The Detroit times., 1910-10-29

II ! should continue indefinitely, II
might have the effect OF giving tone
OF yiLdictlveness to course which
has been taken up by The Times,
purely as part OF its policy TO keep
advertising columns clean and honest
and TO protect it's readers so far as
possible from the wiles OF the dishon-
est advertiser
In my opinion. two facts about the
Peoples Quitting Co. have been
pretty well established. The first is
that in CROUCH instances 10 show q
general policy. this firm does not de-
liver the goods that the customer be-
lieves he is buying and pays for. This
has been the burden OF a majority
OF the complaints that have come TO
me in the course Of my investigation.
The second is that the firm through
It's statesmen and other employees prac-
tees all sorts OF tricks and wiles to
deceive the customer who is beguiled
into their store. | could relate tales
OF sharp practice without number.
The vital force. however OF the
whole system OF the Peoples Outfit
ting Co is misleading advertising to
attract the public into their store. |
have printed letters showing how diff
icult il is 10 get what is advertised
and how unsatisfactory the advertise
ed article usually is. how far IL falls
short as a general rule, OF fulfilling
the promises made for il in flaring
letters This is where the newspa-
pers have been accessories in the
Peoples way" OF deceivlng the pub
lie
They have not even the excuse OF
ignorance One local paper feeling
dissatisfied with the treatment that
its advertising solicitor was getting
al the Peoples printed small
article about a case in the justice
court against the Arm. within a few
days the Peoples" came through
with a fat advertising contract and
nothing more was heard about them
that might fall harshly upon the pub
lie ear.
Another paper has admitted that
the facts which | have presented had
been available for more than a year,
but that il had refrained from print
ing them The advertising that APP
pears in its columns furnishes the
reason without further comment.
Only yesterday in Detroit newspa-
pers there appeared an advertisement
OF a great slaughter sale of stoves
which had been bought at panic
prices on account of an overproduc-
ton OF stoves by manufacturers
throughout the country Detroit, as
Is well-known. Is a leading center OF
the stove industry and Detroit manu-
facturers are thoroughly familiar with
the conditions OF the stove trade.
without exception they characterize
the fiaring announcement that there
has been an overproduction of stoves
an ute falsehood When the basis Of
an advertised sale is a tie like that,
how can you expect honestly any
where in Il.
OF course, the important question.
the one which they insolently ask
when you make a complaint which
they refuse 20 remedy, and when you
make a charge OF deception which
they cannot deny is What are you
going to do about it,"
| must confess that this Is a rather
battling question. II a man sells you
a gold-hlled watch for a solid gold
watch or "phony" diamond as a
genuine gem, you can get a warrant
for him II he does not give you your
money back.
When II Is an INSCRIPTIONS furni-
mre company that sells you veneer
for solid, secondhand for new, and
shoddy for frst.class articles, 1t seems
tobe considered in different light by