The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-03
Holds Out Great
Hopes for Better
Trade Conditions

- p1iSbh WHO - bpAfihtStff as 10 pres
fent business conditions. saeh mar
lis W. Fl. Sweet OF gpsilanti. Mich.
who is one eli the most interesting
land besl posted business men among
tfhe winter tourists here He was 4
lpioneer dry goods merchant i'm his
ihcme clay ana stlll is The owner Of
the leading dry goods store there. but
lis fortunate enough te have two wide
awake sons who are able TO look after
his affairs with excellent judgment in
lnis absence
As .or myself said NJ. Sweet, Il
expect 1891 TO be well up to the
standard as a period OF prosperity
throughout the United States. When
The war broke on. We raised every
dollar we could get hold OF aud filed
Tour shelves. our Easements aud our
Iatics with all the merchandise in our
line thar W. ooala stan into them. We
HAL the necessary credit ana were
able 70 get mat extra money We re-
lauirea ana VS. filled mp 10 the very
brlm Tais. OF course. was when we
were able to buy at the pre- war
ipriees, which. as every one knows.
wee very low. But changes came
suddenly in the markets throughout
the world and prices began TO get
higher. We thought it was good
business TO follow the market. and We
ibid 80 10 an extent and vet We sold
many OF our goods low enough so
THAT We were able To uaderseil many
Of our competitors Up aud up things
went, AMI with the higher prices our
lprafits grew espondingly As ali
1osher business men. We made money
ssluring the war. bat there neyar was
a time during this high price period
THAT did not fully realize that Just
as sure as peace came there would
he a reaction aud a readjustment and
THAT the time was coming when we
would be obliged TO stand losses that
lnrobably would compare with the war
thine profits. For this reason before
/ left home for Daytona Beach, where
IL have spent several pleasant VIM
tiers. told my sons that the thing TO
lido was 90 follow the market down
land TO sell their goods according TO
lit. even though they dill not get cost
for their merchandise and to take
their losses just as manfully as they
did their war profits,
4; is with regret. " continued Mr..
Sweet, that | see that some meg-
lehants are not taking this course, but
Iare insisting on hanging on 10 the
eaormous war profits. regard this
as unpatriotic and certainly unfair
land unjust TO their patrons Every
Ireparabla merchant knows that fair
land honorable trading means a rea-
isonahle profit TO the merchant aud
the various Per cents on different tires
which are conceded to be along the
lines of honest business are well
known 10 every tradesman. TO my
mind it is absolutely dishonest for d
merchant % demand more than wha,
the general rules OF business cencede
TO be reasonable margin for han
sallng the goods Really no merchant
can successfully deceive his patrons
very long As to- what the price 81
every commodity he handles should
he. not only here but throughout the
entire country. For instance, no mat
ter where one is in the United States
III is . very easy matter TO secure cop
les Of newspapers from PRACTICAL,
levery city AID county in the country
and il is pretty certain that mos
communities are fortunate enough t
thave straightforward business men
fair and just enough to be Statistic,
with d reasonable profit. Who are ed
ivertising their wares and giving thei
tprices Iii large black face tiispla,
type Il. therefore. does rot taxi
livery long for the whole country {
know What every merchant ought t
be selling his goods al. As fori mvsel
have been in business too man
Years to be willing Ia take a3vantag
OF the creaibilty Of nay patrons b
extorting a dishonest profit from III
people who have been responsible 10
my business success TINS far and t
when | must lock for It's oontinuane
in the future That merchant VIII
makes a business OF quoting to b
fpatrons fabulous sums which he mn
pay for freight and gives this Is
treason for exorhitant prices shoul
be put down as profiteer proper.
is true that freight rates are hig
and In many cases too nigh. but !
high as they are the cost on goot
for two or three hundred miles dol
not amount 10 enough 10 make al
: material difference in the cost Of !
. amount usually sold to any one pc
son at retail Much Of this freight e.
| cuse for high prices is camaiionge
| propaganda.
~All real business men who had Il
| brains to pass successfully throus
| the war crisis in safety will be foul
facing their present problems vi
equal patriotism ard honor and "
be found. unless miss my que.
with the balance on the right sfle
their letigers at the close Of 1921.
1 .&K-r- tha fssa ~ v.a rave ur.sa