Evening star., 1914-08-21
GROCER DISCUSSES
CHEAP FOODP[AN
Declares Sherman Mode of
Community Wholesale Buy
ing Will Prove Futile.
BLOW AT 10000 MEN
ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS
Suggests Consumers Give All Trade
to Neighboring Stores, So Latter
Can Reduce Prices.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The az has been laid unto the root
of the tree of our subsistence. There
are 10000 grocery clerks and pro-
prietors, more or less. in this city who
are established by the progression Of
a business system which has been
fostered and encouraged by Its citizens
as benef1ciaries ever since the first
smoke Of its chimneys ascended toward
the azure blue. Today they all stand
amazed and surprised to see that busi-
ness system assaulted and charged with
being econmically unsound. in effect. by
an official whose department is
financed. indirectly at least by 1t. This
charge is reinforced by a proposition
known as the Sherman plan of CO.
operative wholesale buying, which.
were 1t possible Of adoption generally,
would cause the greatest paralysis ever
known to the sound. legitimate, con-
tinuously essential retail grocery busi-
ness of this city. And though 1t shall
ultimately prove futile, and cannot be
adopted to any appreciable extent, it
may do much harm to our business in
the meantime. The proposal of the
plan even will excite a distrust toward
constituted business in many people
who are not in a position to be better
Informed.
Defends Grocers' Rights.
Kick bear and he will growl.
Stone a bird and it will futter But
we are neither bear nor bird, and
therefore. we neither growl nor futter.
but we come forward. before the bar
of public opinion. in defense of our
rights. our reputation and our estab-
lIshed business interests, as true men,
with malice toward none, but best
wishes for all. even our opponents in
this matter They have enormously
adopted this radical plan, with a de-
sire to make conditions more tolerable,
and without a thought to do harm
Therefore, we would forgive them and
place premium upon their zeal. abil-
ity and activity. But we appeal to the
citizens of the commonwealth that they
be not deceived. or give encourage
ment to this plan of opposition to the
retail grocery business.
The property owners and real estate
men should anticipate the effect of
this proposition. should it prove even
partially successful.
Questions the Plan.
The many thousand grocers of this
city are a sturdy. upright essential
group of citizens. Would it be prac-
ticable for the people to dispense with
them and adopt the proposed plan Of CO.
operative buying at wholesale entirely?
If not. why should anything be done
to disturb or disrupt their business?
!hey work longer days than most
iaDorlng or business persons do Not
one in ten owns the property in which
the business is conducted. Not one in
ten is making fair living from the
business. And not one in fifty is de-
riving reasonable net profits. They paw
heavy taxes upon their merchandise in
store and upon real estate directly.
or indirectly In rent. They pay special
OF 90 cents per annum upon eyery
scale OF weight, and 10 cents upon
every scale OF measure in their stores
70 the sealer of weights and measures.
Will Decide Individually.
The people will decide individually
"hetner their grocer deserves a knock
or poost- we claim a boost We call
Tor heip. There are many fields in which
our omclais and lawmakers can render
VaioaDie ana lasting service in the mat
ter OF reducing the cost Of living, by
making better laws. regulations and sug.
yestions which will place the retail gro
Ger In a position to reduce prices to his
customers. and always have a fresh in.
viting stock of the articles they need
Nearly every grocer is persuaded TO do q
credit business. to some extent at least
through various appeals of his customers
sympathetic and otherwise. He thereby
loses from ] to ) per cent of his sales in
unpaid accounts. Give us a law requiring
the dishonest to pay their debts for neces
stiles and the grocer may thereby reduc.
his prices to the consumer from. / to
per cent.
Grocers' Acquaintance.
Many srocers know Thomas Fret Dicl
Smart Harry Independent and Lad,
Pennywise and Pound Foolish. They buy
their pies from the pie wagon the day
the grocer is expecting them to buy from