Tombstone epitaph., 1918-09-22
cochisE MERCHANTS
 HOLD SESSION IN DOUGLAS

HOLD SESSION IN DOUGLAS
 DOUGLAS, Sept 2O.-Formation of state retail merchants associatioi was decided upon this morning at meeting of the COchise County Ner chnts' association. held in the war building 354 Tenth street. 10 discuss the recent ruling of the Arizona state council of defense ordering merchants to mark the buying as well as .he sell ing price. on all goods sold. The or ganization meeting will take place in this city a week from today. Thursday. September 9. at o'clock. in the aft sraocn. The merchants of Risbee, Tombstone. Wilcox. Tucson, PtoeIix. Globe. Miami, Prescott. Nogale;. eff ton. Morenci. Tempe. Mesa and other cities and towns in the state w.ll be invited by telegraph to attend. IL is expected that many will be present. as the state councils ruling $ ot vital importance 10 every man who sells goods.
 l. was announced that the Tucson merchants had already openly an- nouaced that they would not obey tAe order. and several of the lCcoi men expressed similar point Of view. Tn fact. it was said that stores might irst as well close up as try 10 obey It was stated ti,at Lhe enforc-m-n- U such an order would put the small merchants out of business and con ;'aI the large and strong firms 70 operate a- ! loss. The charge was made nat the order was the outcome Of politics. originating in Cochise county wi,h the object of striking at cer-ain c. cai,e county interests.
 Not Antasonistic
 Al the same time ir was made clear that there is no intention 0f rho Ts-- chants to antagonize the couCc... The plan is to form temporary state or ganization at the meeting here next Thursday and to complete il later at Phoenix. The state council will not meet again after the time announced for it's order. which was termed revolutionary decree" to go intC ef- feet. Whether this will be October or October IS those present at the meeting were not entirely sure.
 However. just before the council meets. representatives of the state or gaaization of merchants to be formed here will gather in Phoenix prepared 70 present their side Of the case in the most forceful way to the council. IL was thought a personal visit of this Kind and talks from men Of influence would have more effect than sending a host of letters or protest iron, t|a individual merchants.
 Have Patriotic Motives
 The protest will not be made as selfish measure The merchants will not make a play Of sympathy or lep :ancy on the grounds that t will cut down their profits and even put them out Of business. Some of the points to be made are that in orGer 10 put the proposed system into effect additional help or manpower will be required and i; is not to be obtained. Such addi- ti1na! help would increase the cost oS merchandising. IL viii be shown also ming to put their surplus in Liberty Bonds will have no profits to invest. T. will be argued that the scheme would thus work against the winning of the war instead of for it. The prop s:tiOn was declared ifpracticable. In many instances merchants are reGuir- ed to make large difference between the selling and buying price for ade- Cuate reasons which it would be i'm possible to explain to the customer. Sometimes. for instance, merchant might have large stock of merchan- disc bought before the raise in prices began ard then be obliged to sell it below the prevailig market price. Jake Levy pointed out that in some in stances the same goods have been bought at three or four different prices and that to sell them at three or four different prices would be redic- ulous.
 now pulling out best ore property ever produced.