The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-06-02
TOPICS OF DEALERS
TALKED IN MEETING
DRY GOODS MEN HAVE AN
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS
E. J. BRETT WAS THERE
Mankato Merchant Tells About
State Association Gather
ing, Rochester.

Two. days of great meetings, fex
cellent discussions and fine speaking
have just been finished at the meet
ing of the Minnesota Retail Dry
Goods association gathering at Ro-
chester, according to J. e. Brett of
the George E. Brett company, the
only member of the association
from this city to attend. Two COM
prehensive discussions dealing win
the general subjects of credit bust
ness and over head costs as related
to profits made by dealers In the
last two years were held and ii was
around these topics that the gath
ering centered. There were no de-
cisions reached on either subject but
there was no attempt to formulate
any kind of rules that would bind
any individual. 1t was the consen-
sus of opinion that in case credit
to advantage providing bills are
promptly paid at the end of thirty
days as ali such bills are rendered.It
was agreed that there are many
conveniences growing out OF the use
af reasonable credit from dry goods
stores and there were few who would
have abandoned it entirely.
On the topic of profits and over
head it was agreed that in addition
to the high costs prevailing ON mer-
chants expense, another great fac
tor is the excessive stock that has
been put in, by many merchants who
felt that the good selling times Of
some time ago would continue and Y
was said that there are yet many
who have not taken their loss en-
tirely. There is yet goods on many
merchants shelves that has not
stood the cut that means immediate
loss to the retailer but it was also
apparent that In the most progress
sive establishments that step has
been taken and the merchant is
now selling at the lower price lev
els.
Hardware Man Speaks
A. w. Douglas, vice -preHfdent Of
the Simmons Hardware ,comp1ay Of
st. Louis was one Of the principal
speakers Of the two day inset and
his topic was General Conditions"
on which he is admitted to be one
of the countrys' great aufhorities
over the entire United States max
ing a survey Of the condition Of all
kinds of business and 1t was bis
prediction based upon personal OBJ
servation that conditions are now
better and improving.
Carl F. Schlessleman, brother of
DR.. ]. T. Sch1essleman of the Man
kato Clinic was another of the
speakers on business conditions
during the meetings. There was a
long visit of well known men who
are important cogs IN the machinery
Of business in general and dry
goods in particular who attended
and took parts In the program.
$50 guests in the Hotel ZHmbro and
one banquet, an annual AFFAIR in the
Hotel Kahler.
More Should Attend
Mr.. Brett said today that the
cost of attending such a meeting Is
as nothing compared with the vast
amount of good that any merchant
IN the interested line can get out Of
II If he keeps his eyes and ears-open
to the experiences and knowledge of
those who speak. He said that there
is no dry goods retailer who can az
ford as strictly business matter to
avoid attending the conventions. He
urged today that every business
the national meeting of advertisers
in Milwaukee on June IL.
Officers of the Minnesota associa-
ton are N M. Scott Of Winona,
president; P. J. Nelson of Slaytop;
first vice. president; Harold Good
ing st. Paul, second vice president
and A. F. Young of Lake City treas
urer. ]. e. Brett of this city Is
member of the state executive
board.
The meeting this week was des-
CRIED by Mr.. Brett as the most en-
thusiastic and pertinent that has :
been held since the state organiza-
ton was founded.