The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-10-31
VIGOROUSLY OPPOSES
LONG HOURS FOR
CLERKS IN ABBEVlLLE

I have been reading with great IN
terest your editorials in regard tc
the City Park, the Opera House, the
plays produced there and the man
ners, dress and taste of those who at
tend tie plays. I heartily endorse all
that you have said on the above
named subjects. but there was one
editorial in which either a statement
or a suggestion was made which
would like to oppose as vigorously as
possible. :
, Not having the paper at hand,
do not know whether you said that
the stores in Abbeville might be o,
should be kept open until nine O'Clock
at night, but am sorry that the idea
has occurred to any one in Abbeville
Having lived all my life in Abbeville
. County, look upon Abbeville a,
"my town" and am deeply intereste
in all that makes for its progress in
any and every way. I know practi-
cally all the merchants and many OF
them are my friends. AS to the clerks,
i like the old fashioned name, / have
been counting up, as the children say
and believe that at least twenty-five
of them are good friends of mine and
several of these are related to me
They are polite, thoughtful and at
tentive to their customers and are
loyal to their employers in every re-.
spect. During these busy days they
are confined to the stores and are OF,
their feet for from nine to ten hours
a day. That is long enough for Ell
ther men or women to work. I was
glad when some time ago, the mer-
chants were petitioned to close their
stores at six o'clock the year. round.
That is the proper hour for the days
work to end and I do not believe
there are many people in Abbeville
so inconsiderate as to wish the stores
to be kept open later.
With the modern conveniences,
telephones and delivery wagons, ev-
cry housekeeper can order and have
delivered all her groceries and this
must necessarily be done during the
day. No merchant will be able tc
get a driver to deliver goods after
six o'clock. Then the housekeeper
can easily 60 down town morning or
afternoon to buy the articles which
need personal inspection and, in
short, can do all necessary shopping
during the day. If there is need for
recreation, it should take some other
form than that of shopping during
the evening.
l have been talking to an expert
enced merchant and he says that, If
the stores close promptly at six
o'clock every day except Saturday,
each merchant would get the same
trade that he would get if they stayed
open until ten. 1t is just matter of
habit with people and they will do
their shopping on time Just as they
meet train on time, because it must
be done.
There is another point of view,
that of the housekeepers who must
change their supper hour in order to
serve the merchants and clerks should
they be kept late at the stores. They,
especially will object to a change of
hours. If I remember right, some
thing was said in your article about
country people being accommodated
by such a change. I beg to- differ
with you there. Men and women who
live in the country have duties which
require their presence at home after
six o'clock. There may be a few of
the slow kind who would be found
shopping at any old hour if allowed
to do so, but they are the exceptions
and the hustling farmer and his wife
have no desire to stay in town until
after dark shopping. They, too, can
find some other form of recreation
Let US hope then that in the winter
days that are coming, the merchants
Of Abbeville will not consider keep.
ing their stores open late. There
would be neither pleasure nor profit