Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-26
SHOE AND LEATHER MEN
ADOPT CREDIT SCHEME.
Will Interchange Information rs to
Standing Of Prospective
Customers.
FROM ALL SECTIONS
Manufacturers Form Permanent Or.
ganiZation, and for First Time
Affiliate With Jobbers in Annual
Convention.

Delegates 20 the annual convention
of tho National Leather and Shoe Find
ers' Association. which assembled yes
terday morning AZ the jefferson Hotel,
unanimously adopted at the afternoon
session scheme OF credit tabulatiou.
devised by George a. Knapp. of st.
Louis, secretary OF tho association, and
presented to the convention I'm paper
read by the author.
While not entirely new 70 the aSsoc!-
alton, SO far ms a credit bureau itself
is concerned, the scheme offered by
Mr.. Knapp is an innovation. in that IL
is n plan hy which each member Of the
association can keep n record Of his
experiences with customers on form
in common use among association mem
bers, and will be in position 20 fur
nieh desired information 10 the bureau
whenever Il becomes necessary.
The Information thus acquired will
be for the hcuent only OF association
members, and not in any case for the
general public. such bureaus have be-
como common among business associ-
ations. hut members OF tho shoe and
leather mems organization expressed
the opinion yesterday that tho system
devised by MIR. Knapp is unusually
complete.
PROTECTS MEMBERS FROM
TNDESIRABLE CUSTOMERS
The real function OF n credit bureau,
said Mr.. Knapp. IS 20 provide protection
to those who are its benenciurics from
getting into the clutches OF the un-
desirable customer. 1t does not ncces-
sarily mean the oppression of the man
who desires credit. but may. in the end,
be beneficial to him I'm that his status
as r. business man can be very easily
established, IL he has ever traded with
any member of the association. If he
has not lived UP TO his obligations, tho
fact that all the firms are cooperating
with each other IN the matter of ex-
tending credit may serve to make him
change his way OF doing business and
become desirable customer
Charles Emstrong, OF Peoria. Ill. in
p paper read before the association adj
Vocated cutting down overhead cx-
penses wherever possible in order that
the dealer may make q satisfactory
profit, and AT the same time be in no.
sition to sell his goods at reasonable
price. y jobber. he said, is paid for
tho service he renders, and that SER
vice should he the best nj The lowest
possible cost
Associated with the shoe and leather
iohbcrs are a number of manufacturers.
who, while not regular members OF the
association, maintain a relation of CO.
operation with that organization. The
manufacturers held a session yesterday
and formed permanent organization.
and Will meet to-day in Joint session
with the johbers. This is the first
convention at which there has been
such nm afllliation
The delegates, who come from cverv
section OF the country. as far north as
Canada and as far west as California,
held their initial session in the audi
toTfum OF the Jefferson Yesterday
morning. converting at 10 O'Clock.
Mayor George -Ainslie delivered an nd :
dress Of welcome on behalf of the city
and Business Manager w. II. Dabncv,
OF the Chamber of Commerce. smoke
AS tho representative OF tho com.
munity's business interests. Albert r
Ehlers responded TO the welcoming ad.
dresses. "'
Two business sessions OF the conven-
lion VIII be held to-day. and final adj
1ourn'nent will come tomorrow nirb,
ioi!oWinG the annual banquet M the
j emerson, About zoo delegates ara IN
attendance "