The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-09-14
SALTWATER. MINNESOTA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER d 1911


ly useless, mere taking from the
pocket of the local shop-keeper, and
hence the producer, an entirely un-
necessary amount of money, which
does not return into the treasury Of
each separate locality. This money
should be retained to be Of use to
the taxpayers and national supper
ers themselves: namely, the produc-
er, and the proper exchange medium
the home retailer.
All that's the secret, is it? Yes,
Sir, Mr.. Local Merchant, that is the
organization which / am proposing
to you. With the one suggestion
that you do not make, or attempt to
make of this an state sales or
ganization, the hundreds of retail
business houses throughout the state,
could SO easily get together and es-
tablish, fguratively their own whole
sale, their own mail house, to
buy, on the same principle a s
now do those arbfters Of prices which
you are permitted to flourish CD I'M
der.
1t is not my purpose, at this pres
ent writing, to speak of the general
economic effect such an organization
would have toward decreasing the
expense to the producer, or its
broader interpretation-th e high
cost Of living, but as it affects only
the local merchant in SO far as the
price he is required to pay for his
stock in trade.
With that thought in mind, / see
before me large assemblage of mer-
chants from all parts of the state,
also, central point Minneapolis
ror st. Paul, as the main distributing
station from which, as it were, the
warehouse or JOINT owned wholesale
blishment, the goods are selected
by each of the several retail dealers.
What effect would such a joint es-
Enlistment have on the stock carri-
GU ny CuC IOCdl uuCTCDduU.
Simply reduction of space taken
up by over-stock which it had been
necessary to carry in order to de-
crease cost in purchase price; and,
instea of shipment of large box
Of boots and shoes, or of dress goods
materials, that box to be filled with
not just two or three grades of boots,
or three or four different kinds of
dress goods, but an assortment of
boots and shoes, or of dress goods,
which could include dozen differ
ent classes or grades and all purchas-
ed, in this assorted form, without in
creasing the purchase price Of each
class above the ratio that had been
formerly prevalent only because of
quantity taken.
This joint ownership and buying
plan for these two local merchants
could be extended to include all local
business houses whether grocers,
dry goods, gents furnishing, crock
cry, drugs, furniture, hardware in
fact, all classes of dealers would find
this plan profitable. But aside from
mere profit, based on equal proper
ton Of trade, think Of the increase
in the trade itself.
The labor, the time spent in the
handling, the care required daily,
the tying-up Of ready cash in a great
on-hand stock Of goods, is a heavy
drain on profit, and is therefore inn
practical and economically speaking,
poor business.
The wise merchant knows his
trades requirements, yet not only is
he forced to carry a large and often
over-stocked line Of goods, but is
compelled, by the same plan on
which stock purchase price is based,
to carry class of goods of which
his trade renders the least demand.
1t is because Of such conditions
that the miniature panics observed
in bargain, clearance. over-stock,
and special sales, not to speak Of an
occasional bankrupt and consequent
auction sale. is made necessary.
No doubt, thisis a rough sketch
as whole, but the main idea of
change, Of Duplicating the methods
of supposed Mail-order house and
at the same time the elimination of
the wholesaler, is whatI am advo-
eating.