The log cabin Democrat., 1911-03-03
GIVES CAUSE OF
 STORES FAILURE
PEOPLES MERCANTILE co.
DID NOT SUCCEED FROM LACK OF SUPPORT, SAYS M. F.
 DICKINSON.

cator, M. F. Dickinson, former state secretary of the Farmers Union, gives his ideas as the causes that led to the discontinuance of business by the Peoples Mercantile Company, a Farmers Union cooperative general store of Conway, which sold it's stock of goods and retired from business recently. MT. Dickinson writes as follows:
 We learn from Mir. Paine that "Master Business in his rounds over the state swooped down upon the Peo- ple's Mercantile Company, the Farm CTS Union store at Conway, and clos ed it out. We are indeed sorry to
 learn this for several reasons:
 First, it was saving teh people of Faulkner county several thousand dol lars a year by keeping the prices down to legitimate figures. This was very clearly demonstrated last winter when the business was first installed. Flour dropped 50 cents on the barrel at once, sugar, coffee, soap and many other articles went down accordingly. Second, upon it's success depended largely the success of the Union in that county. It is the only business they have in that county except the warehouse, and they can hardly con slider that theirs. It is private en- terprise run largely for the benefit of the manager and stockholders. The failure of this store will to some ex- tent discourage many good union men in the county. Of course this is what some parties there would like to see.
 Third, because it will to an extent injure the cause all over the state. A failure in one county reaches out to others.
 Fourth, because I do not like to lose $1OO in cold cash; neither do like to see my friends lose anything. Most of the stockholders, like myself, made a sacrifice when they put up their money, while those who had plenty, of course, did not care to throw away their money.
 Fifth, because THERE WAS NO EARTHLY EXCUSE FOR ITS NOT BEING A SUCCESS. The business was run economically, at least as long as I was over there. l took much personal interest in the concern my self, spending about six weeks of my own time in featuring over the coun- ty and organizing the business for which I never made a cent of charge. After it was started l gave it my time for several weeks, getting it well established. During this time the whole operating expenses were only $100 per month, which covered my salary, Mr. Johnson's salary and the rent on the house. Our sales from the beginning averaged about $1 300. Of course as we got better advertised it increased. I figured that the con- cern would do $40,0 ,000 or $50,000 worth of business in year. Had we made only 10 per cent, this would have netted us, above expenses, $1,00O $1 300 the first year. When We re- tired the business was meeting all its obligations with bills payable amount ing to only $200 or $500.
 Then, why did the business fail? Was it Mr. Johnson's fault? While we were not on the ground, we will venture to say most emphatically that it was not. In the first place, he is as clean as new dollar, and in the second place, he took an interest ir the business. Of course he was mex perienced, but he was a persistent worker. Then, was it the fault of the board? Only to an extent. They too, are all good men, honest to the core, and are what you would consider successful farmers. But they had nc experience. They were over-anxiouS -nervous-and we are informed changed managers three or four time; in only a few weeks. This, of course caused much confusion, shook the con dence of the wholesale men and kept the plans all disorganized. Once you have lost the confidence of the whole. sale house, you need a barrel of money to operate on. sometimes think il would be better to have no board of II 4 .s.