The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-18
GRAFTON IS
THE WATCHWORD
Business to Be Done by Union
Stores Is Unique in
Virginia.
TALK WITH GENERAL MANAGER
Mr.. Roberts Tells of Co-Opera-
ton in the Wcst-Advan-
tages to Richmond.

The man OF news yesterday had an
interesting chat with Abraham Roberts.
late OF Michigan, now OF Richmond.
and the general manager Of Union
Stores. the new cooperative organiza-
ton just, started In business In this
city. Mr.. Roberts has had much ex-
perience In tho management OF CO.
operative enterprises. having been en-
gagged In that line for twenty years
past. and has made study OF the sub
ject In all OF It's bearings, and with
all he is an interesting talker.
Mr.. Roberts said: u am surprised to
note how much emphasis Virginia peo-
pie lay on the figures OF cooperative
$6G6.O00,000 done by the various CO.
operative enterprises In Great Britain,
for instance, and ignoring the fact that
In 1913 did bushes. over $1,000
100000. Why. in Wisconsin. they even
nave LAYS that foster corporation
Insurance associations. cooperative
creameries. elevators and retail stores.
farmers growing and selling associa-
the entire United States. II not the
world"
Economic Management.
ehaEndsns s'ns r RobeP,S sad % Gn
doubtedly, the economy and efficiency
years the cost of doing business has
Increased rapidly until to-day. tho
at an expense Of Is per cent to 20
per cent--the larger cities running
sometimes as high as. IS per cent.
the store store laF
Wash which does a 100000 annual
business Mt Q gross profit of only lS
per cent. One cooperative store in
Wisconsin shows even greater eff
cheney. operating, on as low as per
What do you think of the outlook
for Union Stores" was asked.
I'm some ways" answered Mr.;
from any OF the cooperative stores /
have mentioned. The Western stores
are practically all In smaller cities
we have big. thriving city to draw
on for trade-not to mention the un-
limited mail-order business from the
Many Small Stockholders.
Another unique feature here is the
plan OF distributing shares of stock
toners. AS an Inevitable consequence
this enterprise will start out with
good will and actual business worth n
I'm. the othor cooperative stores 1.
am Familiar with. the main Idea In
promoting tho association was to get
Large blocks OF union
stores stock could easily be secured, in
fact offers of $4,000. $4,000 and even
or discouraged; because, many such
large subscriptions would ultimately
defeat tho very aim OF this store:
store for tho people and owned by tho
people"
There Is an another advantage in
favor OF union stores: most OF the
Western associations started with very
capital. which seriously ham,
pered their operation. Lack of capital
meant buying i'll relatively small guam
titles. whereas. we expect to be able
largo orders direct from the manufac-
turers and for cash. This same lack
OF capital in tho case of small Western
In modern. efficient store equipment.
Hero again we know that great econo-
miles can be Effected"
will secure the worlds most successful
store systematizer to eliminate all du-
OF work. and all unnecessary
work. From the very start. the ar
tails of buying and selling. In fact,
Will DO laid out on n plan
which will represent the very last
word In store efficiency and low cost OF
operation"
To Hiring Things to Richmond.
In response to- another question. Mr..
way the people OF Richmond. OF Vir-
ginia and the entire South. arc waking
up to the opportunity of owning their
sponses which, every mail brings s" There ere
are subscriptions from Richmond, ali
parts OF Virginia. the ncighboring
States and even from farawny points
like Ohio, Massachusetts and other
States.
Continued On Second PageJ