The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-21
What the Barre Manufacturers Associa-
ton Should DO.
10 whom Il nav concmni

To whom ii may concani
Since the strike in this vicinity was
settled and work resumed, there has
been great deal Of talk about low
prices. There have been many reasons
given why prices are 30 low: Increase
IN the bill, quarters shipping stock 60
parties outside the state at the same
price as to those 10 the state, dealers
doing their own manufacturing, etc
Every body has reason, but no one
seems able TO remedy the situation. In
fact, one man alone can do nothing. He
must have the assistance Of all the man
nfacturers, and this be cannot get. True,
there is an association, but all that IS
for il 10 gather together every three q
five years, a the case may be when the
stone cutters bin runs out and fight TO
keep down the wages of the cutter.
What this business wants Is TO educate
the stone cutter, not to keep his wages
down Educate him and put him IL g
position whore he can earn the bill.
Make an apprentice serve four Years.
If necessary, bat when they have finished
their apprenticeship let them Ne stone
cutters that can cut stone. We would
suggest that drawing school be eetab
lished hy the cities Of Barre and Mont
pelier for the benefit 81 the apprentices.
There they could learn how to draw, and,
when the boss gives them a drawing
they know what 20 do Surely the gran
lite business in these two cities pays
enough taxes To deserve something IN
return.
You say, awhy don't the association
see what can b. done about such q
schoolgs Yes why don't itl For the
simple reason that there Il an associa
tion in name only. This is not 50 much
the fault OF the officers as OF the mem
bers themselves They are willing 70
combine against the cutters, but hnally
they have TO give IN because of the
weakness 81 the organization, such weak
moss being the consequence Of competi'
tion. But Just let anyone suggest Bat
they combine 10 get fair price for their
work Impossible they say; IT would
do away with competition and the bust
ness would 70 to rack and ruin" But
would ths business 20 10 rack and
uinfn If the manufacturers would get
together and establish a bin Of prices
and see that everyone lived up 10 those
prices, there would be a wonderful inn
provement And the dealer would be
more satisfied at the prices be would get
But, at the present time IN q dealer
wants 4 price, he sends 70 all the manu-
facturers he can find and asks for prices.
When he gets them, they differ from five
to twenty dollars on a small job TO three
or four hundred dollars on large job
Why Is there this differencei he asks
himself. He thinks that the mamfac-
turer who Is asking the largest price j.
trying TO rob him and at once labels
him IN his mind as q thief. Or. perhaps
this dealer sent to only a few manufsc-
turers for prices. receiving price on a
Job Of $4,000 say. This being the low
est price received, ne bases bis price to
his customer On that. His competitor
across the street has asked prices 81
other manufacturers and gets price as
low A. $500 on the same job He in
turn bases his price on this quotation
aud goes to visit the first dealers ems
toner. And than the trouble begins.
When be tells the customer the price
for which he can get the ioh. the Gus
toner begins 70 81 up. Twenty-Five dol
lars dilferencei The customer thinks
that dealer No. has taken him for an
easy mark that he has tried to rob
him of twenty-five dollars. aud Of course
gives the order to dealer No. 2.
Now, there IL no reason why there
should h such d difference. We Dc mot
believe that there Is 4 difference Of more
than per cent N the cost Of work.
Then, why this difference in the price
The only reason we can think Of is that
the manufacturers do not know the cost
Of their work When 4 few mauufac
turers have found ont the cost and try
to get 8 price 90 cover expenses ard a
fair profit. they find That they cannot,
as long As such competition Is N exist
ence But there is no reason Why the
manufacturers cannot get together and
get price for the work that will pay
for expenses and leave 4 fair margin
Of profit
Take the Quarry Owners association.
for example. They have q good organs
mtis and have q biz of prices that al
must live zap 70, The manufacturers
have To pay the quarry owners prices.
Why Shouldn't the manufacturers have
a uniform hii az prices that the dealer
would Sc glad e pay The dealer in
turn would know that his competitor be
the same price as himself, and that the
sale viii depend upon craftsmanship, rath.
Fen than on a lower price.
Wa think that tie association ii order
"a he 0f any use, should meet more fire
quentiy and discuss costs and prices, get
acquainted with each other and get over
the feeling that the other fellow IS try
ing to bid under him. and, consequently.
ne must 30 little lower to get the
worlS-a little below cost. II need be. to
keep his men going VIE suggest that
the association make rule that any
member who viii not he present at such
meeting through negligence viii feel
the consequences
We know that there are manufacturers
in the association who are capable of
teaching the other members, who are 81
norant Of any method how 10 figure
Better take the first step at once and
remove an The pool tables chat are oceil-
pvinr large space Of considerable
worth from the association hall, and sub
stitute q blackboard and some tables
converting the pool room into school
for this purpose, I'VE may BE The ones
who need few lessons the most and
would like to have a place reserved for
u.s. This viii certainly be great
Improvement although some members
prefer the poolrooml and viii place all
the members on the same level "A svs.
tenn If telling the cost would be taught
ana once the manufacturers as d whole
know what the work costs. the prices
will become more Uniform. This would
be the best plan and would work out all
right but we must have a printed bin
to Give all the members. especially all