Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1931-08-20

OMMERCE,
0OLUMN
By R. E. L. MEL

A saying is attributed to a promi-
nent educator that there are just three
kinds of people in the world: the few
who make things happen; the slightly
larger group who observe them hap
pening; and the great majority who
never even know they are happening.
These distinctions may be found in
every community.
Practically every city has a group of
men small in number who make things
happen. They put up buildings or
cause them to be erected; they estab-
fish industries; they plan and execute
the ideas born of their energy and
thoughtfulness. Surrounding this
group is a larger crowd who watch
them work, find out what is going on
and oftentimes profit materially by
their observation. The great mass Of
people, however, go about their own
affairs oblivious to what is transpir-
ing, Indifferent, ignorant of the caus-
es of what is happening. They see a
fine building being erected and may
comment on its size but seldom do
they realize that one man, or maybe
two or three men have made that
building happen.
In Chamber, of Commerce work it
is the same, a few men make things
happen. These few or the "clique" that
strangers often hear about when some
gossip says "he belongs t. the crowd
that runs the Chamber of Commerce"
The ordinary run of members see a
new factory, ride over a new road or
attend a celebration that the Chamber
has sponsored and usually accepts such
things as a species of civic phenomena
things which, like Topsy, have just
"growed'' in the community. They
seldom realize hat somebody made
them happen.
To which of these three groups do
you belong? Maybe it would be profit
able if each of us would take stock of
ourselves and determine whether we
belong to the great majority who new
er know that things are happening OF
to the crowd that just sees them &C.
curing, or to the group who are max
ing things happen in Salisbury.
There is a popular misunderstood
- --.1- 49, L.
set the retail merchants of a commun-
ity- A great many people hear that a
merchant makes so or 40 per cent
profit on a certain piece of merchan-
disc and they think of that figure
when they spend their dollar in va
rious retail stores. They are, of course,
ignorant of the expenses of doing bus
mess which reduces the stores profit
to two OF three cents on the dollar.
They never stop to think about the
rent the merchant must pay, or if he
owns his store the interest on his in
vestment, or the pay of salespeople,
light and heat, delivery, office help,
etc., and that this must be deducted
from the profit" On his merchandise
before he gets anything for himself.
If the average customer could only
see the wheels go round in retailing he
would no doubt be more considerate
of the prices asked and at least appre-
ciate the difficulties that are strewn
along the path of the retail merchant.
Then there is the special sales put
on by merchants which offers one of
the most vexing problems that con
fronts the retailer today. There are
special sales, general sales, year end
sales, Monday sales, midsummer sales,
clearance sales, spring sales, fall sales,
cooperative sales, dollar sales, penny
sales until the layman wonders some
times Just when normal business at
normal prices is carried on. These sales
frequently are one of the most serious
leaks through which retail profits es-
cape. Nevertheless they have their dis
tinct uses, both from the standpoint
of the retailer as an individual and that
of the whole community. 1t is when
special sales events are given the prep
er community aspect that they consti-
tute a useful and popular activity and
it is these that the Chamber of Com
MERGE always hopes will be a success
and is ever willing to lend its aid to
that end.
why are. you devoting so much
time, energy and activity to the tour
ist?" was asked of the executive Off
Ger of the Salisbury Chamber of Com
merce.
The answer can be summed up in
a few words. The tourist crop" is
perhaps the largest industry in the
United States. It. is a billion dollars
1,-nor Than rho a~1,tomotive industry