The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-20
five O'CLOCK IS HOUR
FOR CLOSING STORES
ACTION TAKEN By THE KAT0
MERCHANTS LAST EVE
Curing Inc Christmas i;oiidays
This Rule Also To Be In
Full Force

ManKatO grocery StOreS, meat
shops, dry goods and mems clothing
stores will make but one delivery of
goods to a customer each day here
after and the delivery wagons will
operate but half of each day, accord
ing to the motion unanimously adopt
ed at the monthly meeting and BAN
quet of the retail Merchants asso-
citation at the Heinrich hotel, last
evening. This rule will remain in
force for the duration of the war 1t
was also agreed that grocery stores
shall open at $3.50 o'clock in the
morning and close at five o'clock in
the afternoon and that all other
stores shall open at nine o'clock in the
morning and close at five in the
afternoon.
Why Action Was Taken.
This action was taken on the sug-
gestion of j. E. Brett, who stated that
the merchants might as well take
these steps at once or they would be
compelled to do so by the govern
ment. The extra hours saved by late
opening and early closing will do
much to conserve fuel during the
winter months. On Saturday even
ing the stores will remain open until
ten o'clock. During the Christmas
holidays Mankato stores will close at
the regular hours and will not be
open evenings.
The new regulations will go into
effect on October l. Considerable
discussion arose over the plan but il
was agreed that the government
would enforce such regulations il
they were not taken voluntarily and
the general opinion was that people
would quickly accustom themselves
to the new arrangements.
Mr.. Mann Was Speaker.
G. e. Mann, assistant treasurer and
secretary for the Northwest Knitting
company, was the first speaker OF
the evening. Mr. Mann spoke on
credits and how business mar
could Judge to whom he might best
grant crerdit He heartily praised the
system of rating book such as the
Mankato merchants have adopted.
eff any man loses money by grant
ing credit in this city and is not g
member of this organization I be-
lieve it is his own fault. With the
aid of a system such as you have there
should be no trouble with uncollected
accounts" the speaker stated.
With the present great war wagine
in Europe, Mr.. Mann said the mer
were learning more and more about
co operation and human brotherhood
AS they are learning lessons across
the water he stated Americans in this
country should learn and practice the
same principles. Retailers, he stated
should not urge people to buy more
than they can afford mad then hound
them constantly for the bill. Nc
merchant should be lone trip sales
man. and after selling a large order
of goods have the buyer afraid to en-
ter the store again until it was paid
Care and Tact.
Numerous personal experiences Of
how care and tact of the credit man
had placed the buyer on his feet and
enabled him to buy in full what he
owed were related by Mr.. Mann. He
closed his address urging merchants
to give the worthy man, who might
be heavily in debt a chance and not
to drum him up constantly to pay on
his account when it was impossible
Senator Peterson of Duluth, one
of the foremost workers in the state
for the retailer, and Major John Law
renee, sales manager for the Shred
ded Wheat company, spoke following
the address by Mr.. Mann The chief
purpose of their visit to the meeting
was to urge the Mankato association
to affiliate with the state association
Both Senator Peterson and Major
Lawrence spoke of the great benefit
the Mankato merchants would gain
by such step.
The matter was taken under con
sideration. At the close of the meet
ing those in attendance stood and
sang America" An unusually large
number of merchants turned out for
the supper and President C. w. Fish
Ell stated that he hoped the attend
ance would be as, good at the future
meetings.