The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-10
Wholesale Grocer Attacks Method
 Of Manufacturers
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

again, will it be fair to allow these manufacturers to tell us as wholesale grocers or others who may be in the same line of business what price we and they shall obtain in the resale price of their products? If we haven | got law now that will make 1t pos sible for a wholesale grocer or re- tail merchant to so conduct his busl- ness as will afford the consuming pub lie the lowest possible price that can be effected by up-to-date methods and close scrutiny of all details, won't It be possible in the consideration of the food bill that Is now before Congress that there, be incorporated in that bill such provision as will make it im- possible for a manufacturer to be so high-handed in his methods as will allow him to control the wholesale grocers resale price and the retailers price down to the consumer? Is the manufacturer to be the mighty lord Of our country while everybody else In every walk of life makes sacrifices and gives up part of his heretofore free dom? Patriotism. we believe, should dwell in the manufacturers office as well as in the most humble place Of the wholesale grocer and the retail merchant and certainly If whole sale grocer pays a manufacturer the price that he asks for his goods such a wholesale grocer most assuredly should have the protection of the law in naming his own price even if the law does not now give him the right to have such protection in his rights of free merchandising as will make 1t a crime for manufacturer to dictate to a wholesale grocer or to retail merchant what profit he shall charge to him who may buy from him.
 ha tar of this tn1a0ram fur- nish data upon data showing the in- justice, showing the domineering spirit that prevails in manufacturing circles as it concerns those who buy from the said manufacturers. The writer can show that the firm of which he is president Is conducting practically the largest wholesale grocery business Ill Memphis; he can show that this is be- ing done at an overhead expense &C., count of approximately per cent of our sales less than similar inst1tu- tions Is it patriotism that we keep this extra per cent or isn't 1t high CT order of patriotism that we be al- lowed under the law by its protec- tion to pass this saving of per cent on through the retailers hands down to the consumer? We have been forced ever since we have been in business by the browbeating of various manu
  higher per cent of profit than was necessary for us to show satisfactory earning power But what could we do except to submit to the domination of the manufacturer when he stood with stick drawn at our heads with the warning that if we didn't do like he said to do we could not buy any more goods from him? What would it have booted us had we acted stubbornly and sold goods at margin of profit which we could have afforded to have sold them had we not been able to have received any further goods? We would have been out of business and the manufacturer would still be i'll with applause of those wholesale grocers who have top-heavy expense account.
 The writer of this telegram will ap- pear before any committee in Wash ington at his own expense and eluci- date the facts that have been broadly touched upon In the foregoing truth. He will be glad to render such a serv- ice to the consumers of the country. Should it be desired that the writer appear before any committee and give any further information a telegram indicating such desire will receive personal response of the writer at Washington at the appointed time.
 SAUNDERS BLACKBURN GROCERY Y
 CO
 By Clarence Saunders. President.