Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-16
A Plain Talk
On a Subject
Of Interest to Every
Retail Grocer.
Mr.. Retail Grocer:

Mr.. Retail Grocer:
Did it ever occur to you that the
public has YOU rated as its servant.
aud that it is as such your value to the
community is measured? Perhaps you
have never taken just this view of your
poSiton-perhaps you have been too
busy. or perhaps you are one of the
class of dealers who do not care Were
the public places them long as they
get sufficient business to enable them
to meet their obligations and have few
dollars left
1t matters little to which of these
classes YOU belong. If you belong TO
any of them Ii is about time that you
were injecting something into that
brain of yours which will arouse it
from its inactivity.
We are at the dawn of a new era in
business-we are abandoning our old
methods-we are fast breaking away
from the beaten tracks of our fore
fathers-the public is taking a hand.
and just SO surely as the voter is re-
moving the man who stands for cor
ruption from office, just so surely IS
the consumer going to bring about the
downfall of the dealer who INDUCES in
dishonest practices or fails to render
sufficient services for the charges he
makes. This statement may appear ex-
travagant to you, but you only have to
look at the number of office seekers
| who fail of election because of a lack
of public support to be brought to re-
! aliZe that you may be eliminated by
the same process. You say you are
necessity and not a public servant
We'll let us see. The Constitution of the
/ United States provides for a President.
Vice President and two houses of
Congress, but it gives the public-the
citizens of these United States. If you
pleaSe-the right to say who shall fill
these offices, and you-yes. you-a re-
tail grocer. charging your patrons more
for groceries than your progressive
neighbor is asking, Will stand up and
argue that YOU are a necessity. Well,
! YOU just continue to pursue your course
| and you will see where the consumers
/ land YOU. and then you will remember
/, the warning you received. Of course
l we are going To continue to have re-
/ tail grocers. Just as we have continued
\ to have President and Congress-, be-
\ cause they are both necessary, but that
4 does not necessarily mean that you are
\ going to be one of them-far from it
Il If You continue to pursue your present course
1 If you are an Intelligent man yon will admit
/ that You are not entitled to any more consd
i GRAFTON from the public than your fellow man
n unless you giving more in return. As an
i illustration Of what is meant few questions
II for your consideration might not he out of
II place. When You are purchasing your supplies
u do YOU patronze the small dealer who is just
\ starting out and is compelled to charge you
4 more Of do You purchase from the large dealer
Il who. because of his immense purchasing power
II is in position 10 sell you little cheaper !:
II Do you go out of your way to get supplies
Il support: Do YOU distinguish between the trust
II and the independent dealer. whose fate Is
II doomed without your support. when bestowi ing
H your patronage. are you. like other dealers.
H governed by desire to get-alnality considered
Il all You can for your money: II you are
Il among the latter class. and there is slight
Il chance that you are not why should you ex-
II pect the consumer TO patronize you unless
4 you are in position TO give him just as much
II for his money he get elsewhere. In
II other words, il you reserve the right TO plr-
chase from the dealer who is in a position
H to supniy you at the lowest possible price do
Fl You not believe that the consumer is clearly
II within his right when he pursues the same
II course: You do not have to answer this qnes-
Il ton; the consumer is doing it. and unless you
II are away below the average III intelligence
n you know it,
H If you are pursuing the business policy
H you have pursued for years and find that you
/ are not getting the results you used to. do not
i blame the public, it Is not at fault: you ana
Il You alone responsible for this condition
4 you may, he ever, so honest and one OF the
Il finest fellows in the world. but you have been
i sleeping the job. so to speak. While your
i neighbor has been getting a move ON him ana
/ is employing methods which give him an ad-
H vantage.
Il In other words he is progressive business
| man and has taken advantage Of an oppor-
|. tunity to get ont OF the old rut and Is now
II enlisted with Others of his class in promoting
/ plan which is placing its promoters at the
Il head Of the procession in the retail grocery
| business You may look upon these men as
/, your enemies. but-they are not.they nave no
| desire to harm you-they are simply pursuing
II course which is open to every honest retai
Il grocer situated that he can purchase Tor
/ cash that of combining their PURCHASING
II mower in order that they may give the con
H sumner as much or for his money than
II he obtain elsewhere.
II You know that the carload purchaser has an
II advantage over the small buyer and that FOR
II that reason alone a member OF this ORGANIZER
II ton enjoys an advantage over you. ny uo
II you hesitate!