El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-11
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

y - 4AF4DAAtN
/ little more than half as much as oat-
meal in packages and yet the groceE
finds a great demand for the package
kind and almost none for the kind in
bulk.
Few Give Full Weight.
In all of the package goods sold in
the United States, there are but few
which give fun weight or measure.
This applies as well to pickles in bot
ties or fruit in cans as il applies to
crackers and oatmeal IN boxes. There
a strong movement on foot today in
IdVor OF the enactment Of a law reQuir-
ing all package goods to state the
quantity contained in the package
with characteristic enterprise a few
concerns have adopted this plan, and
while they may not give any greater
quantity for a. stated amount Of money,
their obvious honesty in the premises
serves 70 get them much additional
business
Many grOcers contend that one Of
the reasons why they charge an ap-
parently higher retail price for grocer
les, IS the fact that in all bulk goods
they always run short In giving down
weights For instance. a grocer buys
200 pounds OF sugar; when he sells il
IN one, two, three and four pound lots.
ne Is supposed to give down weight
every time This means that ia reality
eacn lot OF sugar weighs a little more
mat with some Of these small cases,
weights are such that he is never able
70 sell 200 pounds Of sugar out OF each
zoo pounds he buys. When testifyinE in
a recent investigation, Baltimore
grocer declared that the investigators
would laugh If he told them upon what
article he made his greatest profit 1t
was yeast cakes.
The grocer says that his expenses
have increased by reason OF increases
in rents, taxes, wages. and cost Of
horses and bJrse feed He SAYS that in
more cases than not the housewife
MAKES such a small order that the cost I
OF delivery Is excessive in proportion TO
the value Of the order, and that he
might with little additional expense. {
deliver a IS order where ne delivers a !
50 cent order.
Buying Trading stamps.
It is declared that trading stamps ]
ana vouchers given with purchases ]
nave been found to be a factor in the /
cost o. food and other products. These /
are usually redeemab bic uDon a cash ]
basis OF percent Of the face value
The grocer pays the trading stamp com i
2any Tor It's stamps and in the end the I
consumer pays a sufficient advance to 1
meet this extra expense An example j
)I the effect Of prize giving schemes
On the price OF food products IS Illus
rdled by the experience Of a merchant
Who, for number Of years, sold a Ger
an tea at 2 cents a pound. Wren ne I
'egan handing tea he considered two I
propositions. Either to sell the tea at
70 cents a pound outright OF to sell IL I
u % cents a pound and give q prize
Win a specified number OF pounds
me average grocer contends that MS
'Wn bank account is the best evidence !
nat ne IS not the man who is RESPONSE
ne Tor me greatly increased cost Of
9od prooucts today He declares that
MS DanE account VIII show that he has
lot made more than a fair income for
rs invested capital and labor That
rs statement IS true IS apparent In
ne majority OF cases There are few
lty blocks that do not have a grocery
tore. The grocer doing a business Of Y
ven $500 day must make a gross
'front.' OF 10 percent to get the $50
a4 Wnlcn Il probably costs him to con-
uct his business. Unless he is able TO
make a higher percentage on his limit
q saIes ne cannot make the buckle Of
1come and the tongue OF expense meet
nd failure follows apace
Finally Get Rich.
.l Dul Wnere one finds grocer or any
lner sort Of market man doing a very
lrge business he finds him Frovrir-
Zen rapidly In every city there are
len who started out is years ago with
small store, and with little capital
kept their experience as grocer
Jerks, and who are today the owners
from Two to half q dozen stores. each
qulpped with its delivery service Of
1pomooiles and uniformed employees.
heir sales are so large that even {
mailer per cent of gross profit Yields
lem a greater net income thar is made
Lne struggling corner grocer with
Is limited number OF patrons, Such I
lccessrul grocer usually says that his
lecess has come from heavy sales and 2
ose profits. r
That there is a vast addition 10 the 2
ISL OF groceries from the time they Z
ave me hands OF the producer un-
they reach the hands of the con 2
.mer, IS nowhere better Illustrated
an in the case Of coffee. Nearly an 2
Jhe coffee used by the people OF the I
lited states is produced in South and p
entral America The greater part n
mes from Brazil, where by means OF p
port taxes and the famous vaiorfzs- G
ln scheme the price OF coffee has been b
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