Year: 1868

To the Editor of the Press:


The merchants of so and so have formed a
Board OF Trade-a good step in the right direc-
tion. But why don't the retail grocers form a
Board of Trade or a Union of some sort for
mutual protection? perhaps they have some
where but 1 never heard of it'll "Protection
against what" exclaims and questions myr-
lad of customers at once: "We verify thought
it the bounden duty of all mankind to labor
day and night to protect themselves against
those vampires in human shape, who wear
white aprons and gorge themselves ON the pub
lie blood under pretence of catering to the
wants and necessities of-customers, and now
these creatures begin to talk about protecting
themselves" And the myriad of customers
hold uptaoo myriads of hands in holy horror.


Listen one moment. good sirs. and will tell
you oohdt Against those hosts of customers
who lack that back bone of uprightness which
moral and religious principles alone can furn-
ish, and who therefore may be classed together
as invertebrate humanity; who have the pow
er to "sting, draw blood, crawl and leave a
Shiny trail" on many a luckless retail grocer's
ledger; who spend their money for that (which
is otbread" decidedly, and then cheat their
grocer out of his just dues.


How many and who are these low-lived, con-
temptible scoundrels, too mean to be compared
with or mentioned the same day as a thiefor
robber, none but retail grocers know, for their
name is Legion.


Lots OF them walk the streets with heads
erect and apparently as bold as lion till
suddenly you see them droop and sneak round
the nearest corner-be sure they have spied in
the advancing crowd one of their victims
They wear good clothes and take on airs, have
more to say about the extortion to which the
people are subjected by those vanpyres, the
grocers, than all the honest men in the world;
and spare no pains and no amount of lying and
trickery in their incessant efforts to live and
support their families at the expense of the
aforesaid vampires.


Now if the consequences of all this were con-
fined to the retailers-if they alone were the
sufferers it wouldn't probably be worth while
to waste breath about it, for of course small
try like them neither deserve nor should re-
ceive any sympathy or commiseration in any
case; but that there is no such limit as that
most all of Commercial street can testify
Many an honest Il mean just that retailer who
ssss ss haFs been slad in bis inmost soul topay
one hunuieu oe"'s On Otio even II it took
his last mite has fonnd himself unable TO do it
in consequence of bad debts-and so-Comper-
cial street.


Now, Retail Grocers, is there no remedy for
this state of affairs? Ispeak as unto men and
men of sense. believe there is a remedy, and
that It'll in your own hands.


The law, it is true, affords you little or no
protection; but you can unite as against
common foe and protect yourselves. As soon
as one of you finds out one of these cormorants,
let his name be placed in the "black hook" and
let all members of the association be notified
and let him be anathena maranatha till he
orings forth fruits meet for repentance"


Is this suggestion worthy of your considera-
ton? 1t seems to me it is, and if it is why not
call a meeting to consider it and act on it at
once and in earnest.


VIs UNITA FoRTIoR.