Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-08-22
SALEM MAN SAYS WAR
TO HELP PRODUCERS
II. w. Meyers. Of Local Department
Store, Now in New York, Writes
Of Scarcity Of Imports.
STAPLES AND LUxURIEs
ADVANCED IN PRICE
Impossible to Get Many Lines Of Euro
pean Goods and American Subst-
tutes Must Be Accepted

tutes Must Be Accepted.
It is an III war that does nobody any
good, thinks II. W. Meyers, of the firm
of W. NJ. & NJ. l.. Meyers, who is now
in the east buying winter stocks for the
big department store in this city. While
Mr.. Meyers dcplores the strife that IS
now devastating the countries Of Eu-
rope, he believes that one Of the i'm
pUrtant rsults therefrOm will be great
er upbuilding OF American INDUSTRIES TO
supply the millions of dollars worth or
imported goods that have heretofore
been consumed from year TO year III
every part of the United states. In Il
letter TO his brother, NJ. l.. Meyers, he
writes:
"sinee writing YOU last have been
in touch with some of the largest inter-
ests in imports, and it is generally pre-
dicted that tnis war will prove a great
stimulus to home producers, for the
stopping of imports in wool means that
the supply is cut 80 to 60 per cent, and
this must be made up by domestic man
ufacturers.
"'French kid gloves, which usually are
ready for delivery in October, will not
be delivered at all, and have been adj
vanced 80 l-3 per cent. ] know OF
one instance where an early buyer, Ike
ourselves, purchased number OF ~
dozen from open stock and before
they were packed to 30 out he was Of
fered $l2 per dozen for his entire pur-
chase. Yet with this all it means that
another type of glove manufactured IN
this country must and will be substi-
tuted ] am pleased to state that get
ting in on the ground floor our stocks
will not be altered, and we shall fur
nsh our customers with the usual line
of ''good goods,
''Cotton goods have advanced in
price and the manufacturers are taxi
ing advantage and should be criticized.
Business in general is at a standstill.
Manufacturers, .jobbers and retailers are
adjusting themselves to conditions and
in a short time will recover their equil-
ibrium and find market for our prod
ucts.
81 hope to see American ingenuity
meet the issue and find means to over
come such merchandise as has hereto
fore been imported-s substituting our
own merchandise to take the place of
that brought from abroad.
"Designers of women S wear cannot
work in the fashion centers of Europe.
Therefore, / hope we can have Ameri-
can fashions for American women and
open up the industry to greater ex-
tent right here at home.
( ga great many buyers of the larger
department stores in the large cities
who make their semianmal pilgrimage
to the old country for their impOrta-
tions are strictly up against it--a great
many being marooned on the other side,
while others, having returned, find
themselves without merchandise, there
fore their firms are sending whole buy
ing staffs to this great city, and it is
common talk that there are more buyers
here at present than have ever been
seen before. A friend from Baltimore
told me last week that he wnt to two of
the leading hotels for a room and could
not be accommodated. Heretofore rooms
went begging.
"This invasion has necessarily cut
the stocks down, consequently the prices
have risen and some merchandise can
not be had at any price. Imported
staples and even Injuries nave advanc-
ed materially, and as the demand con
tinues they win 90 still higher. | have
covered ourselves on a great quantity
of merchandise and we will be in a
good position to take care of our trade.
About 90 per cent of our imports will
be received We may be short some
numbers in German dolls, as only about
% per cent of next Christmas goods has
been delivered.
Zone of our chief worries will be in
producing the dyestutfs used in cotton
and woolen goods manufaeturing-as
this dyestutf comes from abroad. 1t
appears that there is only sufficient on
hand to supply the trade for few
mouths. The main ingredients come
from England, Russia, France and Bel
gium, but as stated before ! nope
American brains win find substitutes.
The conditions have been the means of
bringing to our market trade from Can
ada, Cuba. South America and else
where. This in itself has made trade
very brisk as this has all gone to the
countries now engaged in strife.
Some OF the large importers here
having taken advantage of conditions
and having large stocks of merchandise
on handsome invoicing over million
dollars-wil be able to retire on their
alone, while otders, especially
one have in mind, win be financially
embarrassed. because having taken or
ders ON futures aud being unable TO
deliver, and carrying a STAFF Of several
hundred employees whose salaries
amount to thousands monthly, they will
not he able 20 survive This firm has
already cut down their force some 500
and are offering $1,000 to their repre-
sentatiyes TO cancel their contracts. SO
Won see "it's an i'll wind that blows
nobody good
ORGANIZE RED CROSS.