New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-06

I line Of advertising tncn ana tHc'e'
which he did.
More stringent measures may yet be
necessary in the case of cigar dealer
who has quite recently invaded inc
town. set up shop on good street ana
announced in glazing signs "clean-out
Of stock" Amazing bargains were Of
fered They caught the eye of Paul
Renshaw. secretary Of the Advertising
Club. who invested in l5-ccnt cigar
Of superior merit in print.
"What is this ?" he asked.
"Pure Havana" the proprietor as
sured him.
Mr.. Renshaw lighted it, took two
pufs. long breath and third pun
and then carefully put it out. An eX-
pert was called in to hold post-mor-
tenn over the holocaust.
"Pure Pennsylvania" was his verdict.
worth about 3 cents If you don't care
anything about nickel
Back to the "clean-out" sale went
Secretary Rcnshaw, this time to intro
duce himself officially.
I'rn just leaving town anyway, - SAID
the cigar vendcr on won l sec me
after tomorrow
This was mistake. He moved. but
found him dispensing his Pennsy lvania
atrocities on another street. Again he
declared that he was leaving town.
Unless he does so shortly he won't Be
able 10 20 at all, without reckoning
with the law.
Such a system Of watchfulncss \;
this of the Advertising Club is very
discouraging to bankrupt, CLEARANCE
and other ny-by-night enterprises.
And, indeed, tho "schlock' type of store
is conspicuous in New Orleans chiefly
by reason Of its absence.
Responsibility and reputation arc no
bar to the attention of the local VlG'-
lance committee. One Of the large I
department stores in the city, itself
represented in the membership Of the
Advertising Club, announced in the
newspapers a special linen sale, at great
bargains. Conspicuously mentioned
were certain sheets, with dimensions
specifically stated. and a lot of linen
towels. The values seemed too good 20
be true. Values generally arc!) The
vigilance committee representatives
came, saw. and bought The sheets on
being checked up with a tape measure
proved to be considerably short of the
y
that the linen towels were not liner.
The case was laid before the firm. Ad-
mission was frankly made in the fori2
Of letter to the vigilance committee
that the advertisement was wrong. IL
advertence was pleaded; and promises
were made that there would be no
repetition Of the error. Further. the
head of the linen department was dis
charged, and though ne was subsc-
quently taken back. he had learned his
lesson. The store has since been hew-
ing to the straight line Of exact hon
estv in its representations.
Nowhere has a more successful cam
paign been made against the returned
Goods abuse than in New Orleans New
York could learn much from the local
eituation here. There had been, up 20
the inception of this campaign OF de-
fence against unfair dealing by the
public, practically no cooperation on
the part Of the big stores. Then the
Retail Merchants Bureau Of the New
Orleans Chamber Of Commerce organ
led and set 90 work, with the sup
port Of the Advertising Club. Adver-
Using was the principal weapon of the
campaign, which was purely campaign
OF education.
Nearly all Of the large and high class
stores in the city Joined IN the move
ment 1t was formulated upon the
following agreement:
"The firms, corporations. and
individuals, whose signatures
are hereto affixed, agree that the
following regulations and re-
strictions, regarding the return
of merchandise sold, shall be ef-
fective on and after April 1st.
1915, and shall continue in force
for each succeeding year. unless
written notice of withdrawal
from said agreement shall have
been filed with the Retail Mer-
chants Bureau. so days previous
to the expiration of any calen-
dar year.
90 That no returnable mer-
chandise will be taken back for
credit, exchange, or refund, af-
ter days from the date of de-
livery; irrespective of whether
the merchandise is sold outright
or on appreciation.
"(2) That the responsibility
for the delivery of the returned
merchandise To the store shall
be upon the purchaser; the use
of the delivery system Of the
store calling TO- the mcrchan-
disc i merely cou csy e.