of the various
o&her\troubles with Which we have
III contend. My experience tells me
Hat the worst kicker we have, the
IN WHO creates the most disturb
Ice, who distributes the catalog,
spends his time among his neigh
brs sowing the seeds of discomfort
With you and your business methods
nine times out of ten, the MAJ
10 yves you. The fellow you have
accommodated, whom you have
zen credit, when no bank in the
c&mmunity would do it, whom you
b We carried, year in and year out
Vbo imposes on you every time he
c@n, and when the time m thai
h can get into you no further, ther
hi becomes the ally of the c%atalos
Muse. And because he owe yor
III material, into which you have
pit your Good hard dollars he
feels that he also owes you a grudge
AID it is his business to do all thai
hi can to injure you and your bust
ISIS. Did you ever stop to thinl
that it is seldom or never the MAJ
Who has traded with you, came ant
bbught what he wanted from yea.
i'd year, paid for what he has bought
tie man out of whom you have real
IN made your profits. that is you,
etemy. The man whose trade i
r1ally of value to you is generally
almost invariably. your friend.
land l am persuaded to tnins tina
tile nearer we confne our business
ID a cash basis, the more friends w
shall have, and the less agitation
about the Imaginary "Lumber Com
bine."
The customers we have lost hav,
never been through dissatisfaction OF
account of the quality or grades o
material, seldom through dispute
over their bill, and never becaus
of unsatisfactory treatment in GU
si]ce or yard, and seldom those VIII
cash for their bills; but almos