Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-10-06

THE MOHAVE COUNTY MINER complete census of manufacturers i: taken every five years, which show: the number of firms in each indus try, their production, costs and pro fits. These things, of course, cos, money but they are worth it. They are largely responsible for the fact that the United States stands heac and shoulders above any other. coun' try in the efficiency of it's production Is there any reason why we should not spend at least as much to help the retail distributor on whom we must depend to get those goods to us?
 "So far most people have been con- tent to point to the growth of the chain store and cooperative selling movements as indicating the short comings of the individual retailer but the crying need of the hour is that We all get behind the retailer and l help him. If his methods are wrong it is our misfortune and it is up to the rest of us to show him a better way. He sell sat least S5 per cent of all the consumers goods bought in the United States; he has more than a million stores in the country rep resenting an investment of billions of dollars; nshort, the individual retail CT today is our main and vital artery of distribution.
 Many people thoughtlessly say, Do away with the individual retailer. Let the chain store or the cooperative as- sociation take his place. Anyone who studies the problem, however, must realize the shortsightedness of such a plan. Both the chain store and the cooperative association are all right, but would we care to give any single organization a monopoly of our dis tribution?
 "Then there is another phase of the retail situation for which you and as consumers are to blame-the truth is we have grown lazy. We want our goods brought to the door, we want to run charge accounts, we want to have a wide variety of styles and grades of goods to pick from. When our wives select a pair of shoes they insist upon having twenty different lasts to choose from. When we buy sugar We prefer to have it come in a pasteboard box of the particular size which best suits our fancy; and so or turnout the line. But these things cost money. They are nice but are they essential? If we knew we could gel good shoe sfor 25 per cent less, would we not be willing to do with smalle, variety to choose from? Certainly we should not grumble over the high cost of living, while we continually de. mand service which is increasing the cost of the things we buy.
 "The' day is coming when this pro. blem of distribution will be worked out. Just as the development of ou, producing machinery has taken years so the development of the best dis tributing methods must take years tt ,complete. Such changes come about gradually. Right now, however. there are three things we can dc. to hell solve the problem and cut down re tail price.
 |, CD Urge the government to ex tend it's services to the retail field SC that the retailer can have the sam, statistical information and the sam, assistance from scientific reasearch a. the producer now enjoys.
 (2) When buying, select popula, grades of goods and avoid freakisl styles. Encourage simplification O merchandise. Pay cash for your good and if possible carry them home your self. Don't insist upon ridiculous ex change privileges.
 (3) Select one good retail stor which will give you reliable servic' and stick to it. By this l mean talk one grocery store, one meat market one clothing store, etc. As long a the store you have selected gives yo, good service stay with it and boos it. If consumers will follow this pol icy they will automatically build ul the desirable stores and eliminate tin, inferior retailers who now are sustain ed only by careless, transient trade
 "I know that many people are say ing hard things about the retailer jus now. Much of the criticism, however comes from those who do not under stand the facts. Many retailers hay, been short-sighted in this period ot readjustment. They have hesitated tt take losses in order to keep pace witt lower replacement costs. We, how ever, only do ourselves injury by care less and destructive criticism.
 "The retailer has had tremendou! problems not the least of which hay, been the knocks We have given him Most retailers are stumbling along | dazed hv tho ,-an mid chopo,o, ;r norI;