The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-05-11

work just as though there was moth
ing unusual in the present situation.
There continues to be a constant de-
mand from all parts of the country
favoring early action at the present
session with reference to the Stephens
Ashurst bill. This measure has fire.
quently been referred to in this cores
pondence as intended to protect the
merchants in the smaller towns against
the piratical methods of metropolitan
merchandising that have resulted so
much to their injury. The trading
stamp, coupon, mail order, and cut
rate department store establishments
have come out in the open and are no
longer hiding their identity in attempt
ing to defeat the efforts to clean
house" at their expense. All of the
biggest well-known manufacturers aid
national advertisers, and almost every
country store keeper in America is
demanding federal supervision, such
dS INC lhNSollSollolS VI JiIt Ttutldl
Trade Commission show to be requir-
ed in the interests of honest dealers.
The Bureau Of Corporations together
with the Department of Commerce
reached the same conclusions. A ma
jcrity of the Members of Congress have
committed themselves in favor of this
legislation. However there is always
too much politics" in Washington
during a presidential campaign year.
Particularly for this reason the letters
pouring in on the congressman, de-
handing legislation, are having their
stimulating effect-and there ought to
be more such letters.
How Long Should This Continue?
Under the theory that might maKes
right, and a misapplication of the doc
trine of the survival of the fittest"
the system of merchandising in Ameri-
ca has been completely revolutionized
with the past quarter century. The
metropolitan stores that have sought
to maintain the high standards in the
quality of merchandise, have been
forced to compete with ever-inCreasin2
INSCRIPTIONS methods on the part of
stores that catch the public" by
means of bargain sales" and by an
occasional cut-rateS on standard arti-
cles intended to keep the crowd NOV
ing along their isles. By these meth
DDS unprincipled dealers grab off sales
and profits that would not be possible
were there any laws in the way of
supervising dishonest merchandising.
The country merchant is the worst
sufferer of all, and the everincreasing
amount of trade that is logically his,
and which goes to mail order houses
and sensational department stores in
the city, would stay at home if there
was some new legislation to effectually
regulate the price-cutters. The trusts
and public-service corporations have
all been before the bar Of public opin-
ion, and Congress and the state legis-
latures have made rules for their gov
eminent. The present attempt on the
part of Congress to permit the manu-
facturer of nationally advertised mer-
chandise to fix the resale price, is in
the logical line of progress, and is in
tended to save the condition of the
manufacturer, protect the newspapers
and other periodicals with their adver-
tisers, and to relieve the small mer-
chant who has built up his business in
a narrow circle among people who
deal with him because they know him
to be honest, against that class of mer-
chants and mail order men who have
been fim-1aming the public for many
years.
Prosperity Hits the Navy
Secretary Daniels has admitted to a
committee of Congress that he finds it
very difficult to get a sufficient num-
Der of recruits for the Navy. He says
that it would be simply marvellous if
the Navy could get as many as 10000
new men in a year, and to keep up the
number of men needed to provide for
the loss resulting from $4,000 expira-
lions of enlistment annually, requires
a constant effort on the part of the
Department. A few years ago the pay
of soldiers and sailors in the service of
the United States was ridiculously low,
but ever with financial inducements
such as are offered by the Government,
the opportunity for more lucrative
work outside of the Navy, is response
BILE for men seeking private employ
ment. Mr.. Daniels has had a great
deal of experience in advertising and
publicity fields, by reason of the fact
that he is the owner of a newspaper.
He recently asked Congress for $685.
900 to provide for recruiting stations,
and attractive literature has been ar
ranged for display, that ii is hoped