The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-01

to the most expensive fabrics, gar
ments and furs. Nor was there ever
a time when SO much care and study
was needed in buying. Large buyers
in New York City, those in daily and
most intimate touch with merchandise
ing conditions are beginning to ask:
will the public pay the price,"
Among both city and country buy
ers you will find some who talk pes
simistically, not as TO legitimate and
even broad demapd at reasonable
price, but as to how far consumers
will follow this ever-moving upward
trend? And this question is vital.
When will We all consent to wear what
We have rather than to buy new at
what we may consider unfair prices?
many merchants are asking this ques-
ton. mentally and seriously. every
time they go to market, or look over
salesman's sample line.
The department stores which cater
to the masses in New York have noted
anxiously the sudden drop in business
and are asking If the people are be-
coming filled up this early in the sea-
son, or has the high cost of living
prevented the planning for long sum-
ner vacations and the buying of the
usual vacation and outing lines OF
wearables and sundries? Is the in
come tax having an effect on trade,
finally? These are the questions the
biggest buyers are now asking.
Prices Still Advancing
On being asked what, if anything,
showed a downward price tendency a
Main street merchant said: Nothing!
Everything offered for fall trade is
costing US more than last fall. Nor
is there any certainty Of how soon our
orders will be filled, or how great a
percentage OF our purchases will be
finally shipped" And he was not
alone in this; every man talked to con-
flrmed his statement.
And what was said in Richmond this
morning is being said all over America,
by merchants similarly placed. Con-
sentative men are buying cautiously.
| But not all are conservative. Some
consider that consumers who have the
money will buy at any price level and
they are placing orders. regardless.
| Still others, who are sure their orders
will be scaled down by way of division
so that the other fellow may get some
thing, are buying heavily, SO as to at
least get all the goods their trade will
call for.
| Come Easy, Go Easy
! Many people who have made LOT
of money at war work or in war trades
have been spending it freely. But the
war is over, and that opportunity is
gone. Taking the country over this
has been a very large class of free
spenders. With lessened incomes they
are doubtless scanning the outgo much
closer; but their spending has had {
general effect upon demand and prices
for a long time.
1t will be remembered that we re
Gently told of a strike in the needle
trades, and of the demands OF the
workers in womens' ready-to-weal
lines. That strike was ended by large
wage concessions and reduction O.
time to "A hours per week. II is con
ceeded that the men and women il
the needle trades are the best pai(
work people in the United States
which means in the world. Consider
II you please, one dollar per hour TO
working button holes, regardless O
the number worked, or none at all
If the boss hasn't the work for you tt
do, for piece work" has been abol
tished.- The scale runs from $40 pc
week to $50, and mighty few draw
less than s35 weekly. Doesn't this ex
plain the cost of filmy fabrics, ant
of the cloaks and suits of more sub
stantial material?
Need Time to Spend Money.
In spite of the liberal advances Il
wages to mill operatives, there is still
a scarcity of yarns, and woolens. Thi
is also true as to silk fabrics. and s.
far as figures are obtainable raw sill
has not been so high since the day
when the Pharoahs revelled in multi
colored silks and fine linens. II 20
were to visit the carpet mills Of Phi