Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-02-02
RETAILERS
PERFECTED
ORGANIZATION

At their second regular meeting held
at the Hotel Dixon Thursday evening
the Wisconsin Rapids Retail Merchants
Association elected a permanent Exc
cutive consisting of Ferd Link, f. w.
Kruger, August Gottschalk, S. w. How
ard, w. F. Gleue, Dan McKercher, NJ
Fridstein, T. P. Peerenboom and R. F.
Johnson, and transacted other busi-
ness.
The association at this time served
an excellent dinner to forty EIGHT mem
bers and others who were present by
invitation. Mr. F. Leslie Body, Sec
retary of the Stevens Point Chamber
of Commerce, gave the chief address
of the evening, touching upon the acti-
vities Of an organization and its pos
sibilities in the way of safeguarding
the business interests of the commun
ty. He told of the experience of Ste
vens Point with itinerant merchants,
and how they had nearly if not quite
solved the problem by requiring new
mercantile concerns to give cash bonds
which would be forfeited if the lner-
chant failed to remain in the city for
one year continuously in the same
business. He also pointed out the Sc
rious detrimental influence of the en-
ployment of transient and outside Ia
Dor in local work and industries. He
urged the Importance of using every
influence to secure the employment of
local laboring men who pay taxes and
spend their money III the home town
in preference to employing those who
take their earnings out of town.
When the new hotel was started in
Stevens Point, he said, it was made
part of the contract that the con-
struction company should use local
labor whenever possible in doing the
building.
Mr. Body also pointed out that
was essential for the city if it were
to prosper in a business way to do
everything possible to interest the
farmers in the city and to point the
advantages and to make trading and
marketing here an advantage. The
farmers are the backbone of any COM
munity and when they are again on
their feet they shall show what an
influence for business they are. You
all know that the present depression
is due, outside of the readjustment
factor, to the keen loss of buying
power of the rural people" He urged
the merchants to buy whenever pos
sible the produce from farmers.
He also emphasized the necessity of
studying the fields by the merchants
and demands of their patrons the nee
essity of buying carefully and closely,
the advantage of advertising and
pointing out the bargains which the
necessity of service and courtesy al
ways. He also urged for good busi-
ness ethics among the trade and the
tabooing of tactics which had suicidal
results.
Mark E. Bruce, owner of the Majes-
tic Theater at Stevens Point, who ac-
companied Mr.. Body that evening,
spoke in response to a request from
POSTMASTER c. F. Kruger, commend
ing the movement for new theater
here, and urging the value of newspa-
=, h,,iI
munity or any individual enterprise
within it. He declared that if the peo-
pie of this city will build GOOD thea
ter and put IN in the hands of a compe-
tent manager, they will be assured of
a very good return on the investment.
l.. NJ Nash was called upon and re-
lated some incidents of early business
life in Wisconsin Rapids. He urged
merchants to keep in personal touch
with the clerks and customers, and to
watch credit lines closely. 1t was his
point that a refusal of credit is often
kindness to the person refused, as
we'll as a necessary act of self defense
on the part of merchant One should
take personal interest in his Gus
toners, he said.
G. o. Babcock praised the plan of
cooperation among the mercantile es-
adjustments of the city to build up the
common interests of the community
Secretary T. P. Peerenboom report
ed on the outcome of the first sales
day. The report showed good con-
dition of the organization and was a
source of satisfaction to every mem
Der present.
Messrs. Rinehart, Gottschalk ano
Rowland were appointed to work out
a Credit Bureau for the Association
R. F. Johnson reported favorably
on the results and effects of the Sales
Day plan, and also brought forward
the matter of employment of local la
Dor in preference to outsiders in al
local industries and enterprises. This
was put into the form of resolution
and unanimously passed by those pres
ent.