Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-01-02
A CALL TO SERVICE


A review of the last years indus
trial progress OF Annapolis and fore,
cast of next years. published in yes
terday's Evening Capital, is such as tt
cause a deep sense OF satisfaction with
the achievements of the year and con
fidence in what this new year is tc
bring.
Although the year was one in which
all lines of business not profiting Dy
war industry we're severely handicap
ped, Annapolis business apparently
has shown healthful growth. Aside
from the benefits to be derived from
the greater activity at the Naval
Academy the city has profited little
IL any, from war industry. Yet, in the
face of the difficulties that beset legiti-
mate business, there has been some
expansion.
The present years business appears
to be looked forward to with more OF
confidence by conservative business
men than has that of any previous
year. There is that settled, after-the-
war spirit to be felt in all lines OF
trade and the conviction that the
country is facing an era of unprece-
denied prosperity.
With this feeling of confidence in
what the year has to bring in bust
ness way: with the almost certainty OF
plenty of labor at wages stabilized by
peace conditions and not affected by
that disturbing element of wartime
imitation, business men of Annapolis
may well look with confidence on the
next year.
This condition of affairs affords the
opportunity, probably as 1t will never
be given again and certainly as it has
never been afforded before, for Annap-
oils to make tremendous stride in
industrial progress. The merchants
OF this city, IL they are far-seeing, rea-
lize that the general prosperity which
the year is to bring will find no lack
of money in the hands of labor with
which to buy merchandise. With
money comparatively plentiful, work
ers are going to demand two things OF
merchants. They are: "a higher class
of merchandise than would have salts
fed them some years ago, and serv-
ice In keeping with the price they pay,
The Annapolis merchant who does not
or will not, see these conditions COM
ing fails to see the handwriting on the
wall. This is an age of service. Prices
on all of lifes necessities and luxuries
are high. But the people are buying
not only the necessities but also their
fair share of Injuries at the prevailing
prices and there is heard an astonish-
ingly small amount of grumbling over
the prices.
But they do demand service None OF
ms but will more or less willingly pay
the prices asked If we can but get
something for our money-we want
service. The business man. the manu-
facturer-all who employ labor de-
mand service in these days The boy
who polishes your shoes and gives
you service these days is the boy who
receives your patronage and who is
paid cheerfully for his service
1t is a time for everyone who has
something to sell, whether it is labor,
space in a bank vault, or merchandise,
to be on their toes and giving the best
service of which they are capable.
This condition has its warning to the
merchant of Annapolis. or any other
city for the matter of that. The store
which will get the patronage of the
future is the one which makes its
policy one of giving service.t And it
is in this matter of service giving that
depends largely the success of keeping
trade at home.
Annapolis merchants will be privi-
legged TO receive the huge volume of
trade that is to be had next year il
they will but adopt the methods of the
Baltimore merchant Annapolis trade
will not go to Baltimore if Annapo-
lis stores give the service that Balti-
more stores give. and take the trouble
to let the people of this city know that
they have the goods and service to
sell
EVENING CAPS