New-York tribune., 1919-02-15
Merchants From
Other Cities i'm
Confident Mood
Buying Power Generated by
Newly Acquired Wealth,
They Maintain, Is Still
Both Strong and Active


Against the, gloomy theory of the
pessimists as to the business outlook,
the actual facts of the merchandising
situation stand out in bold contrast.
Conditions in the retail stores of the
country in the last two months, mem
bcrs of the National Retail Drygoods
Association agree, reached remark
able state Of prosperity.
Merchants from widely separated sec
tions of the country stated that in Jan
uary, 1919, the volume Of their sales
exceeded that of January, 1918, by from
about 25 per cent to as much as 46 per
cent. Moreover these men of business
expressed their belief that the currents
Of activity which are now sweeping the
country will continue to dominate the
trade situation in the months that lie
ahead. Although they anticipate de-
clines in price, they do not expect sud-
den, sharp drops, and they feel able to
protect themselves against price f1uctu-
What Merchants Say
Here are some of the remarks of q
few of the out-of- town merchants inter
viewed:
A. H. Burchfield, vice president of
the Joseph Horne Company, Pittsburgh
Business conditions in Pittsburgh are
fine. Wages are still up, and we think
they will remain at their present level.
We look for q continuation of prosper
ity in Pittsburgh. Manufacturers and
jobbers selling the retailer should pro-
tect him on price, though. BY that |
mean they should agree to take orders
for future delivery at the prevailing
market price when the goods are placed
in the purchasers hands.
+. II. Rike, of the Rike- Kumler Com
pany, Dayton, Ohio-Business has been
exceptionally good all through Ohio
The state is prosperous. Our savings
bank deposits are greater than ever
before. The unemployment in Dayton
is but little above normal for this time
of the year, and it must be remem-
bered that Dayton was nearly a 1OC
per cent muniton and war manufact-
ures town for the last year and q half
The local manufacturers are making
the transition to peace work as rapidly
. as possible.
r. D. Carpenter, retail manager fol
: Albert Steinfeld & Co., Tucson, Ariz.:
"Business in Arizona has been excep-
, tional for two reasons. First, oul
state is the largest copper producing
state in the country, and you know tc
the war In the second place, the Sal
: River Valley is now producing long
staple cotton, which is bringing {
higher price than the famous Egyptian
cotton We look for some kind of az
adjustment or the present copper price
which will keep up the general activity
out there. Tucson is fast becoming {
, winter resort, and that has helped the
retail business. We look for continued
prosperity
), Quality Before Price
, r. W. poguc. II. & S. Poguc Com
pany, Cincinnati: I'VE are dong the
bjgcest busiut SIS of our history in Gin
= cinnati. Last month we went Al PEI
cent in volume of sales over January
Of 1918. and that month was the pre-
vious banner month with us. We car
see no reason why the business shouli
2 not keep it's pace. We arc selling bet
:, ter merchandise than ever before. Peo
y pie have been educated to bqying goo'
h quality, and price doesn't seem TO Gu
much OF figure any more.
Y r. @. Bell, Davidson Brothers & Co
Sioux City. Ia: Being in the centr
Of the wheat and packing industry, w
t are enjoying an almost unprecedentc'
G business right now. The people ar
: buying the higher priced and bette
t quality of merchandise, too. A fey
years ago the majority Of tho shirt
d sold in our store were Of the $3.50 an
i 81 variety. Now we sell great quanti
Q 'ies Of silk shirts at SS and $40 apiece
Every one in our section OF the coun
d try seems to have plenty Of money an
spending it. Retail stocks throug
j .i,r section arc in good shape general
y iy. think Most of the merchants say
$ buying merchandise when it ha
3 reached its peak, shortly before tn
; signing Of the armistice. From tina
time until January l we bought bu
little and unloaded great part of tn
stocks we had on hand at high price:
The end of the war has made the labo
situation in our stores easier, sine
many of the women who had take
mems positions for the period of tn
conflict returned to their former Job
>, as store saleswomen. However, wage
still remain high, and we expect theT
to remain up for some time"
Oil Men Big SpenderS
Fred W. Lee, of the John Taylor DR.
Goods Company, Kansas City, Mo
kansas City, while not munition
town, has shared in the general pros
perity of the country. Our busines
2 has been going ahead steadily. The o
interests in our section have sen
& plenty Of money into the city. Man
fine homes have recently been sold t
oil operators who have made vast fort
unes, and they are free spenders
the storcs.'
c. Herzfeld, the Boston Store, Mi
e waukee: 1--WE expect no cessation c
the present prosperity we are enjoyin
in Milwaukee. The steel business
our princiral industry, and it is we
stabilized in our city. We have had n
# labor trouble and wages have bee
y high. Our citizens are thrifty, BIT
they buy good merchandise. so conf
doot aro vo of tho Immediate futuf