Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-13
LOCAL MEN OBJECT
TO J0BBERS METHODS
Claim They Sell Goods in Com
petition with Local Dealers
at Jobbers' Prices

1t is not exactly a square deal for
wholesale houses to sell business men in
this city and then go out and solicit To-
cal trade in opposition to retail men,
according to the opinions expressed last
evening at the monthly meeting of the
Business Mems League of the Com
mercial club
VIM. Gahlsdorf gave as evidence that
the jobbers were selling the business
men and then selling in opposition to
/ them the fact that one of his best Gus
toners was now buying from the iobber
at the same prices made him. After sell
ing Mr.. GahlsdOrf, the Portland house
went out and sold his customers at the
wholesale price, and this was Just a
sample of what was being done in other
lines.
1t developed that almost every line of
business was suffering from this dou-
BILE crossing of the iobbers and it was
the sense of the meeting that if the
business men would get together, those
jObbers who were not acting square
would soon find some pretty unfavor-
able conditions in and around Salem.
With view of fuller discussion of
this evil it was decided to call a meet.
ing of the grocers in Salem and take
up the matter as a body with the Job
bers who were competing with the re
tail firms. The business men do not
object so much to jobbers selling where
they can, as to their business practice
of selling the dealers first, and then
going out into the town and competing
with them in the retail trade.
Old Peoples Home.
report from the Old People Is Home
was read by Secretary Grant in which
the statement was made that the home
had been offered $4,000 by a Mr..
Brown, capitalist of Fife, Ore, pro-
vided a like amount would be raised.
The letter stated that $4,000 could be
raised from outside sources, and that
$4,000 would have to be raised in Sa.
lem, and the home asked permission Of
the Business Mem League to solicit for
this amount. When the $4,000 is raised,
a $4,000 home for old people will be
erected in Salem. There was a gen.
eral feeling that the Old People 3 Home
was worthy of support and that the lea
que should grant card.
In taking up the discussion of per.
mitting people to solicit in the city,
the opinion was expressed that fully 90
per cent of the money raised through
solicitation came from the merchants
and that care should be taken in issuing
cards.
"Try Salem First
Joseph II. Albert, who is a member
of this Mercantile department as well
as president Of the Commercial club ex-
pressed the opinion that the league
should not decide as to whether people
wanted to support any institution that
wanted to come to town. When an in
stitution wants to come to town and
help build up the city, let them come.
Let's don't censor too much and kill
the town, he said.
"Try Salem first" once again oc.
cupied front seat Some expressed
the opinion that there was no use in
entagonizing people who insisted in
sending their money away from home,
while Others thought that an appeal to
the loyalty of the people might be eff
fective.
Just to bring the matter home to the
members of the league a motion was
passed that the names of those who
were in the habit of sending their mon.
ey to Portland and elsewhere should be
rosted by Secretary Grant, whereby all
fhculd know who was trading at home.
Also the names of those whose credit
rating is asked for by Portland houses.
A letter was read from law firm
IN Newton as to the standing of the
Mennonite hospital and college at that
place. The report was to the effect
that the Mennonites maintained an in
stitution of the first class and that
their hospital was regarded as one of
the citys best institutions.