New Britain herald., 1926-04-12
MERCHANTS ARGUE
 SATURDAY POLICY
Continued from First page)

cause at meeting with only IS or 20 present the majority iu favor was not large enough,
 'I haven't discussed this sItua- ton outside Of my store. 1 haven't been talking outside and l don't be- iieNe outside politics ought 10 be played in this thing at alD."
 As much politics has been played on his side Of thc track as on our side" replied Mir. Raphael, referring 10 Mir. Davidson's charge. If We kept open Friday evenings the stock in our stores would be in such q condition We could not get 1t into shape for Saturday morning"
 Mr, Davidson replied with n counter charge. Tt seems 10 me that inc other end Of the town has had very good leadership and some dis Cusson on this case. l believe every man should come up horo with q free mind. l have discussed 1t with nobody. l wish the same could be said about others. If l thought our concern would lose business permanently because Of the change l would oppose it. l don't believe in the long run any mor- chant would lose anything, Some of the larger stores would lose some business for month or two, we eN- pcct that, because the smaller stores will keep open both Friday and Sat urlay evenings.
 "Whon the general public becomes familiar with the change there will he no shopping on Saturday eve ming. There will be no customers 10 shop. When we stopped keeping open Monday nights one larger store even gave away merchandise 10 bring out the trade, but this worked for a few weeks and then the people stopped coming.
 we are in 1926. not 1916. It was Tot so long ago we kept open two weeks before Christmas. There will bo more business if we keep open Friday evenings and close Saturday evenings. Saturday is not the shop ping day 1t once was. As the years go on it will become less and less n shopping day. If we return to the time when people worked six days week and 10 hours day for 20 cents an hour, and the automobile business is reduced 75 per cent, then Saturday will become the business day again."
 A. J. DcLaurior, manager Of Gar bcr Brothers, took a fling at Mr. Mag when he said, "When a man comes with the spirit that he will keep open Saturday nights as well as Friday nights, he is not entitled to vote. l believe in Saturday closing and we are headed toward the right place. Maybe we are fool ish. The court of Spain said Colum- bus was a fool because he thought the earth was round. We are in l the same position as Columbus. In ! Boston when they talked Saturday night closing they thought they were going into bankruptcy, Now Mon- day is their biggest day and they are doing moro business than ever.
 "Thoy say this town is different. All towns are different. If Plain- vile and Bristol stores stay open
 Saturday night, then we ought 10 stay open Friday night and get the business.
 If we don't win out today we will later. If this question came up four years ago there would hardly be a vote in favor of it. But we are pro- grcssing. The mills are not working
 from 6;2O q. m. 10 ?, m. any
 more. The time is coming when there will be q general closing on
 Saturday evenings. Fifteen to 25
 years ago the stores were open
 every day in the week from 6:2C
 o'clock in the morning 10 S:30 or
 at night We are all though with
 the old oil lamp way Of doing busi- ness and have taken up the moderr electric light method"
 The manager of the New Britain
 Market company said all prcsen had their minds made up bcfor' they went 10 the meeting.
 More Chargrs
 "This meeting is quite enlightcn ing" A. J. Levcnthal said. Man! < people believe New Britain is mad' . up Of two composite parts Th'
 merchants in tho south end of tow
 think we arc entirely different set o
 people from those in tho north end
 1 deny that this conditions exists {,
 any great extent,
 Past events have proven tha
 steps taken in the direction of an I progress have always worked OH
 satisfactorily If as much effort wa
 made 10 work up q representation
 from the south end as from th
 north side, the vote would hay
 been overwhelming. I don't want 1 i become personal. but when Nil . Davidson talked Of politics bcin , played he was not very far wront
 There is a ring leader on the mort |. side
 "ErEardlcss of whether or nc |, Saturday night closing comes at tht n time. it will come eventually an V p, oplc who do not want 10 folio - will bc forccl to do so by their ow business interests"
 e NIr. Raphael wanted 10 know E everybody would keep open Satul I day nights if that was tho result (
 inc vote. Mr. Porter replied thf f his store and 14 others would COT [ tinuo 10 close Saturday nights. NJ p Volz asked how many Of those wh