Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-26

this sort Of service to the public with
1853 stores per 1000. This Is due to
| the fact that there are so many resort
areas in Florida where small retail es-
| adjustments, some selling nothing more
than ephemeral souvenirs, have sprung
up. Not all operate all the year round
yet are counted. California has ISL
stores per 1000 people
Two communities which cannot be
classified by ordinary explanations are
Delaware and Oregon Neither is an
outstanding resort State, and neither
has especially large cities. Yet Oregon
has 1873 stores per 1000 and Delaware
15.2
From these well served communities
we may turn to those of the opposite
class. Alabama stands at the bottom
OF the list, with only 81 stores per
1000. Mississippi has only SO retail
stores and South Carolina only 81.
Some Sections Demand More.
Storekeeping may be a local habit
and that may account for differences
found. For example, there is no surface
explanation of the fact that South Da-
kota, relatively sparsely settled COM
munity, should have IS stores per / 900
inhabitants, while Tennessee has but 8.
South Dakota Is new country and Ten
neSsee one Of the older States. Each
customer spends far more in the South
Dakota stores than in the Tennessee
ones, however, per capita expenditures
in the Northern State amounting to
$378.36, while in Tennessee the per
capita retail expenditure Is but $248 IS
"a very big difference. The much
greater population of Tennessee makes
that States total contribution to retail
trade $649,S57, 900 while South Dakota
adds but 1862, $4,000. Obviously, the
South Dakotans have a much higher
standard of living from the point Of
view OF things bought at the store.
Some vastly interesting spending
characteristics may be discerned in
comparing the big four of the States
from the point of view of total retail
buying. New York leads not only by
high standing in per capita expendi-
ture, but In total retail purchases, with
total Of 1929 1872 900 for the State.
Pennsylvania comes second In total re-
tail trade with figure of 81, 039 SIS 900,
but by no means second to New York
In per capita purchases. Nearly a score
OF States show higher per capita ex-
penditureS than Pennsylvania. Her per
capita figure is only $41942. This Penn
Sylvan1a per capita figure doubtless Is
low because of the large Quaker popu-
lation and the Pennsylvania Dutch.
Although living well, the people are ex-
tremely thrifty, keeping up the tradition
OF their most celebrated fellow citizen,
the late Benjamin Franklin.
Third in total retail expenditure
comes Illinois, with a toal Of $685.
$4,000 and a per capita figure Of
$483.23. This ranks her second to New
York among the four largest States,
but not second for the country by any
means. Fourth comes Ohio, with
total retail trade of S3,056, 748, 900 and
a per capita figure of $45989.
It may be noted that throughout
this discussion has referred to States
and their rank. Growing all other
figures are those for the National Capi-
tai, classified separately from any
State, as the District Of Columbia. A
per capita expenditure of s68I.65 at
retail stores is shown. This is more
than 500 greater than the highest on
the list of States, California, and more
than $500 more than the lowest, South
Carolina. Even with this high per
capita figure, the number Of stores per
1000 Is below the average, there being
only 12.1, total of 5917 doing an an
nual business of 1891 1873, 900.
washington may disappoint some
people who come seeking panaceas for
every Ill of mankind, but it is the re-
tail BRIDESMAIDS paradise. European
governments may totter, but Uncle
Sam still meets the pay roll which sus-
tains this huge volume of retail trade
In the National Capital