Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-10
LIBERAILTY OF
BUYING FACTOR
IN THE H.. .OFL.
Rush to Stock Up After War
Has Boosted Prices, Trade
Expert Asserts

"Liberality of buying, which has
reached a degree in the past six
months hitherto unknown in the
history of the country, has had n
very marked effect on retail prices -
Frank Stockdale, retail expert, told
members of the Harrisburg Cham
Der of Commerce whom he address,
ed at luncheon IN the Penn-Har-
/ ris Hotel to-day.
People, freed from the necessity
of self-denial practiced as a war
measure, have rushed into the mar
kets and bought to an extent that
has resulted in prices going up"
he continued, "and the retailer has
been an innocent participant He
has been prompted by this heavy
trade and the knowledge that a nA-
tural scarcity of merchandise ex-
lists to rush into the wholesale mar
kets to stock up, thus creating an
artificial shortage which added co
the natural shortage has helped ma =
terially to advance prices. The prob
lem of the retailer now is not one
of prices so much as to get goods
to supply the demands made upon
him. The need of the moment Is
not so much lowering of prices as n
stabilization of prices, for which
prices stable conditions will adjust
themselves accordingly. A sharp re-
duction of prices would result N
quite as much chaos in thebusine.;s is
and industrial world as a sharp ad-
vance"
Mt. Sockdale, who is a recoE-
nized mercantile and advertising ex-
pert of national reputation, is in
Harrisburg to conduct in connection
with the Chamber of Commerce a
Merchants Institute, the meetings
or which will be held in FahnestooS
nall, Y. M. c. A. building. He was
introduced by Jacob Lowengard, the
head of the institute. who presided
over the luncheon.
Mr.. Stockdale denied that prof.
teerlng is any more prevalent among
retailers than among wholesalers
or producers, and said that the man
who can devise a means of doing
business whereby the merchant can
| make a reasonable profit by selling
his merchandise for less than twen-
ty TO thirty-three per cent moro
than the purchase price can make
an immense fortune for himself and
should at once go into business. lie
said the public looks only on Che
gross profit which does not include
the cost of doing business, paying OF
labor, etc, and so calls the mer-
chant a profiteer. He said a grocer
perhaps, Is justified in selling only
for twenty per cent. more than he
pays, but that clothing dealers, dry
! goods merchants. furniture men
| jewelers. and others would be head
ed for bankruptcy if they sold for
an increase of only twenty pei
| cent.
A good, live retail town IS a pros.
porous town, he said, and added
that it is not how much money a
town pays out in wages, but how
much 1t spends at home that marks
its prosperity. Keep your money al
home is his advice. He said thai
a live commercial body is an abso.
lutte necessity and complimented
Harrisburg on its good fortune in
this respect.
Subjects of Mr.. Stockdale's ad.
| dresses at the Retail Merchants In.
stitute under the auspices of the
| Merchants Council of the Cham.
ber. are as follows: This evening
Meeting .To-day's Competitions
Thursday evening, The Measure o!
a Merchant" Friday evening
"Salespeople of To-day and To-mor.
| row."