The Washington herald., 1910-07-17
Retailers Association May
Start Movement.
REAL ESTATE MEN NEED BODY
How Formation of Society Would
Prove Beneficial to Business-Many
Questions 20 Be COnsfdered-WouId
Improve Building and Enhance
VaIues-other Problems 10 Solve.
By J. CLINTON RANSOM


terests Of retail trade are as yet prob
Iematic.
Those who have advocated the move
ment and brought # along to the present
stage are positive in the belief that great
goo1 will follow the close afiliation of the
merchants in an organization Of their
own. where the questions which specially
interest them as merchants can be stud
led and considered in the light of the
knowledge and experience Of all
In fact. the men behind this movement
say that a good many grave abuses have
grown into the retail business IN Wash
ington. which can be rooted out only by
action OF all or considerable number of
the merchants IN unison.
Other Problems ro Solve.
Other questions. for instance credits.
they think can best be worked out
through organization in a central bureau
where shall be kept on file information
about those who ask and receive credit
at retail stores, accessible to the members
of the organization.
Another matter is the collection of out
standing bills. which is thought can best
be handled through a carefully organized
system ln their own association. IN short.
the merchants hope 10 bring about econ
omy in business as well as better SER
vice along the lines mentioned and 9TH
ers through their organization.
The retail merchants have organized
independently Of the Chamber of Com
merce, though the movement started and
was brought to a head by the retail trade
committee OF that organization. Il is
thought likely that when the new asso-
citation is fairly started 1t will be affili-
ated with the Chamber of Commerce and
form an integral part OF H.
Way Open for Branches.
When the Chamber of Commerce was
formed. a clause was put into the con-
stitution providing for the formation
within the chamber Of boards or COM
mittees composed OF large number Of
men working in special directions. more
or less independently Of the chamber.
But when brought to the test Of actual
work this provision was thought by thu
retail merchants not broad enough to
suit their purposes. and so they have Or
ganized Independently. leaving TO the fu-
ture the manner In which the connection
between the new association and the
chamber shall be brought about.
The multiplication OF trade bodies In
Washington is deprecated alike by the
members of the new organization and
the business men generally. and il is
more than probable that a way will be
found to bring the new body under the
aegis OF the older one when it has once
gotten its affairs into working shape so
that its lines OF endeavor can be more
accurately laid down.
Other Bodies PossibIe.s
No reason appears in the nature Of
things why the Chamber OF Commerce
should not be the center of several such
organizations. The only thing needed is
a form Of the organic law which viii in
sure the subsidiary organizations sufi-
Gent independence Of action to enable
them TO work for their own special inter
ests.
For example. the jewelers. Association
might in some way be affiliated with the
Chamber of Commerce. Other special tn
terests could organize and become affli-
ated with the central trade body. until
all the trade and industrial
interests of the city should be part and
parcel of the general body.
Along this line IL has been suggested
that the real estate men of the city
should form an association with some
kind of utilization with the chamber. A
large number OF the active real estate
men are already members of the cham
Der. and they might form the nucleus of
a larger and influential body which
should have large power in directing the
real estate business in this city.
Much Competition Exists.
AS matters stand the real estate men
are working largely on independent lines,
and often in a competition which amounts
to trade conflict True. there is much
and exchange OF courtesy
among real estate men, and on the other
hand there is much bitter and costly
Commissions are many
times cut in twain. and other methods
are resorted TO which might be entirely
eliminated by the right kind of organiza-
ton.
In addition TO what the real estate men
could accomplish for themselves and In
the better conduct Of their business
on intelligent lines would
result in the accomplishment Of much |
that does not appear on the surface for
he Advancement OF the city BY means
Of the cultivation of ideas incident 10 |
in an associated capacity, it would nat
irally result that the community could |
be educated In measure to better /
class of investment purchases, and in |
stead of real estate development going |
blindly forward on one or two definite |
Ines, much greater variety might be in
lected into IL To the enhancement Of |
values and the enrichment OF those who
buy and sell property.
Single Types of Building.
Some think the city mas been injured /
n the pass and Is being injured now by |
he excessive multiplication of houses OF /
'ne type. It is not necessary to rail /
against the block house or solid build /
ng up OF the land with no open spaces /
but when this process goes on
rear after year with little or no change
n the type of houses built the result is
/ monotony which dstracts from beauty
md tends to depreeiate the value Of
property
It Is useless TO talk about the public
emand for such style Of building. Rath-
r has it been cut cut by those who de-
'elop real estate, and forced upon The
public with nothing else 10 choUse from.
{ is not too much 10 expect that the
of real estate men in a body
With opportunity for the frequent ex-