Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1913-05-08
A PROBLEM FOR THE LOCAL MERCHANTS.

How many Williamsburg merchants were present on
last Friday night that important meeting OF the
Business Association when problems vitality affecting them
were being discussed? We recall that there was just
one member fraternity hand Do The merchants
of williamsburg know that their efficiency under dis
CUSTOM do they realize that they are being
measured v what they doing aid and foster the
shirt that Is soon TO here esewhere2 Do not
the Williamsburg merchants realize that they face to
face with conditions, which taken advantage OF
their ultimate success, or neglected, mean their
humiliation? Ii they deaf and blind stn-necked and
stubborn and awaken the fact that they must
becomes part OF the movement theirs viii be losing
game in the business OF the very near future.
The Gazette a business enterprise, Is under little
obligations TO the Williamsburg merchants. but they are
our friends and them taking their rightul
pace the work OF this community III Jhey are 10 nVe
and prosper they shake OF the ethargy that binds
them and fast They remember that they are
face with competition, the parcels post which
brings them open competition with the great stores oi
the cities Furthermore they be the first to feel the
effects for OF the spirit ofcoopera
that sweeping the country. How VIII the VII
amsbUr merchant make himself ielt as necessity IN Ills
communiry2 Unless he demonstrate that he is part OF
the whole and most vital part his interests are irerey
ably lost.
The spirit OF coopera ton is abroad here. How the
Williamsburg merchant cooperating? We much
interested IN the the merchants They
should find what influences at work TO drive their
trade away They should study the situation as never
before There Is not a man so simple who does know
that the Williamsburg merchants not getting nifty per
cent OF this community They know that the
away OF goods that should be purchased oil
the local merchants. Did the Williamsburg merchants
know that this phase OF the trade situation subject
by the Business Men at It's last meeting
patent them that the impression Is abroad that
tbecOuntry undereng them and growing pros
porous while the Williamsburg merchant Is Just barely
holding his own2 1t the fault OF the merchants they
understand the vital problems that lace them
this
mail order houses OF the cities TO do the bust
OF Williamsburg IN the future IL will be the fault
local merchants. If they viii not meet the compe
ton and Try TO be vital force here the loss will be theirs
not ours If they are blind their interests
cannot the hand writing the wall they had as wei
their The Gazette Is only trying 10 arous
those In whom ii feels interest that they ma
awaken the fact that their very existence at stake
We may cry 'patronize your local merchant till dooms
day at the same the local merchant do not d'
patronage 1t is within their power 10 conrC
the trade situation Of this entire section but 1t will equiT
effort. negative. passive attitude will not do It 1t ca
be done only by cooperative effort and fortunate will
those the truth OF this assertion before the
interests hopeessy undermined and destroyed II
merchants need the cooperation OF their competitors,
the Business Association and Of their customers Wi
they grasp their only hope before 1t is too late?