Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-05-19
RETAIL DEALERS
CONVENED HERE
PRICE DECLINE AND WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING
ARE DISCUSSED.

held at the wright House IN TINS Vlty
yesterday and was attended by about
three dozen prominent members of
the association in the district, which
includes in addition 10 Gratiot coun-
", Saginaw, Bay, Isabella, Glare,
Midland, Gladwin, Arenac, Huron,
Tuscola and Sanilac counties.
Questions of mutual interest were
slated for discussion, forty-two of
them being on the list Few were
discussed, however, because of the
time that was taken in thoroughly
going over three important matters
the possible decline in prices dur
ing the coming six months, the value
of advertising in weekly newspapers
as compared TO circular advertising
and schools of instruction for sales
people who are just beginning.
other matters were touched upor
TO some little extent, such as the
growth workings, and reliability Of
the Merchants Mutual Insurance Co.
which was handled by John DeHoag
of Grand Rapids.
Following a 12:45 luncheon, Jason
E. Hammond opened the meeting, in
PRODUCING II. Z. Reece, secretary
manager Of the Alma Chamber Of
Commerce, who extended the glad
hand to the visitors. Mr. Hammond
in behalf of the organization, replied
and then sketched the history Of the
association briefly. He stated that
il had been started two years age
with a very small membership, whicl
has grown to about four hundred
He stated that in another year tho
membership would be increased tc
about five hundred members. Il
giving the reasons for the groul
meetings he brought out that bette
discussions could be had at thes,
tran at state conventions.
Miss Clementine Williams of Pau
Steketee & Co. of Grand Rapids thel
gave a short address on the securing
and breaking in Of new salespeople
giving the important items that wer,
taken into consideration when new
help is secured by this concern. She
also said thai the beginners wer'
given three lessons-two by hersel
and one by the cashier.
William w. Cushing Of this cit,
then invoked one Of the most inter
CstiDg discussions of the day, whel
he asked for the opinion Of the mem
bcrs as TO the value Of advertising
in weekly newspapers as compare
with circulars, saying that he wa
far from satisfied in his own mind
In his usual frank way he said tina
at times he had secured fine result
from advertising and again had no
secured the results that he had ex
poeted. George II. Chapman of ST
Johns said that there were two goot
papers there, but that he secured hi
bes. results from circulars. II. Nc.
Cormick Of Ithaca expressed himsel'
as being q firm believer in advertis
ing in which he had met with fins
success, especially when backed w
by his display windows, while on the
other hand he had not secured tn
results hoped for when he tried cir.
culars. He said that he believed
That. customers respond better t.
newspaper advertising, but warnec
against the smaller stores copying
city advertising, intimating that eacl
store should put It's own individuality
in its appeal to the public
In discussion of salaries for EN-
ployees, the general view seemed t
be that as the price of goods declin.
ed, the salaries of clerks, which wen
a high point during the war, mus
be reduced. In this connection Mr.
Mccormick brought out that hi,
clerks were paid certain amour
per week for keeping stock in shape
etc, and then a certain per cent or
the business that they do, allowing
them to a great extent 10 govern
their own salaries by the amount OF
business that they are able to do FOL
the store. He stated that unless
clerk does 800 worth Of business Z
week, the clerk is not considered a.
one needed in the business. He call
ed attention to the fact that he fig
ured ten per cent as a selling cos
if the clerks sold $4,000 worth o.
goods per week, and that if they
sold twice or three times this amount
they not only increased their earn
ings greatly but reduced the selling
cost to the firm.
In the discussion regarding tn,
probabilities of a decline in prices
nearly every person present took
lively interest in the proceedings
which were led by Mr.. Chapman. Mr.
Chapman expressed as his firm opin
ion that greater equalization mus
come between the things that tn,
farmer has to sell and the goods tina
he must buy. before business cal
improve greatly, and that to this ex
tent the price of manufactured goods
mus decline. Two startling ex
amples were quoted by him in thi
respect. He stated that last week il
St Johns n farmer had hrouoht