EAN SSS gE EY pee r SZ HY} KG O a ¢ an ~ 2 seh am (AU: X yn 3 Visca / WY WW Ga eM x NT . oN a Vv ¢ CS ot 7 d 4 \ Gacy N .. Sy R tS we Ke. OW dia a SS | ( Uy. (C= Alina Sees ONES RS \\ é WORE ba 245; a HG DS ETIE IRMe Ji A (GA LSS eK NORA SON A. z Y \ N33) Ns yj oo i EA a > 7) iy ( G ys Pe tool 1 UL) EAM. 2 EN @: py Yi oS V ARC Ee SINAC ZY 6S >= TRADESMAN COMPANY, PUBLISHERSR<—= x : . bo). eS \fGsyaex = . x 2 eo URE — 4 PORES ORI K Fe PRO OOS A FO CAGES Geena es Cane Vy ON Cy I) th cs 7s = Se Ax e Ws ¥ as Ze Prd RY (7 i ee CY 2 cS [ 26 I, ia SISHIN =r Re (oe Cy 7 R orty-first Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1924 4 SA eUCCESS e It’s doing your job the best you can And being just to your fellowman; It’s making money, but holding friends, And staying true to your aims and ends; It’s figuring how and learning why, And looking forward and thinking high, And dreaming a little and doing much It’s keeping always in closest touch With what is finest in word and deed; It’s being thorough, yet making speed; It’s daring blithely the field of chance While making labor a brave romance; It’s going onward despite defeat Andffighting staunchly, but keeping sweet; It’s being clean and it’s playing fair; It’s laughing lightly at Dame Despair; It’s looking up at the stars above, And dreaming a little and doing much; It’s struggling on with the will to win, But taking loss with a cheerful grin; It’s sharing sorrow, and work, and mirth, And making better this good old earth; It’s serving, striving through strain and stress, Public Reference Library, Library St. It’s doing your noblest—that’s Success. HA enna T aianmaeiiienadaneaiiaall NE of the easiest ways for you to reduce the cost of operating your automobiles and trucks, is to use a gasoline which gives more miles per gallon. Fuel is one of the most im- portant items of expense. An addition of only one more mile, from each gallon you now use will reduce your fuel bill from 6% to 25%, (RERRELELEBELELESESESESSSESSEESSEESESS. More Miles /er Gallon- Lower Hauling Costs a substantial saving during the course of the year. It is possible for you to secure this saving if you will realize that there is a difference in the many brands of gasoline, just as there is a difference in the quality of the other products which you buy. Other car and truck owners have found that D CROWN GASOLINE gives more power, more miles per gallon than do many other brands of gasoline. The reason for this is obvious. Red Crown is made for only one purpose—to produce poWer in the modern internal combustion engine. Red Crown is made to definite specifications, determined after a careful study of all factors necessary to make your engine function properly. Consequent- ly there is not a wasted drop of Red Crown. It gives your machine a quick start, an easy pick-up, and all the power your engine will develop. More miles per gallon mean less cost per mile. Decide now to use Red Crown and reduce your hauling costs. “What Is Good Gasoline?” business library. 910 S. Michigan Ave. == Realizing the importance to the truck owner of a clear knowledge of what constitutes good gasoline, we have prepared a booklet in which the subject is discussed in simple, non-technical language. Now in its fourth edition, the booklet is regarded by many as a valuable addition to their A copy will be sent you with our compliments if you will request it on your letterhead. Address our nearest branch office or write direct to Standard Oil Company (INDIANA) Chicago, Illinois Michigan Branches at Detroit, Grand Rapids and Saginaw &... —— ? . SSS AT » caitlin & ee + ae » 4 , 2 ‘ ’ e: = N US AY a ary men coun WZ, ee 5) Nab x eh Forty-first Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1924 Number 2103 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN (Unlike any other paper.) Frank, Free and Fearless for the Good That We Can Do. Each ‘ssue Complete in Itself. DEVOTED Zs THE BEST INTERESTS OF BUSINESS MEN. Published Weekly By TRADESMAN COMPANY Grand Rapids E. A. STOWE, EHditor. Subscription Price. Three dollars per year, if paid strictly in advance. Four dollars per year, if not paid in advance. Canadian subscriptions, $4.04 per year, payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cents each. Extra copies of current issues, 10 cents; fssues a month or more old, 15 cents; issues a year or more old, 25 cents; issues five years or more old 50 cents. Entered Sept. 23, 1883, at the Postoffice of Grand Rapids as second class matter under Act of March 3, 1879. —$— oo OUTLOOK FOR COTTON. It is now generally agreed by. the cotton trade that the present stocks of domestic cotton will be exhausted the time a new crop has_ been made. Notwithstanding occasional re- ports of mills closing down in textile centers, consumption continues to be heavy, and one of the big questions confronting dealers in finished goods is what will happen when _ present stocks, made up when the raw ma- terial was cheaper, are exhausted and higher prices are inevitable. Guesses at the probable crop for next year are already being made, but at this date, of course, mean nothing. Only one thing may be affirmed with certainty, that is that present prices are go- ing to stimulate heavier planting in the coming spring. Just how much the acreage can be extended will de- pend on the labor supply, which in some sections of the belt is reported as inadequate, owing to the migration of large numbers of negro tenants to the industrial centers of the North. Unless a more effective remedy for the weevil is found the final yield, even with a larger acreage, is highly problematical, as the behavior of the crop pest is largely dependent on the vagaries of the weather. The plan of the Department of Agriculture to is- sue reports on the condition of the crop twice a month next year may serve to keep the market better in- formed as to prospective yield and keep prices somewhat more stable than they have been during the pres- ent crop year. by and Quotations cannot be advanced without limit because of the setback which is bound to occur when prices get beyond the point where a profit can be seen in manufactured goods. For certain special uses, like automo- bile tires and rubberized fabrics, the higher cost of cotton will be ne de- terrent, because any advance in price in this particular component can read- ily be absorbéd in that of the finished product. So, also, in the case of the very finest and flimsiest of fabrics where the labor cost is the main in- gredient, the price of the raw ma- terial will not cut much figure. But in the mass of manufactures of cotton, woven or knit, which use so large a percentage of the fiber, the cost of the raw material is of the essence of the thing. How far such cost is likely to affect production is not yet clear. The mills have been curtailing of late in order to find out what kind of de- mand they are likely to encounter. They will get a better line on this after the dry goods jobbers meet here in the middle of the month. But they do not look for any great rush. Meanwhile, gray goods are moving rather slowly, with second hands offer- ing slight concessions. A larger de- mand would have the tendency to make prices firmer. Hosiery and knit underwear are dull, the former more pronouncedly so. Openings” of knit outerwear were had during the past week with some success. DEATH OF JUDGE HATCH. Hon. Reuben Hatch, died at his home in Detroit last Thursday, as the culmination of an illness lasting about two years. The funeral and inter- ment were held the following day at Traverse City, where the remains were laid beside those of his wife. Judge Hatch was one of the most dependable men the legal profession ever developed. His word was never questioned. His fidelity to his family, his friends and his clients were out- standing features of his long career. He always studied his cases so thor- oughly from both sides and looked up his authorities so carefully that in hundreds of instances his opponents were so overwhelmed by his answers to their pleas that they seldom ever noticed their cases for trial. When- ever he obtained a verdict for a client it was seldom set aside by a higher tribunal, owing to the thoroughness with which he tried every case, based on painstaking study of every phase of the controversy before it received attention from or jury. No attorney ever achieved a better record in the Supreme Court than Judge Hatch long enjoyed. judge The same thoroughness which char- acterized his work as a lawyer was noted in every feature of Judge Hatch’s daily life. As a citizen he was always on the side of law, order and good government. As a Chris- tian gentleman he was an outstanding exponent of the highest standards of living, thinking and expression. He never disappointed his friends nor gave his enemies—if he had any— cause for rejoicing. He pursued the tenor of his way without ever swerv- ing from the path of duty or depart- ing from the highest ethical, profes- sional and moral standards. Courtly in manner, just in his con- clusions, generous in his attitude to- wards others, firm in his friendships, faithful to himself and to every one with whom he came in contact, Judge Hatch had every reason to look back over his well spent life with compla- cency and satisfaction and to view the future with the calmness of a Christian and the courage of a stoic. WOOLS AND WOOLEN GOODS. No wool sales of consequence oOc- curred abroad during the past week, except minor ones in New Zealand, where Germans were the _ principal buyers. Later in the month the auc- tion sales of colonial wools will be resumed. In this country some scat- tered buying of domestic sorts is re- ported, but there is no snap to the business. Much depends on the re- sponse to the offerings for Fall fab- rics which are set to occur about the middle of the month. Buying of men’s wear fabrics for Spring has been a distinct disappointment and, in consequence, much woolen machinery is idle. Women’s wear cloths have made a better showing. Interest in the trade continues to center on the fortcoming openings and there is much speculation on how big the rise in prices will be. The better opinion seems to be that the advance will not be strikingly large, most guesses put- ting it at between 7 and 12 per cent., depending on the fabric. If the cus- tomary course is followed the rises will be less in the staples than in the fancies or novelty goods. A slight advance should not ‘be much of a deterrent to buying on ‘the part of the cutters-up. The latter, however, are likely to be rather dilatory in putting in. their orders, except for sample pieces, until they have sounded out the retailers as to their buying policy. These retailers, in many instances, are not yet prepared to announce this be- cause the season has not been as help- ful to them as they had reason to ex- pect. Just now the retail clothiers are trying to empty their shelves by means of clearance sales. Some of them, too, have quite a lot of Spring suits which they would like to get rid of before ordering for next Fall. eID INA IA TOTTE eS Panama tolls have mounted to near- ly $23,000,000 a year—about $10,000,- 000 above the figure reached for 1922. Since the waterway was opened, despite the commercial asphyxiation and paralysis of war time, the net profit of operating “the big ditch” has exceeded the expectations of those who planned it and brought confusion to those who predicted fiscal disaster. But the calamity howlers disappeared before the facts could silence them. DEPENDS UPON THE PURPOSE The recent court decision putting an end to the combination of cement manufacturers appears to have had a disquieting influence in certain official quarters. The cement peo- ple were enjoined from distributing information as to stocks on hand and other data, and the inference is drawn that this means it is illegal to collect and distribute statistics of production in lines of industry generally. It is difficult, however, to see how such a far-fetched interpretation can be sus- tained. Intent, purpose and effect have always to be taken into account if “the letter of the law which killeth” is not to be followed. In the case of the cement makers the gathering and distribution of statistical matter were only a means to an end, and this end was the raising of prices to consumers by combined effort. Output was regulated and the country parceled out in zones to help this result. The purpose and effect were clearly in violation not only of the anti-trust laws but also of all the laws against monopolies since the time of Queen Elizabeth. If a decision in a case like this were interpreted to mean a ban on the general collection and cir- culation of production data and stock on hand, it would mean that not even the figures of the wheat or cotton crop could be made public. A mere statement of this indicates it to be a case of what logicians are wont to call a reductio ad absurdum. It can’t be made to work. Two hundred dollars for a That price would be enough to tempt any outliner of history or re-writer of the Bible. But the word is wanted for a purpose. It must “Stab awake the conscience of the lawless, scoffing drinker.” It is proverbial that a word to the wise is sufficient. But will a word to the inebriated be enough? The flood of language that has been released to induce people to abstain from liquor exceeds the output of the distilleries and breweries. It is hard to imagine the one word that will shame those who flout the law into compliance with it. eee Even the floating dust of factories, mills and mines, harmless in itself, proves a menace to the workers in modern industry. “Dust explosions,” such as destroyed twenty persons or more in an Illinois starch plant one day last week, are common enough in cotton gins and about grain-thresh- ing machines. They are so numerous that the Department of Agriculture for years has investigated, studied and experimented with ways and means to prevent them. Given the right con- ditions of dry and inflammable par- ticles and a single leaping spark may change this dust into a high explosive and make a shambles of a shop or mill. word. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN January 9, 1924 FIFTY YEARS AGO. When Grand Rapids Had Twenty Thousand Inhabitants. Written for the Tradesman. Ordinarily the old adage is true, “The shoemaker should stick to his last.” However, flying in the face of this bit of the wisdom of the ages, f, in’ 1873, sold out to my brothers my interest in the dry goods firm of Fos- ter Brothers and went to Grand Rap- ids to start a literary newspaper, which was christened the Saturday Evening Post. What I didn’t know about my new occupation would have easily filled a book. But, fortunately for the suc- cess of the new enterprise, I did have horse sense enough to secure the ser- vices of capable men to supplement along other lines whatever ability I have had along the ‘business For the fore- might side of such a project. man of my composing room I took with me from Terre Haute, Ind., Harvey Carr, than whom there was none better, and who has been an- other case of a shoemaker deserting his last and “making good,’ for he long served your community so suc- cessfully as its Chief of Police as to attain National reputation. As my assistant editor, I wisely chose William M. Hathaway, even at that time a man of much experience as a writer, a practical printer as well, hard worker and a _a_ tremendously high assistance man of { ideals. His and council were of the highest value to me. To these two men were due a very large share of the credit for the success of the new enterprise from the start. At S. White and A. B.: Tozer were also at times paid con- tributors to the news or to the liter- ary department of the paper. The first number of the Saturday Evening Post was issued October 4, 1873, just a few days after the break- ing out of the great financial panic ef that propitious yeat__mot a very period for launching any kind of a ew enterprise. At that time the genus “newsboy” was unknown. to your city. I had guaranteed my ad- vertisers a circulation of 2,500 copies and had arranged for that number of papers for my first hadn’t the name of a single subscriber in my office. method of getting rid of my wares. issue. | It was up to me to find some I had some circulars stricken off, ad- vertising for 150 boys who were will- ing to make $1 each the next Satur- day afternoon, selling copies of the new paper, the Saturday Evening Post. I told them to get their par- ents to start them in the business by a loan of 10 cents, for which they could purchase four papers ‘and sell them for 20 cents, and then come back to the office and get eight papers and sell them for 40 cents. These circu- lars I had distributed among the boys at the close of school Friday after- noon. At 2 p. m. Saturday, the Ar- where my office was _ located, was filled with a crowd of boys to the number of a hundred or more. I took them up into vacant rooms on the second story and told them how to proceed, that they would all be sold their papers before anyone would be cade, permitted to go out upon the street, that all might have an equal chance, and that they should all get out on Canal and Monroe streets and cry out “Saturday. Evening Post, 5 cents,” at the top of their voices and that the boy who yelled the loudest would sell the most papers. Scarcely ever was such a mob let loose upon a surprised community. People ran out of their stores to see what was the matter. They sold for me that afternoon the entire 2,500 copies of my first issue, and the newsboy had come to Grand Rapids to stay. How quiet and al- most lonesome our streets would now be without them. From that first copy of the Post I gleam the following items of interest: Grand Rapids was a city of fully 20,- 000 inhabitants. A. B. Turner was its postmaster and Frank Godfrey his as- editing the Lakeside Weekly at Mus- kegon. Moses V. Aldrich declined to be a candidate for Congress. Nathan Church, of the Times, had just re- turned from a visit to Boston and an- nounced his resumption of his editor- ial duties in a double leaded editorial. Henry Fralick was president of the school board. Rev. J. Morgan Smith was writing a letter each week for the Sunday Democrat under the signature of “Corks.” Miss M. L. Coe, a teach- er in the public schools, whom you will remember as a woman of great force and character and of much abil- ity, had a letter in the Post in which she criticised the difference in salary paid to men and women for the same class of work. The Board of Educa- tion was in the throes of a great bat- tle between its members because of a report made by its Text Book Com- Colonel David N. Foster. sistant. Free delivery of mail matter had just established and 2,400 letters were being delivered daily, the statement being made that that was nearly double the number being de- livered at Columbus, Ohio, and Kan- sas City, which cities had also just been given the carrier sys- been Missouri, tem. The postoffice authorities were bragging on selling 75,000 stamps in a month and on yearly receipts for the entire office of $70,000. Mayor Peirce was in office and inclined to assassinate any editor who in spelling before the “e”. E. B. Fisher was the local editor on the Eagle, with Albert Baxter as the editor, the latter being mentioned for nomination to Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the recent death of Wilder D. Foster. W. F. Conant was editor of the Democrat and M. H. Clark, publisher. A. B. Tozer was soso his name got the “1 gy ns mittee in favor of supplanting Web- ster’s unabridged dictionary with that of Worcestor’s. The city had e:ghty lawyers, one to every 250 inhabitants. The Eagle Hotel being raised nine feet to the new level of Waterloo street. Sweet’s Hotel was soon to be elevated to the new level of Canal street. The toll bridge over the Grand Rapids river at Bridge street was earning handsome dividends. Smith & Morton were putting up the new hotel at the corner of Monroe and Greenwich streets, but no name for it had been selected. “Town Talk,” af- dubbed “7 7..? made his bow to the public in his first com- munication. The city budget was $120,000, the general fund being but $45,000. Evidently the poor was with you alway, for $20,000 was ‘appro- priated to the poor fund. Dr. C. H Maxim ‘* a communication Was terwards 4 scored Dr. Holland, editor of Scribner's Monthly, for writing as _ follows: “There is no true woman living who, when she gives herself away in mar- riage, does not rejoice in the owner- ship that makes her forever the prop- erty of one man.” How would the 20th century woman like that kind of talk? The “Fair God,” by Lew Wai- lace, it is noted, “is receiving much caustic criticism, but sales of the book are large and numerous persons have commenced the task of actually read- ing it through.” Reference is made to the fact the “the homes of six of our wealthiest men—Hon. M. V. Ald- rich, W. B. Ledyard, R: E: Wood, E. T. Nelson, Judge Withey and the late Hon. W. D. Foster—reside on the block bounded by College avenue, Cherry, Fulton and Union. streets. There is not another block of ground in the city that “represents wealth, brains and comfort.” wrote that. Gold was specie payments not havirg resumed. Appraised values of real estate in the city were less than four millions and total taxables less than five millions. Grand Rapids had just commenced using something be- side wood for fuel and 2,500 tons of coal were being consumed yearly. more Hath- 2.way worth 108%, been I might go on Mr. Stowe, to recall other items of that first issue, but I hove given you enough to show you where there was quite a batch of news in it. It is always a delight to me to loo’: back on my four years of life in Gra’ d Rapids. I found my w’fe there, th- principal cf your Training School and also the prircipal cf your Fountain street school. had made would As a young woman se two rever vows—ore that she marry a widower, th: other, that she would rever marry man wh») wou'd take her to Ind‘anz to live. She did both. I said to he:: “We will go to Fort Wayne to make our money and then we'll come back to Grand Rapids to enjoy it.” But we found our home so delightful in what we soon came to regard as, “Dear Old Fort Wayne,’ that we rever returned to your goodly city, which, however, I shall always hold in fond remembrance. David N. Foster. —__++-__ The Greek king, “sick of the King business,” wants to go to California, far from the maddening crowd at Athens, to run a fruit ranch. Un- doubtedly he has in wistful contem- plation the example of the Prince of Wales and the latter’s establishment on the prairies of Alberta. If he were like the exiled King in “Huckleberry Finn,” ‘he might find the simple life he seeks, “loaf and invite his soul” on a raft in the Mississippi. Different monarchs seek different things and, in view of the mercurial temper of the factions among the Hellenes, George may consider himself fortunate that he is pensioned and free. +++ Save your latest catalogs and keep them in an orderly arrangement where you can find what you want when you want it. They will save you many a letter and help you to hold sales. ? La . ' eo ' January 9, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Proper Function of the Retail Merchant It is generally conceded that the prime function of the retail merchant is to act as the buyer for his com- munity. He is not supposed to be the public speculator. There is a world of difference between buying and speculation. Buying is a necessary part of merchan- dising. Without buying there can be no selling. Specu- lation, on the other hand, is a personal pastime, which has no place in retail merchandising. The proper buying of merchandise by the mer-. chant is not speculation. It is business. It should be based on what careful consideration, backed by accurate records, indicates will be sold within a reasonable period. There is, of necessity, some small element of chance, but it is a legitimate element reduced to the minimum, The conduct of a merchandising business is not all one-sided. It entails responsibilities as well as profits. The merchant owes something to his com- munity, as well as to himself. No man has a moral right to a place in the chain of merchandise distribu- tion, either as a retail merchant or a wholesaler, unless he is willing to carry the stock his trade expects him to carry. Otherwise he would not be fulfilling his function as a buyer. Naturally the merchant is interested in his stock turnover. It is only right and proper that he should be. Turnover, however, should never be used as an excuse for cutting down the range of merchandise whch his community has a right to expect him to carry. The customer is entitled to consideration—to a legiti- mate choice of goods. It doesn’t mean duplication of lines, but it does mean that the general field should be covered and that the lines carried should be fairly complete. The manufacturer who has produced a worth- while product, carrying a fair profit, and who has created a market for that product, is likewise entitled to consideration, unless he has established a policy which enables him to play into the hands of the chain store, to the detriment and possible destruction of the community grocer. On staple lines, where goods must be manufactured in advance of the season, he is entitled to reasonable advance orders from the distribution of those lines. Placing advance orders for merchandise which the merchant knows he must have when the season arrives is not speculation. It is good business. A complete stock, well displayed, is often the strongest invitation to buy. Likewise the lack of one staple item in a merchant’s stock may mean the loss of several good customers, and the cost of stocking that item is infinitely less than the cost of replacing those customers. The successful merchant of the future must pay particular attention to his present and prospective cus- tomers, because those customers are going to receive more than passing attention from his competitors, local and otherwise. He must study his trade territory more carefully, with a view to discovering the wants and needs of its people. He must learn more about their likes and dislikes, their work and their hobbies, and the merchandise they can use to advantage in their work or their play. With this information he can cut the risks of buying to a minimum and eliminate speculation and guesswork. Practical buying is impossible without accurate knowledge of conditions and prices. Common sense demands that the merchant should know about con- ditions which have a bearing on either the price or the market of the goods he sells, It is not always a ques- tion of raw material prices or manufacturing costs. Neither does it depend entirely upon the status of some one agricultural product. Supply and demand are to be reckoned with and the general buying power of the country. High costs of labor are to be considered, as well as fundamental conditions of the country as a whole. Fortunately, fundamental conditions to-day are sound and business prospects for 1924 are good. There are at least four factors involved in the high cost of merchandise distribution: Over-buying, buying at the wrong price, under-buying and poor selling. Each adds its toll to a merchant’s overhead and reduces his profit. If you are to sell profitably, you must buy intelligently, but you cannot sell at all unless you first buy. No merchant ever made a profit by being out of the merchandise his community needed. WORDEN (GROCER COMPANY Grand Rapids Kalamazoo—Lansing—Battle Creek The Prompt Shippers MICHIGAN TRADESMAN EWSerte BUSINESS WORL hy a aes , << hel Zz M\ Shine BAY cut = o Sams ROR SES (F— MOVEMENT OF MERCHANTS. Traverse City—Bruce Johnson suc- ceeds H. W. Simpkins in the grocery business, Detroit—The Gordon Shoe Co. increased jts capital stock from $10,- 000 to $30,000. Detroit—Harry Zabirin the grocery stock of 5983 Trumbull. Fremont—Edward has has bought Jordan Gotcheff, Richardson suc- ceeds W. A. Tibbitts & Son in the grocery business. Bay City—The Kehlman Electric Co, has increased its capital stock from $150,000 to $200,000. Maple Rapids—Richards & Kidder have opened a modern bakery, con- fectionery and cigar store. Detroit—Barnett’s Bazaar, 908-12 Michigan avenue, is closing out its stock of men’s furnishings. Detroit—S. Polka has sold his gro- cery and meat market, 11426 Van Dyke to Jos. Wojtezak. Detroit—The confectionery stock of Moffett, 2019 Second boulevard, owned by Law. Detroit—Geo. Dassios has bought Mill Confectionery, 1026 Farmer street, from Peter Cavouris. Negaunee—LaVerne land- lord and owner of the Breitung hotel, avenue, Roy is now Theodore the Green Seass, is remodeling and improving the prop- Criy. Detroit—The Quo Vadis Bakery and Pastry Co. has bought the bakery at 8559 Jos. Campau avenue from Max “ Lipska. Pontiac—The Wolfman Millinery Co., 54 North street, has 1i- creased its capital stock from $10,000 to $20,000. Saginaw Detroit—The Palmer Auto Sales Corporation, 711 East Palmer avenue, has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to $30,090. Jackson—The Reliance Automobile & Supply Co., 701 East Main street, has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to $75,000. Highland Park — P. Cholekson bought the Connoisseur Candy Shop, 13304. Woodward from H. Tsolakides Jan. 5, avenue, Kalamazoo—IF ire damaged the gro- cery store of H. C. Hayes Park and James street, to the extent of about $3,000. Gilman, avenue Detroit—George Joseph has bought meat market of Hy- Cass The took place Jan. 7. the grocery and Katz, 2301 change Nashville—W. B. partment closing out his stock at special sale and will retire from trade, owing to ill health. man avenue. Cortright, de- stcre, is Detroit—Frank Zdanviwicz is the new owner of the bakery at 4001 Thir- tieth street, having purchased the business from John Krzerzkiewicz. Detroit—The Duplex Haberdashers 7748 Woodward avenue, are discon- tinuing their haberdashery line and will do tailoring only in the future. Detroit—The grocery and meat market at 2601 Beaubien street is being conducted by Hyman Zack, who bought it from I. Auerbach Jan. 4. Detroit—The Crosstown (Garage, 5041 John R. street, has been incorpor- ated for $5,000. D. M. Ferry, Jr., W. J. White and Thomas F. Boxiiby are the owners. Hamtramck—The Economy Fruit Market, 1026 Clay street, is in thie hands of Sam Stillwater and others, who bought the business from Frank Mer- shy Jan. 3. Detroit—Anna Portz is named as owner of the grocery and meat mar- ket operated by Edward Portz, 17850 Omira avenue, in a bill of cently filed. Detroit—Weisman & Sons Co., West Jefferson avenue, wholesale jewelry and jewelry notions, has in- creased its capital stock from $30,000 to $75,000. Negaunee—Ollie Koskinen, grocer and meat dealer, was found dead on the floor of his store, as the result of an attack of heart trouble. He was 36 years of age. sale re- 166 Detroit—The Wayne Storage Co., ‘3020 Michigan avenue, has been in- corporated to handle storage and cartage. The capital stock is $10,000, paid wholly in property. Detroit—Earnest J. Lipscombe has bought out his partner, Marjorie Moreland, in the Washington Shop, 1404. Washington boulevard. The firm deals in gifts. Detroit—Among the incorporations of the week is that of the Wayne Fur- niture Co., 13831 Oakman boulevard. Sherman U. Blake and others are in- terested in the business. Marquette—Fire destroyed the res- taurant and building of George Kar- ras, South Front street, entailing a loss of about $5,000, which is par- tially covered by insurance. St. Johns—Stephen Temple has leased the store building adjoining his meat market and opened a grocery store in connection with his market, cutting an archway between the two stores. Detroit—The J. L. Hudson Co., one of the largest department stores in the country, has increased its capital stock from $8,000,000 to $12,000,000 and declared a stock dividend aggre- gating $4,000,000. Lowell—W. S. Winegar has sold a half interest in his drug stock to William C. Hartman, his registered clerk for the past 16 years. The business will be continued under the style of Winegar & Hartman. Ludington—The | Mason-Chevrolet Sales Co. has been incorporated to deal in autos, parts, accessories, sup- plies, etc., with an authorized capital stock of $15,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash, Marquette—Harrington & Tripp, clothiers, at the corner of Washington and Third streets, have dissolved partnership and the business will be continued by Joseph P. Harrington, who has taken over the interest of his partner. Custer—B. F. Brunke, grain and produce dealer at Fountain, has pur- chased the grain elevator, produce and grain stock of the L. J. Jebavy Co. -and will continue the business at the under the management of his brother, Edward Brunke. Lansing—Herman M. Reuffer, for the past five years an employe of the Gregory Tin Shop, 1217 North Wash- ington avenue, has purchased the business of the heirs of the late George H. Gregory and will continue it at same location the same location under his own name, Detroit—Lampe & Tanner, 11728 have merged their musical accessories, electrical ap- pliances, etc., business into a stock company under the same style with an authorized capital stock of $5,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid im in cash. Albion—Bruce W.- Kinmont,. 67 years old, retired Albion business man died ‘last Wednesday from heart trouble, with which he had been ill for months. He recently sold his drug store business, which he had conduct- Hamilton, instruments, ed tor 30 years. He ieaves. one daughter, Mrs. Walter Kittenger, of this city. Detroit—A. & W. Cooper, 6526 Gra- tiot avenue, have merged their build- ing materials, supplies, fuel, etc., busi- ress into a stock company under the style of the Cooper Supply Co. with an authorized capital stock of $300,000, all ef which has been subscribed and paid in, $16,184.89 in cash and $283,- 815.11 in property. Manufacturing Matters. Detroit—The Dubrie Marine Motors Co. has decreased its capital stock from $250,000 to $50,000. Menominee—The Northland Motors Co. has increased its capital stock from $65,000 to $125,000. Battle Creek—The United Metal Products Co., 27 Fonda avenue, has changed its name to the United Steel &° Wire Co. Jackson—The Production ery Co, ruptcy. $19,015.22. Romeo—The W. Rumsey Co., ufacturer of woo] and cotton has increased its capital $50,000 to $150,000. Bay City—The Wolverine Knitting Mills, 120 North Jackson street, has increased its capital stock from $50,- 000 to $100,000. Detroit—The Guarantee Enameling Co., 1564 Brewster, is now owned by Machin- has filed a petition in bank- Assets, $9,980.74; liabilities, mau- waste, stock from January 9, Charles N. Cage, who took it o from Alex and John Thow. South Haven—The Pierce-Willi: Co., manufacturer of fruit packa; baskets, etc., has increased its cay “stock from $300,000 to $400,000. Ann Arbor—The Wire Prod: Corporation has increased its cap stock from $25,000 and 8,000 shares par value to $40,000 and 16,000 sha: no par value. Detroit—Fred H. McGuire bought out his partner, Oscar Campbell. The business is the |) troit Wholesale Rug Works, 318 Eas: Jefferson avenue. Detroit—The McAvoy Manufactu: ing Co., 3711 Grand River avenue, been incorporated for $200,000 to mak paints and similar products. Deln McAvoy and G. C. Lendon are two the incorporators. Detroit—The Excello Piston Rin: Co., 13925 Grand River boulevard. has been incorporated with an autho; ized capital stock of $20,000, all! of which has been subscribed and $12, 000 paid in in property. itetroit—The Chrysler Motor Cor poration, 12302 Oakland avenue, has been incorporated to manufacture automobiles. W. P. Chrysler, W. Ledyard Mitchell and B. E. Hutchin- son are the incorporators. Hamtramck—The American Ru)- ber Products Co., 3136 Denton street, has been incorporated with an author- ized capital stock of $100,000, $75,000 of which has been subscribed, $21,(01 paid in in cash and $50,000 in property. Detroit—The Standard Service Tool Co., 682-90 Fort street East, has been incorporated with an authorized cap- ital stock of $100,000 preferred and 10,000 shares at $1 per share, of which amount $89,000 and 4,450 shares has been subscribed and paid in in prop- erty. Reinforced business of- Jackson—The Jackson Concrete Pipe Co., with fices at 601-2 Central State Bank building, has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $30,000, $15,020 of which has been subscribed and paid in, $5,020 in cash and $10,- QJO0 in property. Grand Rapids—The Zoerman Clark Manufacturing Co., fices at 308 Grand with ibusiness of- Rapids Savings ae ae d ; Bank building, has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $10,000 all of which has been sub- scribed and paid in, $5,020 in cash, and. $4,980 in property. : An armada of a hundred ships, the largest fleet the American Navy has ever assembled is now en route for the winter manoeuvers at Panama. This fleet, unlike the Armada of old, is bent on no destructive purpose. But until the millennial event of universal disarmament, in a world admittedly imperfect, with nations as well as in- dividuals prone to gusts of ungovern- able anger and epidemics of unreason, we must be on guard against foes at the gate or even beyond the enringing seas. —_+~++—_____ It may be the business of the city to keep the pavements clean around your store, but don’t leave it to the city. Make it your own affair, clean them before traffic starts, and » « a _ ea a Pees Y a a ’ \ cae Pm INE FAY a ¢ 4 > ae ¥ F \ Aci st a at ee & Y s ‘ ’ * a ‘ ‘ s . . » ince aol gus Uy & * = Bee 2 « ‘ { _emeagpcence taapaeercce—eatnmcantiiae te 4 “ “4 é te nail ’ » t Ee : { ck Se ve ; 1s a a ih , “y sileos — anal a ’ * al ‘ ‘ & Y ‘ x ' ® " oeyiiten cities men” * = be x : t \ t ’ “ 4 » t $< tent ’ » a s + —_— | ’ 4 « * been ‘are to be had only in resales. January 9, 1924 Essential Features of the Grocery Staples. Sugar—Local jobbers hold cane ( granulated at 9.40c and Michigan beet at Ye. Tea—The market has been very dull and inactive during the past week, owing to the holiday. There has been an everyday demand, but for comparatively small lots, which ‘the buyer had to have.. From now on the market will show increased ac- tivity and although no actual boom is expected in the near future, prices are strong, as has been reported for several Some operators are expecting lower prices, but this opin- ion is not shared by the majority. Coffee—The demand for coffee dur- ing the week has been, so far as first hands are concerned, quiet owing to the holiday intervening. There have some small fluctuations in the quotations on green coffee futures, but the market for green Rio and Santos sold in a large way and the jobbing market for roasted coffees of these grades remains about unchanged for the week. The demand at the moment is very light. Mild coffees continue unchanged, steady to firm, with a quiet demand. Canned Fruits—California packs are for immediate use but spot goods are preferred to those at the source. Postings show that packers are not free sellers and that their hold- ings are relatively light as well as be- ing more or less broken in assortment. Pineapple is about steady on estab- lished brands but less known packs tea weeks. taken are easy. Canned Vegetables — Considerable latent strength is shown in major and minor vegetables, however, as supplies are not excessive, even where there were large packs, as in corn and peas, while in other items which were not up to expectations the situation is even more interesting, and, in view of the moderate jobbing stocks, it is thought that buying during the early part of 1924 will be unusually good. In fact, distributors are rather opti- mistic as to the future and expect to buy more freely on contract than in the past year, but no one looks for a complete abandonment of the con- servative buying policy. Rather, it is apt to be modified toward freer buy- ing, but not along speculative lines. Tomatoes have gained in strength at country points in No. 2s and No. 3s, but No. 10s are not in much demand at the moment and are quiet. Packers’ and buyers’ labels are both doing bet- ter from a quotation standpoint in the two smaller sizes. There is some dis- position to buy, but at less than ruling prices. Peas have been firm and all standards of 1923 pack are scarce and New packs have been fairly well taken, but canners and buyers are now less anxious to trade than at the early part of the season. Spot supplies of corn are not excessive, but there is no pressure to sell goods and even less desire to do so at country points. Jobbing requirements are not exces- sive, while there is some demand for futures. Canned Fish—Maine sardines have continued scarce and very firm, with- out any change during the week. It MICHIGAN TRADESMAN is practically impossible to get any concessions in this grade of sardines. Other grades show no change and light demand. Salmon is quiet and unchanged. Speaking again of Maine sardines, if the price does not decline and the demand continues as small as it is, the chance is packers will have to reduce their ideas of value. Dried Fruits—There is some Coast buying of prunes, but it is hard to get the large sizes, which are preferred except in assortments carrying a small percentage of the desired grades. Interest in raisins is largely centered in the expected offering of a new brand by the Sun-Maid at a reduced basis. Sunland label. There is more enquiry for raisins in package and box packs but offers are generally under the market and are refused. Sun-Maid package Thompsons are scarce on the spot, as are 3 crown loose. Apricots have been advanced lc by the Association, effective Wed- nesday, on both Sunsweet and Grow- ers brand. The price gain is logical as the market of late has been firmer, due to export buying and relatively light jobbing stocks which need re- plenishment. Top grade on the spot are almost exhausted and goods to arrive have been sold freely. Peaches and pears are fairly steady in tone but are not selling in a big way. Salt Fish—The demand for mackerel during the past week has been pretty nearly at a minimum, as fish is not a holiday food. The entire line of salt fish is very quiet, but prices are satis- factorily steady. Beans and Peas—The demand for all varieties of white beans has been very dull during the week, with prices unchanged. Green and Scotch peas are also unchanged, but rather soft and dull. The whole market is in- clined to be easy and in buyer’s favor. Rice--Domestic rice is firm, reflect- ing conditions at primary points. Sup- plies are not excessive and there is no pressure to sell, owing to the diffi- culty in making satisfactory replace- ments. The turnover is moderate, but average for the season. Foreign rice is firm in tone, but the demand is rather limited. Syrup and Molasses—High-grade molasses is wanted and is moving out every day at firm prices. The scarcity of better grades is increasing the de- mand for medium grades. The de- mand for sugar syrup is quiet, with- out change. Compound syrup is weaker, showing a decline on most grades of 15 points. The demand is fairly active. Cheese—The market is very quiet, with a light consumptive demand and increased production. Stocks in stor- age are reported to be considerably in excess of what they were last year. The price is ruling much lower than it did last year. We are likely to have a better demand from now on, without much change in price. Provisions — Everything in the smoked meat line is quiet, with a light consumptive demand, at unchanged prices. Pure lard is lower and lard substitutes are quiet at unchanged prices. We are not likely to experi- ence much change in the next few days. Dried beef is very quiet at un- changed prices. Review of the Produce Market. Apples—-Standard winter varieties such as Spy, Baldwin, Jonathan, Rus- setts, etc., fetch $1 per bu. Bagas—Canadian $1.75 per 100 Ib. sack. Bananas—94%4@934c per Ib. Butter—The market is steady at prices ranging about the same as a week ago. The quality arriving is good for the season. Stocks in stor- age are the same as they were a year ago. The market is steady on the present basis of quotations and we do not look for much change in the im- mediate future. Local jobbers here hold extra fresh at 52c in 60 lb. tubs; fancy in 30 lb. tubs, 53c; prints, 54c; June firsts in tubs, 50c. for packing stock. Cabbage—$1.59 bu. Carrots—$1.25 per bu. Cauliflower—$3@3.50 per doz. heads. Celery—75c@$1 per bunch for home They pay 25c per grown. Cocoanuts—$6.25 per sack of 100. Cranberries — Late Howes from Cape Cod command $10 per bbl. and $5 per % bbl. Cucumbers—Hot house $4 per doz. Eggs—The receipts of fresh are in- creasing as the season advances and meeting with ready sale at about the same as ‘last Phe quality arriving is very good. The future price of fresh eggs depends considerably on weather conditions. Storage eggs are reported to be in ex- prices week. cess supply and the market is only steady at prices ranging about the same as last week, which are con- siderably under the cost price. Local jobbers pay 38c for strictly fresh. Cold storage operators feed out their supplies as follows: BechpaG 30c SeconeG re 24c CNGGNS 3. 8 .4-5---3 -- 20c 2c extra for cartons. Egg Plant—$3 per doz. Garlic—35c per string for Italian. Grape Fruit—Fancy Florida now sell as follows: BG) $3.25 LG ee 3.50 Se 3.75 G4 and 70 20 375 Grapes—Spanish Malaga, $9.50@ $12.50 per keg. Green Beans—$3 per hamper. Green Onions—$1.20 per doz. bunches for Chalotts. Honey—25¢ for comb; 25c_ for strained. Lettuce—In good demand on the following basis: California Iceberg, per crate -~-$4.00 Beat per pound 2). 20c Lemons—The market is now on the following basis: G00) Sunkist 22. 1s $5.50 300 Red Ball =) 0 5.00 S60 ‘Red Ball 22...) 4.50 Onions—Spanish, $2.50 per crate; home grown $3.25 per 100 Ib. sack. Oranges — Fancy Sunkist Navels now quoted on the following basis: TO, i $5.50 OG 5.50 i 176 Ae... 5.00 ONG 4.50 255 a ee 4.06 2 CG 4.00 Floridas fetch $4.25@4.50. ~ed Wednesday, bunches. Peppers—75c per basket containing 16 to 18. Potatoes—50@55c Parsley—60c per doz. per bu. Radishes—90c per doz. bunches for hot house. Spinach—$2.50 per bu. Squash—Hubbard, $4 per 100 Ibs. Sweet Potatoes — Delaware kiln dried fetch $3.25 per hamper. Tomatoes—Southern grown $1.50 basket. Turnips—$1.25 per bu. per 5 Ib-. —_>~-+__ Gabby Gleanings From Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids, Jan. 8—The Hekman Biscuit Co., which has eighteen large trucks on the road, delivering baked goods to all parts of Western and Central Michigan, has purchased a Mack chassis and is having a top con- structed which will hold 1,000 cans of baked goods. The Executive Board of the Retail Grocers and General Merchants As- sociation of Michigan will be held at the Pantlind Hotel at 2 o’clock Thurs- day afternoon. Louis J. Koster was in week and signed.up for fifth year of continuous service with Edson, Moore & Co. Hf any other traveling man in Michigan can match this record, Gabby would like to know it. : C. S. Storrs, who was credit man of Casibianca & Son for five years, since which time he has acted as cred- it man for the John T. Woodhouse Co., has signed with the Sherwin- Williams Co. to cover the paint trade Detroit last the forty- of Grand Rapids and seven counties in Western Michigan. Henry Vinkemulder leaves next week for a trip to Florida and Cuba. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Vin- kemulder. : Edward Frick (Judson Grocer Co.) was drawn to serve on a jury m Police Court to-day. He succeeded in getting excused on account of the excited condition of the sugar market. William S. Dunlap (Simon & Dun- lap), and ©. ©. Garrison €R._ |. Gar- rison & Son) both produce represen- tatives of Philadelphia, are in the city to-day. The January furniture market open- Jan. 2, with a large list of buyers. Up to the close of reg- istration on Saturday, there were reg- istered about 750 buyers and, as usu- ally is the fact, most of the time of last week the buyers spent at the Grand Rapids facories. But satrting in with Monday morning all of the exhibition buildings began getting pretty busy and by the close of busi- ness Monday there was over 1150 buy- ers registered and the buying was up to expectations. The present week will be the large week of the market and right off the bat the National Re- tail Furniture Association started with a meeting every night up to and in- cluding Friday evening. A question was put up, “Guess the volume of the amount of furniture manufactured in the year of 1923,” and the guess was answered by those who were in pesi- tion to know that the volume run was over $580,000,000, which is some furniture. Adolf Hasse and George Graff, from the Arcadia Furniture Co., were visit- ors in the market last week looking over their samples in the showroom of the John D. Martin Furniture Co. The John D. Martin Furniture Co. has made some radical changes in the lines it is showing in its showroom, having dropped the K-D Cabinet line and taken on the Land-Dilkes Co., in its place, both of the factories being in Richmond, Indiana. This: factory makes kitchen cabinets. It also, drop- ped the Richmond Furniture Manu facturing Co. lines of wardrobes a d cupboards and is selling cupboa‘cs and wardrobes manufactured by the William Kopp Co., Louisville, Ky. sec emanate EAC ENNIS SONA HE LON TOGA CIEE AOC Teta nnat MICHIGAN TRADESMAN % <7 Poe” 4 ee Ne — - WOMANS WORLD What Does Each Room in Your House Say? Written for the Tradesman. “Try your sofa over here,” my friend suggested. Sure enough, it was much better. But :because I had been living with it for a number of years, I never had thought of chang- ing it. “IT have not cared to change my rooms very much,” my friend said, “but one day something had to be done in the room where I had a bed- ridden aunt, and we moved her bed from the corner to the other side of the room. At once she exclaimed: “Oh, how much nicer! Now I can see out of both of the windows when you prop me up in bed.’ The last few months of her life she kept talk- ing about how much she enjoyed the new location of things in her room. And we had feared that she would be upset by the change.” I spoke of this to a doctor a while afterwards, and he said: “Indeed, you have no idea what a difference it makes sometimes with sick people just to shift things about a bit. I could give you the names of one man and two women, nervous patients of mine, whose condition was distinctly improved by simply chang- ing the arrangement of things in their rooms.” One does not have to be sick or especially nervous to be benefited by a new setting of things in one’s room. Unconsciously we tire of fixed and habitual surroundings, and a change of arrangement sometimes will be as beneficial as a trip away. Also, without our realizing it, some- times the whole air of a room may have over a long period of time an unwholesome One living room that I knew very well was dark in tone, gloomy in its general in- fluence. After much discussion, and despite the objections of the family conservative, it was thoroughly over- hauled. Woodwork and walls were changed to a warm cream; gay chintz was put in the windows and over some of the old furniture. The air of the room became cheerful, and it took no stretch of imagination to see the ef- fects of it upon the whole family. influence. A still more striking instance was that of the effect of simply substitut- ing an inexpensive droplight and mov- ing one table from the side to the center of the room. Immediately the members of the family began to sit about the table in the evenings in- stead of going out or remaining in You could feel the in- fluence of the very slight change all over the house. The doctor told me more about the their rooms. case of the man to whom he had al- luded. “He had always wanted a room of his own,” said doctor said, “but being docile had not insisted upon it. Not long ago, while he was away on a trip, by my advice his wife fixed up a room for him, with a desk, some comfortable chairs, chintz of a warm tone and dignified design; the right kind of a lamp, and so on. The man’s delight was pathetic, and I tell you it had a most beneficial effect upon his general health.” There are many answers to the pop- ular saying, ‘““Why men leave home,” but I am very sure that in some cases it is because they are so much more comfortable somewhere else. The doctor’s case is not the only one I know of in which some definite changes in the home arrangements have profoundly affected the family atmosphere. Make your room speak the words: “Come and sit down a while and rest.” It can be done. I have seen rooms which say that, and I have seen rooms which say: “Oh, dear, no, don’t think of sitting down here. This room isn’t to sit down in, it is to stand up in and admire. This isn’t a room for human beings, it is a museum, No one cares to stay in such a room. And when the whole house is only a museum, full of “period furni- ture,” or otherwise stiff and formal, the family goes out. Children feel the air of ‘“‘hominess” even more than grown people do, even if they do not explain it to them- selves. Show me a house from which the whole family flees to other places and I will show you, most times, a house in which comfort and home at- mosphere have been sacrificed to things not half so precious. Look over your house with a stranger's eye, if you can, and see if you can hear what each room says for itself. It takes a little imagination, to be sure. Try moving the furniture about a bit; ask yourself whether a new chair, or lamp, or curtains might not change the whole atmosphere. Ask yourself just such questions about your home. About each room in your home. Try some gradual changes. Don’t think that because 2 certain piece of furniture always has been in that corner it must be there until Judgment Day. You don’t have to rebuild your house or do any other expensive thing in order to-change its atmosphere altogether. First, try asking yourself, “What does this room say to the entering stranger?” Prudence Bradish. (Copyrighted, 1924.) —_—__* -+___- Verbeck Enjoys Hospitality of Some Illinois Bonifaces. Chicago, Jan. 8—In company with Walter J. Hodges and wife, Hotel Burdick, Kalamazoo; W. L. Mc- Manus, Cushman House, Petoskey, and Geo. A. Southerton and wife, La- verne Hotel, Battle Creek, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Illinois Hotel Men’s Association at their an- nual convention at the Hotel LaSalle, Chicago, last week. The occasion was a most pleasur- able one. In addition to numerous banquets, supper and theater parties, the business program of the conven- tion was interesting and educational. The subject of good roads was the feature of the principal business ses- sion, though other matters of mutual interest were taken up. Among them was the telephone situation, it being demonstrated that hotels were losing enormous amounts each year tor the reason that the cost of operating ex- changes in various hotels was far in excess of the earnings in this depart- ment. Michigan’s method of building up the membership of its hotel associa- tion was given much attention. [llin- ois’ association has less than one-half the membership of Michigan’s and yet January 9, 1924 it has been in existence very muc} longer. Here I met W. S. Royer, form manager of the Hotel Benton, Bento; Harbor, and Chas. Renner, of th Edgewater Club, St. Joseph. Th former has purchased the Hotel France, at Paris, Illinois, an 85 room fire proof establishment, now under construction, to be opened March 15, and the latter is now operating th Urbana-Lincoln Hotel, at Urbana. Illinois, which was ‘completed and opened Oct. 1. : Mr. Renner is a very popular mem- ber of the Michigan Hotel Associa- tion and knows every detail of hote! operation, hence his advice is always; most acceptable to his fellow mem- bers. It goes without saying that he will be popular with his newly-elec:- ed associates. Several country hotel operators Illinois informed me that they wer trying out the European plan in run- ning their hotels, but were not pre pared to say that they were particu larly favorable to it. I shall await anxiously for reports on results, for I do not consider this feature favorably, especially when it comes to conducting hotels in very small towns. Some of them tell me their reason for trying the experiment was due to the fact that many guests objected to paying for breakfasts in the hotel and preferred to eat with the Greeks. | am inclined to think their fears groundless. For ages the country ho- tel was operated on the American plan and everybody was happy and contented. Certainly to-day there is a strong tendency to return to the system. It has developed that in many East- ern cities, New York particularly, the larger hotels are now renting out their rooms and charging a certain fixed price for breakfast. The guest may take it or not—he must pay for it just the same. : Hence it will not be a far cry to in- sist that, so long as rooms are re- tained, meals must be purchased in the hotel. The feeding problem is becoming more vexatious every day and the a la carte system is entailing such enormous losses, owing to the necessity of carrying surplus stores ci perishable food stuffs, that the pur- veyor must call a halt or quit the game. With a strict adherence to the American plan the operator can pretty closely estimate from his “house count” just how much service will be required in his dining room and kitchen, which will enable him to prac- L. H. BAKER, Sec’y-Treas. Michigan Shoe Dealers Mutual FIRE INSURANCE CO. Organized for Service, Not for Profit We are Saving Our Policy Holders 30% of Their Tariff Rates on General Mercantile Business FOR INFORMATION, WRITE TO LANSING, MICH. January 9, 1924 tice certain economics in the direction of retrenchment. In Michigan alone there are easly two dozen country hotels closing for the winter, which virtually means clos- ing for good. It seems like an easy way to escape a hard and_ burden- some winter, but what of the spring- time when operations are resumed and nobody to operate on. Far better to keep the hotel oper even at a possible loss, or your for- mer patron will look upon you as a “fair weather” host and the wide- awake landlord in the adjoining town will house and feed him and w: tc! his own steps so closely that wher summer comes he will be entirely weaned away from his former stop- ping place. Here is a good one I saw in the Line ’o Type column of the Chicago Tribune the other day: “Card posted in room of Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids: ‘Please lock your door on re- tiring. The night watchman will try your door during the night.’ Not evi- dence of an unbounded confidence in the watchman, eh!” I do not intend to overlook men- tion of the splendid entertainment given the Michigan delegation to the Illinois Hotel convention by the Ho- tel Sherman at the hands of Ernie Reul, assistant manager. Mr. Reul enjoys the proud distinc- tion of being the only honorary mem- ber of the Michigan State Hotel As- sociation and shows his appreciation of the honor conferred whenever a “Michigan boniface shows up at his es tablishment. Ernie was born at Muskegon and is proud of the fact, and all of his early hotel training was secured there. Ever since the new Hotel Sherman was built, a dozen years ago, he has been actively in evidence there, and h:.s ever made it a point to serve Michiganders. It is now, essentially, a mecca for all visitors from the Wol- verine State, and while this is an acknowledgement and not an adver- tisement, I can say that it deserves the distinction on account of its high quality, location and the brand of it hospitality. Frank S. Verbeck. —_+-.___ Michigan Climate As Good in Winter as Summer. Onaway, Jan. 8—What would Mich- igan be with California or Florida weather? Why, it wouldn’t be Mich- igan, of course. How often do we hear the remark, “Oh, I am getting so that I dread these Michigan win- ters.” What is the matter anyway? Is it Michigan or is it ourselves? Yes, perhaps age has something to do with it; perhaps we are looking for easier things in general; isn’t it true that with all the modern conveniences, one is apt to ask for moderate weather to correspond? It’s a question wheth- er with all these things that we crave or with weather made to order, if we would really be healthier and happier. Before Christmas the howl went up that a green Christmas would make full graveyards, but the weather man came to our relief with a vengeance and now it is the other extreme. Away below zero, snow plows running and big banks of the beautiful white snow piled high: Sleds, skis and snow- shoeing furnish the young people with delightful pleasure. Clean and health- ful sport and some of it applied to the older people might cut down doc- tor bills, too. Over-heated residences and air-tight sleeping rooms are to blame for a whole lot. Pure air is a great medicine or rather the preven- tion of the necessity for taking med- icine. The writer has slept out of doors in a tent summer and winter for fifteen years, end of ten wide open to the world at that. No, we don’t freeze or sleep cold either. Just pre- pare the bed with the right kind of bedding, that’s all. Breathe an abund- ance of God’s pure oxygen every breath you draw. There will be no stuffed up heads or headaches in the morning and it goes a long way to- wards a fresh start for the day. Yes, MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Michigan is a great State and North- ern Michigan has an atmosphere all of its own. Tourists declare it so and they would enjoy the winters equally well were it possible to do so. Isn’t it too ‘bad that law violations have to be published and paraded be- fore the public to such an extent that it would lead one to believe that this old world is nohing but crime. Read- ers appear to crave for the big black headlines telling of some scandal or calamity and the papers are equally eager to furnish the news. It would appear that only the bad predomi- nates. If the same efforts were put forth to secure and publish al] the good deeds that are performed it would present a much cleaner sheet. Laws are undoubtedly made with goed intent; we do not lack for laws at all and good laws at that, but poor- ly enforced laws count for little. law that applies to every city and town may be enforced rigidly in one place and go by default in the next town entirely. Selling cigarettes to minors or allowing minors or students to frequent pool rooms at all: hours is a very common violation. In fact, it appears that they are really the best customers in some places. Pro- fanity in public places is so common that it is hardly considered a violation. But after all it is very encouraging to see how clean recreation rooms are replacing saloons. The young people are given every opportunity to select the best in the way of games and amusements, public playgrounds, en- tertainments and moving pictures in the schools and churches, and unless they set out with a determination to select the vice there is no sane reason for not selecting the best of all these good advantages that are being fur- nished, for many of the old tempta- tions have been removed. : Squire Signal. ——_+ - + ___ New Home of Grand Rapids Council. Grand Rapids, Jan. 8—Grand Rapids Council met Saturday evening, Jan. 5, in the English room of the Rowe hotel. This is the new home of the local council, The English room is on the mezzanine floor, located at the North end. It is equipped with a large fireplace, comfortable chairs, excellent lights. The walls are fur- nished in oak and the floor is tiled. €loak coom, lavatory, etc., are very conveniently located. The new Rowe Hotel is easy to reach, and our atend- ance at the monthly meetings is sure to become larger. A new American flag and a lodge banner have _ been purchased and were in service Satur- day evening. Three new members were initiated and a visitor from Min- neapolis was welcomed. Due to the abolition of the loan fund formerly available to councilors, quite a num- ber of them now stand delinquent in their dues, and it will be necessary for every councilor to pay dues ‘on or before the due date hereafter, if he wishes to keep in good standing. The next dance of the United Com- mercial Travelers will be held Jan. 26, at 8:30 p. m. at the Pantlind ball room. The dance committee will have a few changes made for the improve- ment of the music. N. O. Cascadden. ne oe a There is an honor in_ business that is the fine gold of it; that reck- ons with every man justly; that loves light and frankness; that regards kindness and fairness more highly than goods or prices or profits. It becomes a man more than his fur- nishings or his house; it speaks for him in the heart of everyone. His friendships are serene and_ secure. His strength is like a young tree by a river, not easily moved or rooted up from sound foundations. Every transaction he makes must be, first right, then profitable. To such men success comes readily. Ready Sellers to Increase Volume Franklin Sugar Honey Franklin Cinnamon & Sugar Franklin Golden Syrup Franklin Tea Sugar Unusually attractive packages, lending themselves to beautiful dis- play, quick sellers at a good profit. Get your sugar profits by concen- trating on Franklin Sugar in Packages The Franklin Sugar Refining Company PHILADELPHIA, PA. “A Franklin Cane Sugar for every use’’ ' Say to your customers: Which Would You Rather Sell? | ONE MATCH OR e || TWO MATCHES |e Diamond Matches is name on a box of matches is iar eee Cea peed Beier ras) a) “Here are two boxes of the new, perfected Diamond Match for fifteen cents—the best match and the safest match to take into your home. They are better value than ordinary matches at six or seven cents per box.” Your percentage of profit on Diamond Matches is larger than on ordinary matches, and your total profit on Diamond Matches—two boxes for fifteen cents—is much larger than on one box of ordinary matches at six or seven cents. And you will sell two boxes almost every time. You may as well inerease your match sales. And you may as well make this extra profit on your match sales. THE DIAMOND MATCH CO. ner rnaeereeannasanmasmeumnnaananaabameaseamonammmates Seem eacen enna enren tte 8 CHORUS OF HOPEFULNESS. In the general chorus of hopeful- ness with which the opening of the new year has been greeted there is hardly a discordant note. Bankers, capitalists, captains of industry, prom- inent merchants, officials and others of note all appear to agree that the outlook, so far as it appears from present indications and conditions, is quite promising. Maybe some _ of them are speaking the language more of hope than of expectancy, but the utterances are cheering, none the less, and they help to make up a frame of mind calculated to induce a wish to become a reality. There is no inspi- ration in a state of despondency. That simply serves as a clog upon endeavor and is almost fatal to enterprise. To stimulate hope, on the other hand, is apt to be fruitful in results. If such stimulation, furthermore, is based on more than mere assertions and is sup- ported by an apposite citation of facts, as is the case just now, the beneficial consequences are made much more likely. For it is the general condition of the country which is furnishing the basis of optimism. Contrary to what is the case almost everywhere else, practically every domestic indus- try is in good shape. Unemployment is rare and wages are at a high peak. The large increase in the deposits of savings and other banks is testimony of the added buying power of the country, but it also indicates a spirit of thrift that requires merchandising skill to overcome to the extent of in- ducing more liberality in purchasing. It is recognized that, with the rise in raw material costs and in wage scales, profit margins are-being scaled down to the point of becoming vir- tually non-existent. Producers as well as distributors are obliged to turn sharp corners in many instancts in order to make ends meet. More at- tention is ‘being paid to leaks and the problem of overhead comes in for closer scrutiny. Wherever savings jn operation can be introduced this is done. Concerted effort to get rid of cancellations and returns is one of the steps taken to cut down waste. An- other in the same direction is the vigorous prosecution of fraudulent debtors. In the reduction of over- head the mercantile community as a whole is strongly lined up behind the movement to cut down taxation. The suggested changes in this drection are calculated to help materially in re- ducing the costs of production of com- modities as well as their distribution. They will, in this way, offset to some extent the mounting cost of raw ma- terials as a factor. Neither is the poiat lost sight of that relief from excessive taxation will tend to loosen up funds for investment in business enterprises which are now, and have for some time been, withheld from them. It is not from any one act that reductions in the cost of doing busness will come, but from economies in the diferent stages of the process, with each one contributing its share to the desired result. At this time of balancing the ac- counts for the past year and reviewing its activities the opportunity is given for discovering mistakes of judgment . falls ‘comes MICHIGAN TRADESMAN and wasteful business practices. If these drawbacks are honestly sought for and recognized they become a valuable guide in avoiding similar pit- in the future. If, however, a merchant merely tries to delude him- self and lay to accident or misfortune the consequences of his own faults, he pursues a dangerous course. For experience is of no value to one who will not heed its teachings. The right spirit is shown by one of the most prominent of local retail merchants who looks at things without illusions. In a letter which he sent out at the close of December he remarks: ‘Frankly, our business has not been as prosper- ous this year as we had hoped. Most of the reasons for failure to come up to our plans are our own mistakes. With a full realization of this we are endeavoring, as we never have done before, to analyze more thoroughly, to do more accurate thinking and bet- ter planning, and vigorously to apply all of our energies the coming year to the hard work of making good plans and carrying them out. We must take cheerfully the losses that have come to us through natural con- sequences, but we must not let such occurrences lead us into overlooking mistakes of our own making.” That is the spirit that carries the most hopeful augury, and it is safe to as- sume that, in proportion as it is gen- eral, the country’s business for the year will be prosperous or the reverse. IN SEARCH OF AN ISSUE. There was a note of desperation, al- most of despair, in the Cleveland speech of Hiram Johnson. The one thing that sticks out of it is that the Californian still is in search of an issue. With faint hopes he tries de- nunciation of the sale of American arms to\ Mexico. He assails the Re- publican National Committee. In a sort of hysteria he attacks the Mellon tax plan and, to be consistent with that attack, favors the soldier bonus. He is hoping against hope that he may somehow drag the League of Nations back as an issue and he aims some of his heaviest and most jagged sentences at the World Court. Mean- while with every passing day June 11 nearer, without much _ indica- tion of any popular uprising inside the Republican party in favor of the Great Isolationist of 1920 and the broad- swordsman who stood at Armageddon in 1912. Conditions actuating Republicans in this State are much like those con- fronting them throughout the Nation. They are moving forward to the nom- ination of Mr. Coolidge for the reason that there is nothing else for them to do. Even Mr. Johnson appears to recognize this as inevitable. The ex- planation is simple. It lies not alone in the fact that the Republican party will be obliged to go to the country on the record of the Coolidge ad- ministration. There is more in the situation than the argument against swapping horses while crossing a stream. The large truth is that Mr. Coolidge has already made himself a dominating figure. His party is bound to take him, whether it loves him or hates him, because it would be ridicu- lous and suicidal to pass him by for a much smaller man. Suppose that the President were to die, or to re- fuse absolutely to run again—into what a pickle would his party be thrown! When we think of the anx- ious casting about which would then follow, in the hope of finding a can- didate who might win the confidence and touch the imagination of the country, we see plainly enough why there can be no thought of supplant- ing Mr. Coolidge if he is ready to ac- cept the nomination. Similar political motives are ob- viously at work in the confused situa- tion at Washivgton. It is not solely a question of the rights of the Exe- cutive, which Mr. Coolidge is thrust- ing upon Congress. He is testing the whole matter of his leadership. He is going out to meet his enemies in the gate, and confound them, if pos- sible. In thus forcing the fight for tax reduction he is audacious, but he is also shrewd in selecting the issue. He demands a vote on a question in- volving at once his functions as Presi- dent and his authority as leader of the Republican party and the American people. It is a bold move, and can hardly fail of success. LO, THE GOOD INDIAN. For the first time in the history of Uncle Sam’s attempts to civilize the Indian an Indian tribe has become self-supporting through its own thrift. The 3125 Blackfeet Indians of Mon- tana were in such a destitute condition a few years ago that Congress was obliged to appropriate $20,000 for their relief. To-day the Blackfeet are wholly self-supporting. Last year they raised so much wheat that the Government built them a grist mill to grind their grain for them. This great wheat crop enabled Superintendent F. C. ‘Campbell, of the reservation at Glacier National Park, where the Blackfeet are, to cancel the Govern- ment ration allotment, for 1923. Super- intendent Campbell has also caused the Blackfeet to make progress in diversifying their agricultural efforts. Their farms are now rich and pros- perous. They have organized a grain and cattle association, and have taken steps to increase the number and im- prove the quality of their live stock. When so many people all over the United States are living on our Gov- ernment in one form or another, and . the noble army of pensioners seems ever on the increase, the self-reliance and saving habits of these Montana Indians is indeed refreshing. Is there any reason why all, or at least the greater part, of our Indian wards of the Nation should not be- come decently self-supporting? In- cidentally, we understand that the In- dians are increasing. There is no rea- son why they should not become a National asset. Ten thousand of them fought in France and none of Uncle Sam’s nephews subscribed more free- ly to the Liberty loans. When you read of another mer- chant using a system that might ap- ply to your store, if you want fur- ther information, write to that man and ask him for it. Rarely will you be refused, January 9, 1924 SCOTCHED, NOT KILLED. It seems now that the elation over the abandonment of the so-called Truth in Fabric bill was a little pre- mature, to say the least. It is true that the paper organization which calls itself the National Sheep and Woo! 3ureau, and which was supported as an advertising measure by a firm of woolen manufacturers, has let go of the French-Capper measure that was designed for the alleged purpose of aiding in the use of “virgin” wool. If it were enacted it would be simply a cover for fraud. A law embodying the same provisions is now in exist- ence in Wyoming. It has never been put in operation, because this is an impossibility. As there was no chance of the similar measure being made a Federal law, and as all the advertising value of the proposition had been gained, the backers of it were willing to shelve it, but in doing so they cast an anchor to windward. They induced the putting in of a “joker” in the bill before Congress based on the British Merchandise Marks act, the effect of which would be virtually the same as that of the French-Capper bill. It was thereby hoped to do surreptitiously and cov- ertly what could not be accomplished directly. The project, however, seems doomed to failure because of its ex posure by that very public-spirited body, the Carded Woolen Manu- factures’ Association, which has hitherto done good service in behalf of the woolen industry and the buy- ers of woolen goods. The only regret is that the mutilation of the bill to prevent the swindle of consumers gen- erally may result in defeating the enactment of it. WHERE THE STEEL GOES. The estimated production of steel for the current year is 43,000,000 tons. Just where this vast amount of ma- terial finally goes has been made the basis of an article in the Iron Trade Review. On reports from establish- ments producing nearly three-fourths of the output it is estimated that near- ly a third of the steel shipments dur- ing the past year were taken by the railways. About half of this went into the construction of cars and loco- motives, and somewhat less into track construction, with a small amount going into buildings, bridges, and ma- chinery for the railway shops. About a sixth of the total shipments during the year consisted of structural steel, and approximately a tenth went into pipe for gas, water, and oil, and an- other tenth into the construction of automotive — vehicles. Agricultural equipment required only 2 per cent. of the total output, and slightly more than 6 per cent. went into the export trade. It thus appears that the rail- roads consumed twice as much steel last year as the nearest competitor, the building industry, and this, too, in spite of the building boom which swept the country. Total consump- tion by the railroads during the year was 66 per cent. greater than in 1922. If the wrong way of doing business seems easier than the right way, it is chiefly because one is more accus- tomed to it. ascii January 9, 1924 is There Soon To Be a Change in Russia? Grandville, Jan. 8—Amercan sena-- tors and others who have made it a point to investigate conditions in Rus- sia, return to this country with con- tradictory reports with regard to the land of Bolshevika isms and antics. That the Czar and his family were murdered in cold blood does not stand as a credit mark for the present mis- representative of humanity at the head of Russian affairs. Fact is there is no stable govern- ment in the once Muscovite empire. Torn by internecine strife, with auto- cratic handling of the peoples’ inter- ests, the whole nation is but the seeth- ing discontent incident upon a govern- ment of the commune in its worst form. Any sort of government would be preferable to that which now poses as such under the Russian flag. At a time like this, with a _ vast peasantry, ignorant and seething with discontent, what is more natural than that thoughts of returning to the old regime of Czarism should come _ to the minds of the wretched inhabi- tants? And why should it not? The reign of the late Czar was far in advance of the present no account management of Russian governmental affairs. Such a people are not ready for a republic. They are incapable of self government. It requires the strong hand of a dictator to bring order out of chaos and lead the gen- tle yet ignorant peasantry of Russ‘a into the paths of peace and content- ment. Just now some of the wiser ones are turning anxious eyes toward one who is capable of making himself an acceptable ruler, no less a person than the Grand Duke Nicholas, who is at present in exile, yet who could be easily persuaded to return to the land of all the Russias and take up the scepter laid down by the late Czar. Such an outcome to the present un- happy conditions in the land of the Muscovite would indeed be a blessing. Not until the empire again holds sway will there be peace and safety in the great land of Russia. Grand Duke Nicholas is laying his plans, being in communication with other exiled Russians who are numbered by the millions, Lenine and Trotsky may as well pack their grips and make ready to move. Once the chance is offered Russia to exchange Bolshe- vikism for a staple government under the empire there will be no hesitatio1 to call for imperialism in place of anarchy and indefinitism which has so long made a mess of government under a false name. The old Russia under the reign of the Czar was far superior and more liberal to the people than the present hodgepodge of semi-anarchy. Sane Americans will hail the day when the present mobocrats are hurled from power in the land of the bear, and peace, even though under the empire, comes again to reign. Those who. criticize Secretary Hughes for refusing to treat with the Soviet make-believe government xt Moscow should inform themselves on the crudities of the situation ‘before rushing pell mell into a fit of appo- plexy because our Secretary does not seek to place America on a par with anarchists and outlaws of the lowest type. Russia is a great country. It has a ° history replete with interest, and while under the hand of an emperor made some progress, at least in the arts and sciences. Under the present self- appointed leaders the nation which gave the world Peter the Great, Catherine and others of equal note has fallen to the very lowest depths of infamy and misgovernment. Russia once was and should now be the most powerful nation in Europe. The manner in which the Soviet leaders have crushed liberty and bowed the neck of all the people under a yoke a thousand times more MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 9 tyrannous than anything under the reign of empire is a scandal and a menace to all Europe. Not until genuine peace, genuine government and genuine justice comes to belabored and suffering Russia will there be safety for the world and an opportunity for a world court to work out the salvation of nations, The Russian soldier is one of the world’s best fighters. At the begin- ning of the world war he demon- strated this to the satisfaction of those in alliance with him. After the assassination of the Czar and the fall of the Empire came days of com- munism and anarchy fit only for the machinations of the fabled monster with the cloven hoof. To-day Russia, with nearly half the population of all Europe, has no in- fluence ia the councils of the nations; in fact, lies at the feet of every civil- ized power, a helpless hon, shorn of all power for good or evil outside her own dominions, Now that the Grand Duke Nicholas is seeing sights; is dreaming dreams; is, in fact, learning that Russia has power for better things than a mere mat for Lenine to wipe his feet on, we may hope that there will soon come a new dawn in the East which will serve to throw off the dragoa of Bolshevikism and put on the robe of humanity once more. The year 1924 is destined to see things done in the name of liberty by one who wears the garb of im- perialism for which the Russia of to-day is as much in need of as she was in the days of Peter the Great. With h.m the Grand Duke has one of the most capable generals of the Russia under the late Czar, the Cos- sack General Krasnoff, who won hon- or under the old regime. Grand Duke Nicholas was a general in high stand- ing, the pride of the Russian army before the fall of the late Czar. Old Timer. > - No John the Methodist. Old Sam was the only Baptist in his neighborhood, but he was a staunch defender of this creed and overwhelmed many a dark-skinned opponent in heated religious debates. He would argue thus: “You kin read, can’t you, cullud pusson?” “Yes.” “Well, I s’pose you is read de Bible, hain’t you?” “Yes, course I has.” - “Vou is read *bout John de Baptis’, hain’t you?” “Yes.” “Well, you never read ’bout no John de Mefodis’, did you?” —_—__> 2 There are two kinds of women who like to dress with great style; those who have the price and those who have not. Chocolates Package Goods of Paramount Quality and} Artistic Design with “Uneeda Bakers” covers. Use the rack and covers Display your “Uneeda Bakers” line in the special display rack It’s just like adding another salesman to your force. Push the line by suggesting to your customers new uses for the various products. Result — increased sales, more profits. NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY “Uneeda Bakers” MORRIS’ Supreme Quick Turnover Foods All food products bearing the Supreme label can be depended upon for top quality, quick turnover and ready acceptance by consumers. Ask the Morris salesman to help you install a complete “Supreme” Food Department. You'll find it profitable to sell Supreme Foods pon nr ct spencers emcee i nto ee ee MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Review and Outlook of Retail Shoe Business. Reversal of form is the outstanding the year in industry, results of leather feature in the the shoe and em- bracing for the purpose of analysis, the three important branches of tan- ning, manufacturing and retailing. In the manufacturing branch, whereas in former recent years the makers of women’s footwear have had the. most prosperous times, this year has mark- ed a distinct improvement for the bet- ter in those factories making men’s the factories have reached a stage of over competi- : : shoes, while women’s tion which has developed an overhead the duced, to the exclusion of profit. out of balance: with pairs pro- The very largest operators making long lines in a number of and whose sales-forces have literally had a tair year, and in the women’s branch the hundreds of which have sprung up in the last few years, factories combed the country have smaller factories have had better sustained business and in a small profit or break. But the group of factories that comprises the bulk of the shoes produced and known as “old ducing from 1,000 to 2,000 pairs a day, had filling their mills with a volume large enough their The organized that they can move faster the quicker than the old volume, resulting at least holding an even line’ factories, pro- have great difficulty in and show a factories are so to meet overhead profit. smaller and deliver wanted shoes of the hour line fac- tories, and quick deliveries of high style novelties in demand are a big factor in securing orders. On the other hand, in the retail dis- the shoes tribution branch, larger stores and the departments jn department stores have better specializing on shoe had a year than the average small dealer. They have held their own or perhaps increased their vol- ume. These stores can move quicker in sensing new demands as they are in closer touch with a wide range of sources of information than the small- er store, and having a larger outlet these large operators have more suc- cessfully cleaned their stock of odds and ends, left over from passe styles. In the final analysis, solvency de- pends upon the condition of the stock on hand at inventory time and _ its salability at a profit over the price iventoried, but the rapid succession of women’s styles has resulted in mak- ing the disposition of small lots left on the shelves the great problem of the times for the retail merchant. The larger merchants, as a rule, are meet- ing this problem through a better un- derstanding of and a keener knowl- edge and experience in merchandising and with a better organization than the smaller merchant possesses. In this connection, the bulk of re- tail failures during the year has been among the smaller dealers, and the habit of “‘compromise” settlements has assumed alarming proportions, where- by the small merchant who has lost money offers to settle with his cred- itors and does so and continues in business at the old stand. This evil has grown so fast that a movement now is on foot for a more rigid inves- tigation of offers of compromise set- tlements with a view of curbing them and closing up those who are delib- erately unloading their losses on their sources of supply. The showing in the tanning branch has been “spotty.” Some tanners ot fancy upper leathers have had a good volume at profitable prices while the demand for such leathers was brisk. Suede iinished calfskins offers one illustration in this class. The demand for heavy weight calfskin has been at times greater than the supply and prices have been firm enough for the most part to allow the tanner a profit on this class of leather. But these same tanners have had no demand whatever for light-weight calfskins suitable for women’s shoes, hence bar- been the rule for light and medium light weights, which have wiped out the profits on the heavier weights. So the industry has been badly out of balance on supply and demand, with plenty of grain fin- ished women’s weight calf selling at 25c to 39c, men’s at 40c to 45c, suede at 45c to 70c, and side leathers in fancies at prices equal to men’s weight calfskin. The condition of out-of-bal- ance applies to the sole leather trade. With the men’s manufacturers de- manding heavy or overweight soles and a wide demand for women’s turn footwear requiring overweight soles, prices have been maintained on these weights with a scarcity at times, while the sole cutters have been piling up the lighter weights with no sale for them. gain prices have same The condition in the kid market has fairly well paralleled that in the calf- skin market, with only a fair demand for the finer grades of kid in heavy weights suitable for men’s shoes, and a very small sale indeed for kid suit- able for women’s shoes, as compared to former years, when the women’s branch absorbed the larger proportion of kid leather used. The consumption of kid has reached a low point, with high prices prevailing for raw stock abroad, and overhead eating up all possible _profits of the kid tanners, even with the best of management. Patent leather has passed through three waves during the year, having been in brisk demand the first quar- ter, a lull developing during the sec- ond quarter, and an upward swing again in the demand during the last part of the year, with fair prices for the tanner maintained for the best grades and a strong demand at all times for the lower grades. In materials other than leather, satin has enjoyed a steady sale throughout the year, with an upward trend in prices due to the loss of accumulated stock in warehouses destroyed by the earthquake in Japan. There has been an improvement in exports but as affecting the whole situation, this is a negligible factor. On the other hand, there has been a remarkable gain in imports of both leather and finished footwear. Both France and Germany are sending over upper leather and fabric in good sized sales, and footwear from England, France, Switzerland and Austria has increased many hundred per cent. This is made possible because of the lure of the imported article, low labor cost abroad compared to our own, the present disposition of the foreign manufacturer to use lasts suited to the American trade, and the advantage to the American buyer of the dollar in exchange. Footwear under the present tariff is free of duty when made of leather, and the need abroad for business is a desperate one and America offers one of the best mar- kets. It is in Vienna that the greai- est difference in labor cost appears, January 9, 1921 the total labor cost for a woman’s fine hand made turn shoe being about $1 a pair as compared to the labor cost of the same shoe made in Brook- lyn of $3 or more, There have been many voluntar; liquidations among old line manufac turers during the year, which shows perhaps better than any other state ment that could be made as to how men in the industry view the future They have elected to discontinue whi) solvent rather than continue in an u profitable business, as at present. Thi; offers the hope for more volum among those remaining, but this partly offset by the entrance of man, new concerns of the smaller variety. The prospects for the coming year point to a continuance of present an’! past conditions, but the situation has the encouraging feature towards op timism because there is a complete realization among those in the indus try of the evils that must be com bated before the industry, as a whole, can be established on a firm footing that will allow a profit on the invest ment. There are too many tanners, too many manufacturers and too many retailers. Credits will be more care- fully scrutinized; there will be more liquidations and “freezing” out of the more incompetent in all branches; a better distribution among those re- maining, and a tendency to make it harder for new enterprises to enter Over- head will be pruned to meet lesser an already overcrowded field. production and labor adjustments downward are inevitable as they have Above are the two big farm papers of Michigan. Every week in one of these papers we are telling Michigan folks about Herold-Bertsch shoes, and sending them to you to bur. In this way we are increasing the good will developed by our 30 years of honest shoe values, and making it easy for you to sell more and more H-B goods. through your windows and your ads where they can buy the Herold-Bertsch shoes and oxfords they’ve been reading about. HEROLD-BERTSCH SHOE COMPANY Grand Rapids Let your community know 4. ' é January 9, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN reached a cost in certain process=s that cannot be maintained. The industry has passed the peak in style hysteria and there will be an increasing demand for more refined and sane styles and less of the intri- cate and bizarre, resulting in lower costs and the elimination of a great amount of waste and extravagance. As always, the pendulum has swung too far in that direction and 1924 will see a receding process.—Shoe Retailer, a a Wearing Quality of Dress Silks. A scientific study made recently by Cheney Brothers of the wearing qual- ities of dress silks shows that benega- lines wear longest. Actual compari- son over a period of years, with the time-worn figured as units, reveals that bengalines are entitled to from three to four units. Twill, foulard, crepe and satin fabrics, according to the results of the study, wear about equally well, each being rated at three units. Two units each are the grad- ings of taffetas, moires and tinsel bro- cades. Georgette, owing to its filmy construction, is the least durable of the cloths, giving only 1% units of wear —_+->___ Old Prints on Lamp Shades. A new idea is being applied to lamp shades by a leading manufacturer. He is taking replicas of the original prints which appeared in the old-time “Godey’s Lady’s Book” and placing them on the sides of tinted parchment lamp shades. The prints portray fashion styles of a half century or more ago. A print is attached to either side of the shade, the combina- tion harmonizing well and contribut- ing a touch of distinction that is said to make the lamp well adapted for boudoir use. Certain of the shades may be used for library lamps. The shades come in either large or small sizes and wholesale from $4 up. —_—_—_> » »___. Offers Novel Handbag to Trade. So popular has been the pouch style of women’s handbags of late that a number of interesting variations of it have been brought out. One of these is an attractive and capacious bag just put out by a prominent local concern. This bag has pleated circular sides, with a center medallion and a regular frame. It is offered in both fabrics and leathers, the latter imcluding beav- er calf, Indian goat and morocco in various colors. It has also been brought out in novelty silks. The wholesale prices range from $24 to $96 a dozen, and in the popular-priced lines the bag can. be retailed with profit at $2.95. ————- Unions Speed Up Loafing. The arrant old rascal, Boss gomp- ers, has no use for Henry ford, be- cause the latter is “an uncompromis- ing enemy of trades unions.” The Detroit lizzie maker recently express- ed an opinion that the unions in this country “are a great scheme for in- terrupting work” and that they suc- ceed very well in “speeding up loaf- ing.’ Observations such as_ these could hardly fail to rouse the ire of the head of the American Loafing Association, sometimes referred to as the federation of labor, ‘White THE RACE OF LIFE. We Should Run It With Patience and Steadfastness. Boyne City, Jan. 10—I send you herewith a sermon by Rev. Geo. W. I was so impressed with its simplicity and pertinence that I asked for this copy, which he kindly gave me I don’t know whether you would consider it proper matter for your publication or not. If it is not useful to you for your paper, kindly return to me. Mr. White was Moderator of the Synod of Michigan last year. Charles T. McCutcheon. Because the sermon is germain to the season and contains a forcible ap- peal to Calvinistic Christians, ‘the Tradesman takes pleasure in repro- ducing it entire: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” The author of these words who was viewing life from the standpoint of a Christian, wrote of life in terms of a race. The particular kind of race which he had in mind was the ancient Greek Marathon, or long distance race. It had little in common with the modern 50, 100 or 220 yard dash, which is over in a few seconds. This sort of race requires a burst of speed and the exercise of powers which are capable of strenuous performance for a short time. The Marathon race, however, is rather an endurance test; one that requires persistent, steady plodding away, mile after mile. It requires the ability of one who can hold himself to his task and drive himself forward by sheer will power. when it seems that he has exhausted -his last ounce of energy. It calls forth hidden reserves of energy when it would seem that there is none left. This is the sort of a life that a man goes in for when he accepts. the Christian ideal of living. Life be- comes to him a battle, a struggle, an endurance test, a conquest against the enemies of his higher and better self. This conquest is never ended, never won or lost, until life itself is ended. The danger for the man who accep this attitude toward life is the danger which confronts the long distance runner, that he will start well, but be unable to finish the race. How often we have seen a group of runners make a fine get away in the long dista race. We have seen them press * forward with long, strong and steady strides, but as lap after lap was passed and the grilling test of endurance came, the steps began to shorten, the stride to weaken and the runners, one after another, dropped out weak and exhausted, unable to stand the Strain. The inexperienced runner will nearly always set a faster pace for the first lap than he can maintai-> to the end. One of the interesting experiences that came to us as bovs on a farm was the breaking in of the young colts in the spring of the year be- fore the regular farm work opened up. They had to be taught to lead, to drive and, last, to work and draw their share of the load. We had an old steady plodding horse ‘beside which we hitched the young colt to learn his lessons. In the early morn- ing the youngster would dash into the collar and pull the whole load, while the old horse would plod along two or three feet behind with his single tree dragging on the wheel. But it wouldn’t be long until the tables would be turned and the colt would be lag- ging behind, tired and exhausted, and the old plodder would be stepping easily along drawing the whole load. If the colt had horse sense, as most horses do, he soon learned that if he was going to be able to finish the day he must conserve some of his ener- gies and not spend them all on the first few hours of work. The young man starting out in life has to learn to husband his powers for the long hard pull ahead and not dissipate them afl in the first initial spurt. The man who would finish life =s a Christian must learn not to dissipate his moral] and spiritiual powers in un- due religious fervor and enthusiasm. The long pull of life and the prob- lems of living day by day lie ahead, needing all his moral and_ spiritual forces. The goal cannot be reached in a day. It is only reached when the knell of the last day is tolled. One reason why many drop out of the race is because they focus their attention upon wrong objects. Many a race has been lost because the run- ner glanced over his shoulder to see how far behind him the other fellow was. That glance slowed him up just enough to enable his opponent to forge ahead and cross the tape in the lead. Sometimes a glance behind has caused the runner to stumble and fall, thus putting him out of the race. The well trained athlete fixes his mind upon the alley down which he is run- ning and sets his eye on the goal ahead of him. He won’t allow any- thing to draw his attention from those white lines and the tape ahead. So absorbed is he in the struggle to reach his goal that he is blind to the waving of the colors in the bleachers and deaf to the shouts or jeers of the grand stand crowd. The Christian ought to be so absorbed in his task that he hasn’t time or inclination to listen to the cheers or jeers of the on- lookers. One day Peter was walking with Jesus and, as he turned about, he saw his old friend, John, coming along. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, what will become of this man John?” And Jesus said very pointedly to Peter, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” If youo are going to follow Christ and become the kind of a man he would have you become, you have a big enough job for you without worrying about John. If you begin to look at John you will soon be measuring yourself alongside him and following him, instead of the One to whom you have given your allegiance as your Lord and Master. Every Christian to-day needs to hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Follow thou me.” Don’t worry about your fellow Christian, his loyalty or disloyalty, his orthodoxy or lack of orthodoxy. Take care of Peter. Don’t worry so much about John. Let us run the race set before us. There is a course for each of us to run. A task which is particularly my task and a task which is yours to do. No one else can do it for us. If we leave it undone it will not be done. If we do it even moderately well it will demand all our time and energies and we won’t have anv time to be fussing about the other fellow. ‘Wh one does or does not do, what he thinks or believes or does not believe —these will be small matters to us. There are obstacles in the path o° the man who would lead the Christian life. Besetting sins to be dealt with. Weights which hinder his progoress, difficulties to be surmounted. No life is free from them. Strange as it may seem, Providence has not made the pathway of life perfectly clear and WL adaiiiiilssiss VALAITLSIILTILIILLLLLLLLLLTLLLLLL LLL LST LLLLLLLLL LLL LLL LL ALLL LLLLL LLLP LLLL LPI Ls d dll il smooth. In fact, it would seem as if dangers, pitfalls and obstacles have been purposely placed in the way. We may question the goodness of a Provi- dence that so orders life. We may rest assured that whatever the New Year has in store for us, it has our full measure of difficulties to be sur- mounted. The hurdle is not placed in the path of the runner to secure his downfall, but that skill and speed and strength may be developed with which tto leap over the hurdle. No wise parent makes life free from all hardships and difficulties for his chil- dren whom he loves. He would not if he could, for it is only as the ch masters one obstacle after another f¢ himself that he grows to strength and wisdom When Got sent His Son into the world, He didn’t make His way a path of roses. Instead it was a path of thorns and difficulties. All the powers of darkness beset Him to turn Him from the path of duty. If God spared not His own Son, surely we shall not escape, but, like Him, we can so use oour own powers, strengthened with Divine power, that we can finish the course set before us for the coming year or for life. “Let us therei run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith, who for the glory that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame.” ——__.->———_—_ To Offer New Kind of Sheet. The first product to be put on the market by Converse & Co. under the rights it has obtained for this coun- try and Canada in the hermetite meth- od of waterproofing cotton fabrics will be a hospital sheet. This sheet, unlike the rubber ones commonly used, can be. sterilized in boiling water and then ironed without losing its waterproof qualities. It will resist carbolic acid, blood, etc., and, in ad- dition to being soft and pliable, will not crack or peel. Under the new process there will be put on the mar- ket fabrics for window shades, kitchen coverings, shower bath curtains, crib sheets, furniture covers, etc. To the manufacturing trades the new fabrics will be offered for making aprons, uniforms, baby pants, sanitary ar- ticles, etc., as well as newsprint blan- kets. ——_—_. 2 A man with nothing in his mind but his business is a poor companion, an undesirable citizen, a dub in so- ciety, and a wet blanket at home. oe Do not be the narrow minded kind of business man who can see no ad- vantage in any public movement that does not bring money into his store. Just received large ship- ment of Ladies’ Wool Sport Hose. Colors — Brown, Camel, Green, Blue Oxford, and Black. We are pricing these for quick sale. Present cold weather will move them fast. Special Price $7.75 SEND IN YOUR ORDERS AT ONCE Paul Steketee & Sons Wholesale Dry Goods Grand Rapids WHI atttaduu5uu0iliiidiliididlibdiddsddddddbbdddd YZ 12 — = FINANCIAL Ww) y((eeres MICHIGAN TRADESMAN aan CU pee asaya Attack Your Bank Account. Let a man build a high wall to shut off his neighbor’s view, and his neigh- bor will make himself a longer lad- soon as the makers of armor that no shell can penetrate it, the makers of big that will penetrate How Crooks der as plate guard a ship so guns devise one the impenetrable. All of which is true in the warfare between society and those who prey on it. An argument in favor of the bank as against the stocking is that the danger of theft is lessened, but the skill of the forger has almost kept pace with the ingenuity of the men who make protective devices. What tax do we pay for theft and more particularly for theft by forgery? The question can’t be answered ex- cept by speculation and opinion, for keep books, nor do forgers make income tax returns. few burglars may be in- Joyce, chairman of Company, not reports of some twenty-five companies engaged in this line of insurance and figured out that stealings in this country in 1922 in all crimes property to- talled more than three and a quarter billion—an larger than the federal income tax for the period and, incidentally, a figure difficult to be- lieve. The estimated per capita loss to the Nation was $300. But even speculation teresting. W. B. the National took the Surety long ago lines of against amouont According to these statistics there are—or were a few years ago—55,000 sentences for men in jail serving crimes against property—enough to fill a good-sized city. “IT talked cently,” figures over re- Zandt Wheeler, manager of the forgery insurance di- vision of the Fidelity & Casualty Company, “with a member of the Dis- staff in New York City, and he regarded them. as con- estimated that for every man at the present time serv- ing sentence in our prisons for a crime against there are not less than nine or ten at liberty and actively these says Van trict Attorney’s servative. He further property, engaged in the pursuit of their ques- tionable profession. « “While I do not vouch for the ac- curacy of his estimate, I believe it is reasonable. If true, it would indicate a thieving population of half a million, or one to 200 of the total of men, women and children in the United States.” These figures are not easy to ac- cept. A population of half a million engaged in theft, and stealing a total of three and a quarter billion dollars would be gathering in about $6,500 a year each, which would seem a con- siderable average income. Whether these estimates be right or wrong it is certain that we pay a high toll yearly for theft and that forgery— a crime peculiarly aimed at business men—accounts for a large part of that total, the estimates ranging from 50 to 100 millions a year. It is equally certain in the opinion of men who devote their time warring on forgery and to handling insurance against forgery that the annual heavy loss by forgery is not decreasing, but increasing. In the war of dishonesty against care and protection, the for- mer is not lagging behind. The spread of modern banking methods hzs_ offered the forger a wide fiel ! All sorts and conditions of men n ww keep their morey in banks and pay their bills by check. But where pi kpockets once took and still take our neney by one form of skill, the forges now takes it by another form of skill—one infinitely more subtle ,as well as costly. The fo-zer prefers, when possible, to use th: check bearing a genuine signature. He never unnecessarily alters or iisturbs it more than is necessary ~o accomplish his purpose. One checl. automatically lends itself to a chang’ of payee’s name; another suggests a raised amount; another, for a satisfacto-y amount, can be negotiat- ed by me:ns of an altered payee’s name and ; forged endorsement. The big operatcr maintains various bank accounts uider various aliases. ) January 9, 1924 new rates fixed and now perhaps a dozen companies are issuing bonds both to banks and to individual de- positors as well as to business men to protect them against accepting bad checks in the course of business. About 300,000 such policies have been written with annual premium intake estimated at $10,000,000. Warren Bishop. —_—_—_> + Lessened Taxes Under Proposed Tax Bill. A correspondent asks for enlighten- ment as to the savings which will ac- crue to him in case the tax bill re- cently made public by the Ways and Means Committee should become a law. “My salary,” he says, “is slight- ly over $7,000, and I have a family with two children. I am required to pay an income tax of approximately $186. The final Mellon proposal is for 3 per cent. up to $4,000 and 6 per cent. up ‘to $10,000. On this basis I seem to be required to pay 6 per cent. of $3,000 and 3 per cent.. of $1,200, which is the difference between my personal exemption and $4,000. These make a total of $210. Where, then, does the reduction come in?” Under the Mellon plan a taxpayer receiving a salary of $7,000 and hav- ing a family with two children will be entitled to the same personal ex- emption as under the present law— that is, $2,000 for himself and wife and $400 for each of his children, a total exemption of $2,800. He _ will then pay the tax on $4,200. On the first $4,000 the normal tax will be at the rate of 3 per cent. but as his in- come is “earned” the amount will be scaled down 25 per cent. This means that this part of the tax will be $120 reduced by 25 per cent., or $90. The remaining $200 will be subject to a tax of 6 per cent. but this is also sub- ject to a reduction of 25 per cent., since it is earned income. The amount of tax on the $200 will thus be $12 less $3, or $9, and the total tax amount to $99, From the foregoing our correspond- ent should see very clearly where “the reduction comes in.’ If the Mellon plan is adopted by Congress without material change his tax bill will be re- duced by nearly one-half. It is per- fectly obvious from the illustration in this case that the plan is the salaried mans salvation. All the babbling of politicians about its being designed to ‘Jet the rich man off easy” is the MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 15 veriest flapdoodle. If anybody should be interested in urging his Congress- man to follow the suggestions of the Secretary of the Treasury it is the individual who works for a salary, or, in the slang of the street, the “white- collared guy.” Unlike most skilled workers, he has not been able to ob- tain increased remuneration on a scale commensurate with higher’ rents and the higher prices that he must now pay for his clothing and house furnish- ings. The Mellon plan offers him some degree of relief. William O. Scroggs. ——_»>—-2————_—_- Radio is almost as universal as reading; it is the one agency com- parable to the daily newspaper in the universality of its appeal. In speak- ing of the radio, one talks in terms of months, not years. Yet it has outrun every other form of instruction or entertainment in the race for popular favor. As short a time as a year ago, though vastly improved over its first feeble and uncertain beginnings, it was in its infancy compared to its pres- ent lusty grown-up estate. Then the crystal set was the sum of the ama- teur’s ambition, and the _ listener-in who heard Chicago was envied by all his friends. Now multiple-tube sets are the rule and advanced amateurs consider the world their field. What marvels have tumbled in upon each other’s heels in the last few months! The radio entertains lonely Polar ex- plorers, ice-locked in the frozen Arc- tic night. Radio has carried the voice of President Coolidge across. the ocean. Radio, an interesting topic of conversation a few months ago, is an indispensable part of every phase of life and human activity to-day. —>-—____ President Coolidge has little in common with the characteristics of Mussolini, and the comparison which appears in a Paris review is not felici- tous. To say that the President has the best chance of election to succeed himself is a safe affirmation; but that chance is not based on dictatorial ab- solutism, even over a party. There is nothing of the theatric or the sta- tuesque about our Chief Executive. There is no bombast in his messages. He is not a “prima donna conductor” of the business of the Government. —_++ > If you want your store to be light and bright and cheerful, study scien- tific lighting instead of wasting money in too much light badly placed. The Mill Mutuals AGENCY Lansing, Michigan Representing Your Home Company, The Michigan Millers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. And 22 Associated Mutual Companies. $20,000,000.00 Assets Is Saving 25% or More Insures All Classes of Property; ROBERT HENKEL, Pres. A. D. BAKER, Sec.-Treas. Merchants Life Insurance Company WILLIAM A. WATTS President RANSOM E. OLDS Chairman of Board Offices: 4th floor Michigan Trust Bldg.—Grand Rapids, Mich. GREEN & MORRISON—Michigan State Agents 319-20 Houseman Bldg. The Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association advises its members to place their fire insurance with the GRAND RAPIDS MERCHANTS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY and save 30% on their premiums. Other merchants equally welcome. Grand Rapids, Mich. SAFETY SAVING SERVICE CLASS MUTUAL INSURANCE AGENCY “The Agency of Personal Service” C.N. BRISTOL, A.T. MONSON, H. G. BUNDY. FREMONT, MICHIGAN THE HARDWARE AND IMPLEMENT MUTUALS DIVIDE THEIR RISKS INTO THREE CLASSES CLASS A—HARDWARE AND IMPLEMENT STORES, DIVIDEND 50% to 55% CLASS B—GARAGES, FURNITURE AND DRUG STORES, DIVIDEND 40% CLASS C—GENERAL STORES AND OTHER MERCANTILE RISKS, 30% These Companies are recognized as the strongest and most reliable Mutuals in the United States, with Twenty Years of successful Underwriting Experience. No Hardware Mutual has ever failed, No Hardware Mutual has ever levied an assessment. Ask the Hardware Dealer of your town. Mf interested, write for further particulars. 16 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN January 9, 192; RESCUE THE PERISHING. Melvin E. Trotter Do You,Want to Help’? If you do, read the following ‘record of the work accomplished by the City Mission during 1923: Piet $18,247.30 eis | 8,847.56 Total Receipts __________------$27,094.86 ioiteomonts — $27,128.87 Operas ee $ 34.0! Detailed Work Accomplished. Total Meetings Held Number Attendance Pvenmic Services 2 365 94,115 Buge Wieeiebe 544 33,715 Edm. Av. Evening Meetings __________-~- 115 6,478 Edm. Av. Sunday School Meetings ____-__~- 52 3,266 Peover Miestines 573 3,848 No. End. Evening Meetings ____________ 18 637 No. End. Sunday School Meetings ________ 8 502 ay ee 51 8,064 (tase Cotes 60 5,623 i see 52 2,752 Poe Senices 208 5,795 Bele ae 61 2,015 Tome Pees 50 3,824 Cottage Prayer Meetings ______________ 65 866 Mothers Meetings ____________________ 43 992 er. 52 2,365 Seuune Miecincs 25 541 Personal Woes 14 445 eee 83 11,819 Sunrise Prayer Meetings _______________ 2 185 Children’s Meetings ___________________ 15 620 Chomes Rehearmas.. 21 723 ieee 6 339 Teachers Meetings _____.___-_.____ 2 105 aay eee 42 10,240 2,548 212,950 Dewees 666 (ec nome. 1,984 Cetin Geeibeted ... 4,076 Do you happen to know what Mr. Trotter did for the Mission last year? Because he real- ized that the necessities of the Mission were more urgent than ever before and also because ceveral thousand dollars which were pledged the cause at the beginning of the year were un- paid by ‘reason of death and business reverses overtaking several subscribers to the mainten- ance fund, he voluntarily turned over to the Mission treasury $1,200 in money gifts which came to him personally from friends who wished to see him enjoy more creature comforts than he was able to do under existing conditions. Among the additions to the assets of the Mission during the past year is the purchase of an $800 lot on Burton street, South of Godfrey avenue, on which to erect a building suitable for Sunday service for the inhabitants of Shantytown. The annual meeting of the Mission will be held next Sunday. On that date the contributions for 1924 are tabulated, so the Superintendent knows how far he can go in alleviating suffering and convert- ing the unconverted during the coming year. Those who would like to aid in this cause should send their contributions direct to City Mission, Grand Rapids. 4a January 9, 1924 Railway Abuse Which Should Be Abated. At this season of the year it is the exception, rather than the rule, when railway trains arrive on time. It can hardly be otherwise, so long as in- clement weather prevails. The public realizes the difficulty which confronts the train men at such times and is in- clined to deal generously witht them. Unfortunately, the public does not receive the same co-operation from depot employes that the public ac- cords the train men. In our own union depot in Grand Rapids, for in- stance, it is next to impossible to se- cure a courteous answer to a rea- sonable enquiry. Last Friday morn- ing a funeral party was due from De- troit en route to Traverse City via the P. M. Railway. The train from Detroit was 30 minutes late, which gave the members of the party very little time to obtain breakfast before proceeding on the North-bound train, due to leave at 7.25. On boarding the train they were told (not by a rail- way man) that the train from Chicago was an hour and a half late and that the Traverse City train would not leave until the belated train put in an appearance. There was no_ notice posted anywhere to that effect and if any one had ventured to ask a rail- way employe if the 7.25 train would be likely to pull out on time, he weuld probably have received a very curt and ungracious reply. The result was a long and tedious wait in a cold car, pending the arrival of the Pullman on the Chicago train. Considering the amount of appar- ently useless help employed by the railway companies, why should it not be a good idea for the railways to create an information department, where people might go and secure needed information, imparted in a perfectly respectful manner and in words the average traveler can under- stand? Such a bureau is maintained in some cities, but too little attention is given to selecting a person who can talk in such a way as to be thorough- ly understood by the average enquir- er. “No. 9” means nothing to the man who has never studied time tables and has no train schedule to consult. “The Detroit train due at 6 o’clock” would be much more intelligible. I throw these hints out as a sug- gestion to railway managers who real- ly feel that they want to do something to win back the respect and co-opera- tion of the public which they impaired years ago by treating the public with anything but the respect it deserves. It is the little things which count in this world. E. A. Stowe. —~.2>——_ What Is a Community Mausoleum? The principle involved in ‘this sys- tem of interment is of ancient origin. The name is derived from that of old King Mausolus of Thrace, who built a wonderful stone tomb for ‘his wife as a lasting and permanent memorial. Thereafter, and during latter days, the name “mausoleum” was used to identify and designate both large and small family tombs built of stone or other masonry. This method of interment was and is desirable and popular among many MICHIGAN TRADESMAN races and nations. Although it was and is essentially scientific, neverthe- less, the “memorial” feature appears to appeal to both ancients and moderns more than anything eise. This appeal seems to be prevalent to- day and becoming stronger. The community mausoleum is a great improvement upon earlier. meth- ods and is designed to be a “burial home” for many families in one com- munity all under one roof, and is so built as to be everlasting and success- fully resist the ravages of time and the elements. Combined with sound construction is the matter of sanitary perfection. Moreover, there is added the item of actual preservation of the sentimental elimination of deescration and the beauty of wonderful marble buildings erected in conjunction with solid masonry. This Nation provides marvelous memorial mausoleums for many of its renowned dead, such as_ Lincoln, Harding, Washington, Garfield, Grant, Roosevelt and many others. Why should the ordinary family not per- petuate its name through the medium of the community mausoleum? The community mausoleum of modern type has “come to stay.” Most of the larger Michigan cities have. one or more and are building others. Many of the small ‘towns al- so have these buildings. Moreover, these buildings are being erected all over the country. No doubt the day will come when every city and town jn the country, no matter what size, shall have at least one “memorial” of a strictly community nature. ll The Oil Problem. According to the Geological Survey the peak of petroleum production was probably reached during November. The output for that month showed an average increase of 22,576 barrels per day over production during Oc- tober, but the weekly estimates for December pointed to declines. Other indications that the vexing oil situa- tion hag become more favorable were a decrease during November in daily average imports and an increase in daily average exports. Nothwithstand- ing these changes, the heavy produc- tion during the month and the sea- sonal decline in consumption were re- sponsible for an addition to stocks of slightly more than 8,000,000 bar- rels. total production during 1923 will be about 30 per cent. more than for 1922 and more than double that of 1918. While stocks are still abnormally large, the production curve is no longer ascending and a brighter day appears to be ahead for the oil in- dustry. —_+- Payment Deferred. C. W. Carlson, cashier of a Wis- consin national bank, has received the following letter from a creditor: “Dear Meester Carlson: I got your letter about what I owe you. Now be pa- chunt. I ain’t forget you. Please wait. When sum fools pay me I pay you. If-this wuz judgement day and you wuz no more prepared to meet your Master as I am to meet your account, you sure would have to go to hell. Trusting you will do this.” 17 The Survey estimates that the Solving the City’s Transportation Problem! Public, City Commission and Railway Company co-operate for good service—Shrinkage in traffic and the causes— Confidence in the future. The year that has passed is the first full year of the Grand Rapids Railway Co.’s partnership with the citizens of Grand Rapids under the “cost of service” franchise which became effective in September, 1922. For a full year the Grand Rapids Railway Co. and the City Commission have worked in cordial co-operation to give the people quick and efficient transportation service. They have consulted together and advised to- gether how to meet the needs of a prosperous, busy industrial city, a city that s accustomed to what is good and entitled to what is best. With the city’s expansion, with the building of new homes and the establishment of new factories, distances are constantly growing greater and how these distances may be spanned quickly and safely is a problem of vital importance and one that city and company have united in trying to solve. The Year’s Results. Reports on the year’s operations are not yet compiled and absolute results cannot be given. It can be said in a general way, however, that the financial showing is not entirely satisfactory. The reason for this is the continued -decrease in traffic. The Grand Rapids Railway Co. carried 1.55 per cent. fewer passengers in 1922 than in 1921. In 1923 the traffic will show a shrinkage of approximately 5 per cent. as com- pared with 1922. Automobile and Prosperity. The cause for this shrinkage, primarily, is the automobile. To this may be added the unusual weather conditions during the latter part of 1923. But behind this shrinkage, singularly enough, is the city’s splendid prosperity, its full employment of labor at peak wages, its success in industry and trade, its gain of nearly $4,000,000 in savings deposits, its $10,000,000 building activities, its optimistic hopes for the coming year. People have had money to spend and out of their abundance has come the natural desire for the appurtenances to comfortable circumstances. To factory, office or store by automobile, even of the least expensive make, costs more than by street car, but in these days of prosperity the records show that a steadily increasing number feel that they can afford it. And street car traffic lags accordingly. Unfortunately operating expenses do not lag correspondingly, and with fewer sharing the total, cost of a single ride grows greater. The total number of automobile licenses issued in Kent county in 1923 was 41,000; in 1922 the number was 32,000. The automobile has brought changes in popular methods and habits, especially of recreation. The summer afternoon or evening trolley spin for the air is practically gone. To the picnic in park or at the lake by street car is not what it used to be. Instead of being the day of heaviest traffic Sunday is now one of the lightest. It is the auomobile that makes the difference, and the difference is reflected in street railway earnings statements. Sooner or later, however, there will come a swing back to the street car in Grand Rapids just as the swing back is developing in larger cities. The increased traffic congestion and the difficulty in finding accessible parking space will cause more and more persons to realize the greater convenience of traveling back and forth to work by street car. The saving in time and money and bother will more than make up for the feeling of luxury in having their own conveyance. With this swing back will come increased patronage of street cars and with increased patronage will come better service at lesser cost to passengers and company. Expenses Cut to the Bone. To meet reductions in earnings the Grand Rapids Railway Co. the past year has cut expenses wherever possible; it has exercised the closest economy consistent with good service; luxuries have been ruthlessly eliminated; every dollar has been pinched to get out of it the last cent of its value. It is true during the year wages of conductors and motor- men were increased 3 cents an hour and other employes accordingly, making an increase of approximately $30,000 in the pay roll fcr the year; the total operating disbursements for the year, however, were between $90,000 and $100,000 less than in 1922, in spite of the higher wage scale. This reduction in the total was brought about by the increase in the number of one-man safety cars, by rerouting some of the lines and by looping or stubbing others. The policy of rigid economy will be con- tinued this year and the City Commission and the Company will work together in trying to find ways to cut expenses without impairment of service. However much operating expenses may be reduced, the cost to the individual passenger will still be the total cost divided by the total number of passengers carried. GRAND RAPIDS RAILWAY COMPANY L. J. De LAMARTER, Vice-Pres, and Gen. Mgr. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Ee “y — = —_— = - _ vy = NG ot TEHCUY( TY \! YV97) (qq Ad! 3 > by y ma ND ALU | =) = S NE DRY GOODS, FANCY GOODS “> NOTIONS: = ai 2D, eer cece ig -ss)y)} — a Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association. President—J. C. Toeller, Battle Creek. First Vice-President—F. E. Mills, Lan- sing. Second Vice-President—W. O. Jones, Kalamazoo. Secretary-Treasurer—Fred Cutler, Tonia. Manager—Jason E. Hammond, Lansing. Chicago House Sending Out Goods Without Order. Lansing, Jan. 8—We regret that we feel it advisable to call attention to the practice that seems to prevail throughout the country of certain wholesale houses to send shipments of goods indiscriminately to merchants who have not ordered them. One of our members has recently called our attention to some _ cCor- respondence which they have had with a Chicago house to the effect that a sipment of goods was made, opened accidentally by our member and immediately returned. The cor- respondence between them and the house sending the goods revealed, as stated plainly in one letter, that they ship unordered goods to merchants and have done this at the rate of fifty to 150 packages per day. The correspondence also reveals that this particular shipment was re- turned to the sender as not having been ordered nor desired. The sender follows with statements to the effect that a portion of the goods were re- tained, affirmed by two witnesses in Chicago and denied by three witnesses in Michigan. After a correspondence of several months “final notices” ar- rived printed with red ink to the ef- fect that said merchants credit will be questioned if payment is not made. In this connection I desire to quote our final letter. For good reasons we are leaving out the names of the parties involved. In other resnects the letter is quoted verbatim: “We have received your letter of Dec. 19 and have also received a let- ter from our member touching the question of the claim which you have against them’ for neckties alleged to have been retained by them. I quote from their letter as follows: “When I opened up the package and saw that it contained unordered ties, | told my father and brother that we had plenty of ties in stock and would not keep them. They both saw the ties and saw me wrap them all up in the original package. They were mailed at once.’ “You will see by the above that the writer and his father and brother certify that the ties were all returned. checked the package when it returned and that the ties were not in the pack- age. This resolves itself into a com- contempt which they deserve and I have also advised our member to ig- nore them. Should further trouble be made, the Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association will bear the expense in defending our member.” It may be_ that certain goods re- ceived by this method are desirable but, judging by the correspondence which followed in this particular case, we believe that we are acting wisely when we advise our members to re- turn such unordered packages un- opened, transportation charges col- lect. The threat to place such ac- counts in the hands of collectors and the insinuations that merchants’ credit will be seriously impaired, etc., savors too much of being a bluff to be very seriously regarded. A copy of this bulletin has been sent to the Chicago house above referred to. If any of our members desire to enquire further regarding this case, we will be glad to furnish them the information. : Jason E. Hammond, Mer.-Mich. Retail Dry Goods Ass’n. —_-..——— Buying of Bathing Suits. Manufacturers of bathing suits thus far have received what they consider only a small percentage of orders for the coming season. Buyers have been holding back for several reasons. Most outstanding of these is said to be lack of confidence in prices, which has tended to restrict the usual amount of forward buying. Manufacturers assert, however, that they see no signs of lower prices, as yarns continue high and manufacturing costs and overhead show no downward trend. Poor sales at retail last summer also contribute to the situation, as the stores are understood to have some carryover. Despite both of these con- siderations, the wholesalers expect a substantial volume of orders, as buy- ers have underbought for a normal season. —_—_»++ + Ten to one you can find in the ad- vertising pages of your trade paper announcements of store equipment and devices that would render your outfit 25 to 50 per cent. more efficient. —_»++>—___—_ No matter how long you have been ‘n business at the old stand, there are people whose trade you want who do not know where you are or what you sell. eat FITRITE? A Year-Round Seller FITRITE is quality, first and last. Its sensible pricing as- sures prompt and regular turnover. FI TRITE ] M The Garment of Modesty Every merchant who has really examined FITRITE concedes it to be a triumph of value-giving. The splendid mate- rial inthe FITRITE LINE — the unex- pectedly fine need- ling—the intensive care to insure the proper shaping and perfect fit — make the price and the profit to you seem almost incredible. Ask Us to Name Nearest Distributor FITRITE UNDERWEAR 350 Broadway NEW YORK CITY MAKERS AND DISTRIBUTORS TO JOBBERS ONLY 7 Yen i Our Own Make By our own manufacturing department. Made of the best cloth obtainable, and plenty large. Made like you want iy Full 36 in. long, faced sleeves, with 9 in. Double e. This is the kind of merchandise that your trade will come back and ask for. On account of owning piece goods at old market, we can only offer quantities stated at these prices. Doz. No. 223—-Genuine Blue Ideal Chambray ----_@$ 9.75 January delivery—75 dozen only. No. 224—Genuine Blue Golden Rule Chambray @ 9.75 January delivery—75 dozen only. No. 225—-Genuine Blue Defiance Chambray -_@ 10.75 January delivery—75 dozen only. January 9, 1924 No. 226—Real Khaki Twill, Excellent quality @ 12.00 Jan. or Feb. delivery—150 doz. only. No. 227—-Heavy 64x104. Black Sateen ~___-~ @ 12.59 Jan., Feb. or March delivery —225 doz. only. All shirt in Fancy ‘‘Master” packing—boxed 6/12 dozen —sizes 14 to 17. AS in ‘ey parison of the statements of three per- sons in Michigan and two persons in Chicago. “Your letter also reveals that you send out at the rate of fifty to 150 packages daily to merchants who have not ordered goods. Regarding this practice will say that it is a very hap- hazard way of doing business and we shall advise the members of the Mich- igan Retail Dry Goods Association and all other merchants that we have dealings with to ignore such packages and permit them to remain in_ the express office subject to advice from Island St. shipper. “The insinuating notices from your d pids, Mich collectors should be treated with the UU IBID IBIBO Is if) — We are manufacturers of Trimmed & Untrimmed HATS for Ladies, Misses and Children, especially adapted to the general store trade. Trial order solicited. CORL-KNOTT COMPANY, Corner Commerce Ave. and SH) Ay i) Ammonia: iS ) Try a few of each number—we know you will want more. an i) a GRAND RAPIDS DRY GOODS CO. YOUR DRY GOODS WHOLESALER MOU Os A ’ 4 . i Na a aad { x January 9, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 19 OVER HALF A CENTURY. Life History of John A. McClelland, of Portland. Fifty-one years of service to the retail trade of Michigan—a life time of service in the ‘business he loves. Such is the record of John A. Mc- Clelland, life-long merchant of Port- land, who started as an humble clerk in a Portland dry goods store in 1872 and who at the present time is active- ly engaged in the management of the ‘oldest-established retail store in Port- land. John A. McClelland was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1854. While still on infant he was brought to Michigan by this parents, who settled on a farm near Portland. The trip was made in a covered wagon. It was a pioneer jaunt into a new coun- try where had settled the hardy peo- ple from Ohio, Indiana and Pennsyl- vania. Where to-day 2,000 people live and are engaged in various occupa- tions, then there were but 400 in- habitants. The Portland of 1854 was a town boasting only a motley array of frame structures. Steel, concrete and brick were not then in vogue. In fact, the general aspect of the village of 1854 had not changed materially seventeen years later when John McClelland was hired by the firm of C. H. & D. F. Hunter to clerk in their dry goods store. The Hunter brothers were typically enterprising merchants of the middle “eighties.” They had formerly conducted a retail dry goods business in Hubbardston and, after selling their stock in that town, had removed to Portland. In the latter city they expected—more than hoped —that they would enlarge their trade. It was their desire to find a young dependable farmer’s boy who could be expected to master the intricacies of the business in short order that gave young McClelland his start. He com- menced work in May, 1872. The boy’s salary, during the first year was $300. He paid his own board and room rent out of this amount. He recalls that the first two weeks of store life were not to his liking. However, it is to the young man’s credit that personal likes and dislikes did not swerve him from his original intention. He aspired even though attainment seemed but a vision. In the first five years of his busi- ness career—if clerking is thought of as being a career—McClelland earned a reputation for honesty and indus- triousness. These two attributes re- mained with him as_ characteristics during his after years. He was thrifty. Ile applied ‘himself diligently to hard tasks with the same cheerfulness with which he tackled the easy ones. Suf- fice it is to say that this five year probation period was the making of the present-day successful merchant. An interesting anecdote which Mr. McClelland relates is one of his re- membrance of the panic of 1873. He claims that, although he fails to re- call the extreme falling off in business during the days of the crisis, there was, nevertheless, an apparent in- ability to secure money. He says that when he requested his weekly wage to pay his board bill, his employers repeatedly begged him to “stave off his landlady until the following Mon- day, at least.” Since $3 was all that was necessary to meet the bill, he con- cluded that conditions were excep- tionally stringent during this financial shake-up. To show that liberty, or even a va- cation, was at a premium in the “seventies” Mr. McClelland cites the instance of his sleeping in the store nights to safeguard the property; he, John A. McClelland. likewise, claims that a vacation of seven days duration, the five years he was in the employ of the Hunter brothers, is one of the bright spots in his life. Working hours on week days were from 6 o’clock in the morn- ing to 10 o’clock at night. On Sat- urdays, to compensate for the follow- ing “workless Sunday,” the closing hour was fixed at 12 o’clock. In 1877, the ambitious clerk sought a business opportunity where he could have a word in the conduct of the enterprise. William Van Duyne and a clothing stock worth approxi- mately $1,500 seemed to hold forth the only available beginning. As a result—a natural consequence—Mc- Clelland, late in the year, entered into the final terms of agreement with the clothing man to form a partnership business dealing in clothing and dry goods. Although the former Hunter clerk had no previous experience in buying a stock of goods, he collected his total savings—some $500—and took the first train to Detroit, there to cope with the buying problem for the first time in his career. Fortune seemed to smile on his intrepid attempt, for it placed the person of C. H. Hunter on the same Detroit-bound train. Mc- Clelland’s old employer promised to help the young man obtain credit in the city. Upon arrival in Detroit the two men sought the firm of Edson, Moore & Co. Young McClelland waited in the outer office while C. H. Hunter talked with Mr. Edson. The clerk heard his first “boss” say to the head of the great wholesale house: “Let the kid have all the goods he wants. He’s good for them.” Mr. Edson complied. The embryo’ merchant bought his stock of goods and re- turned to Portland and the firm of Van Duyne & McClelland opened its doors to the public soon after. In November, 1877, McClelland left Portland a second time. He hied him- self to Harbor Springs, where a boy- hood friend, Hattie C. Benjamin, lived with her parents. Miss Benjamin had attended school in Portland with Mc- Clelland during the majority of his care-free seventeen years before en- tering the store of Hunter & Hunter. It is difficult to picture the Harbor Springs of 1877 when one sees the bustling summer resort town of the Twentieth Century. Then there was one buggy in the village, and since Mr. Benjamin did not own the im- portant vehicle the two young folks hired Indian ponies from a neighbor- ing tribe of red men and traversed the distance between town and farm on the backs of the ponies.. In 1877 the 200 persons in Harbor Springs existed on a spirited trade with the Indians. In fact, most of the people in the Northern town could trace their ancestry back to some In- dian forefather. The villagers traded butter, eggs and staple commodities to the original peoples in return for delicious berries, valuable ‘hides and artistic baskets and blankets. Such a setting provided the glamour for the romantic courtship of John McClel- land. The marriage took place in the month of November. The _ newly- weds returned to their childhood town immediately after the ceremony was performed. After her return to Portland, Mrs. McClelland busied herself with club work and civic affairs. She was a devoted wife and mother. Her death in 1916 brought to an end a tireless work in behalf of community better- ment. There were five children born. William J. McClelland. Two of them are living at the present time: Mrs. Elon A. Richards, wife of Portland’s leading grocer, and William J. McClelland, who is associated with his father in the firm of J. A. McClel- land & Son. The co-partnership of John D. Woodbury & Co., did a large and a constantly increasing business. The trade relation was of eight years’ duration. At the end of that time, Mr. Woodbury, who was interested in some lumbering operations in Northern Michigan, decided to sell out his share of the business to Mc- Clelland. C. D. Woodbury, a son of John D. Woodbury, who owned a stock of goods and who operated another store in town, consolidated his goods with that of McClelland and in 1887 the firm of McClelland & Woodbury opened for business. The firm lasted one year. Then John McClelland purchased the interest of Woodbury and continued the business alone. His trade increased so rapidly that be bought out the stock of W. D. Lakin two years later. With an enlarged stock of goods he removed to his present commodious and well-lighted store, which gives him an area of 16,500 feet of floor space. John D. Woodbury told McClelland in the that followed that the store had never had such a tremend- ous trade during his administration. He congratulated the young man on his success, the executive ability and good judgment. Spurred on by his success, the progressive merchant bought a store at Mulliken and another at Wacousta, two promising small Michigan towns. His business, to all likelihood, would have expanded to an even greater extent had his health not failed in 1905. He was forced to call in his help and close the two out- lying stores. The stocks were con- solidated and in the same year he left for California for an extended visit. His wife accompanied him to the Western states. With health greatly improved, Mr. McClelland returned after three months to resume active work again. His son, William J. Mc- Clelland, who had started in the store with his father in 1899, was given the managership and an interest in the business upon his return. W. J. McClelland was married in 1906 to Miss Grace Buell, a daughter of Rev. George A. Buell, a former Methodist minister in Portland. There are two children, Lucile and Luis, by this marriage. J. A. McClelland sold the family homestead to his son re- cently and the father and son live to- gether. In that respect, the partner- ship of J. A. McClelland & Son has proved a real partnership. years One hobby, that of loafing for a few weeks in the summer at his at- tractive cottage at Bay View, is all that J. A. McClelland, the business man, will attest to. No fraternal re- lations have entered into the career of the Portland merchant. He is a staunch Methodist. He was one of the greatest contributors to the fund for the erection of the splendid new Portland Methodist church. The oldest merchant in Portland is a director of the Maynard-Allen State Bank. He owns two large farms near the town. He is interested, generally, in the welfare of the village and the advancement of its citizens. When asked what he thought the se- cret of success was—what word of ad- vice might be passed to the coming gen- eration—Mr. McClelland meditated. “ feel,” he said, ‘“‘that the only real thing that spurred me on, that kept me ever cheerful, was the love of my business. I had no fear of failing; rather, the fear of losing a customer was greater to me than the thought of bankruptcy and in- debtedness. Tell the young men of to- day to be optimistic; tell them to look ahead; but, above all, if they sincerely desire to succeed, tell them that they must intensely love and honor their al- lotted calling.”’ Buell A. Doelle. 20 Lee — = - Pitfalls in the Path of the Butcher. There are many pitfalls awaiting the butcher who is trying to build up a prosperous business. If these pitfalls could be leaped over and then cease automatically to be a danger, it would not be so bad, but the fact is that no matter how far the butcher may travel those same pitfalls will always be right in front of him, although their danger becomes more remote. For instance, there is the pitfall of careless buying, which strikes at the very foundations of prosperity. And that pitfall is surely always in front of one, except that as one forms the habit of careful buying the possibility of a mistake becomes very unlikely. The butcher should buy only from firms whose reputation he knows, as this gives him a kind of guarantee to begin with. In any case, he must watch his buying prices carefully, be- cause they are the basis of his sub- sequent selling, where prices will cer- tainly be watched by the consumers. If one butcher buys at levels which will enable him to mark up to a retail selling price that will attract trade and give a fair margin to himself, while his neighbor buys at prices which force him, in marking up, to cut into his own margin or run the risk of having the meat left on his hands, how long will the second butcher keep his store open? Many a butcher will smile at this elementary statement of the pitfall of careless buy- ing, thinking he knows all about it. Of course he does, but if he has been forty years in the trade he has still to be careful. The pitfall is there; always in front of him. Another buying pitfall of which butchers must beware is that of stock- ing beyond the volume of sales. Meat is a very perishable product and can be bought only a few days ahead, es- pecially during the Summer. Where the dry goods man figures to turn over his stock about four times a year, the butcher turns his every four days or so; and any meat kept beyond this period is apt to deteriorate. And the selling value deteriorates, too. The next pitfall for-a butcher is in marking stock at too small a gross profit, not from any necessity to meet competition, but out of ignorance as to his operating costs. This is a point which probably few butchers take into account, marking their meat at the prices prevailing in the neigh- borhood and taking a chance on the result coming out at a profit. Nevertheless, it will pay a butcher too study this question of costs a little. He buys meat in bulk and must add to its first cost certain well- defined items of overhead expense plus his own margin of profit, which will give him his selling price. As- suming that his stock in hand covers four days’ sales, he must figure out his overhead—rent, wages, light, heat, advertising, etc—for four days, and find what proportion the overhead bears to the first cost of the meat; and that, as previously stated, must be added to the first cost, plus ‘his own profit percentage. Once he es- tablishes his overhead figures in this way and knows how much each piece of meat in stock has cost him, he can figure out his selling price on a basis of facts rather than imitation of ‘his neighbors. If he finds that the first cost, plus his percentage for overhead and profit, give him a selling price below that prevailing in the neighbor- hood, he can legitimately cut his prices and hope to extend his busi- ness. In figuring out ‘his overhead, the butcher should include a salary for himself, as manager. This item of overhead is full of pitfalls, where lack of constant watch- fulness may cause disaster. He may be paying too theavy a rent for the volume of business he does or can do. He may have too much help in the store. He may be extravagant with his lighting or ‘heat or advertising. Note, please, that the pitfall is not so much in spending as in not getting 100 per cent. value for every dollar spent. Among the other pitfalls in the selling end of the business comes particularly the temptation to mark down prices below the safety line to meet competition. ‘To a certain ex- tent, all prices are governed by com- petition, but if one man is foolish enough to sell at a loss that is no reason why his neighbor should fol- low him to bankruptcy. If, on the other hand, the man who is selling below cost, plus profit margin, is do- ing so deliberately, conscious of ‘his greater financial resources and hoping to drive his neighbor out of business, latter would be well-advised to meet this unethical competition by keeping his goods at fair price levels and con- centrating on service and quality. He may take encouragement in this con- nection from the strong probability that when a man cuts his prices be- low the profit margin he generally cuts the quality, also, to reduce his loss; and therein lies the opportunity of the honest butcher. In some cases, also, it may be possible to enlist the help of the local branch of the United Master Butchers’ Association to send a delegation to the offender against the ethics of trading. Another pitfall in the selling end of the retail meat trade is the temptation to extend unwarranted credits to se- cure and hold business. Credit is a good-will builder, but it must never Have You Patronized LEWELLYN CASH AND CARRY STRICTLY WHOLESALE 1210 South Division Avenue, near Hall Street GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN Fanchon—Red Star FLOUR You will never make a mistake by recommending or selling a superior article. Quality is the ‘surest foundation for a permanent business. JUDSON GROCER COMPANY DISTRIBUTORS GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN BLUE GRASS Superior am = LV ' re Appeals Quality. : pees to the Always : f LOM ego Particular Reliable as Housewife REPLENISH BE PREPARED YOUR STOCK FOR THE FALL NOW DEMAND SAPEAUREUUUOQQRGRQORUROQUQUQORERGQOQOGOUVGRQEUQDOGUEUAVDDSEOOOUDOSERDOUEREOODOREEOODRORCODED 2: KENT STORAGE COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS _~ LANSING ~ BATTLE CREEK olesale Grocers General Warehousing Distributing January 9, 1924 he ee . + APRS EOIOR ok, bone . » > A PURUGUURUQAGQCQQUQQQ0UUDCUEUDCURUET CUOGCEOEGCUUUCERERCGUOTEEUDLUCECCCOOCCCORREROR ROTOR RY: % ntl i 1s aD . goa ee ee aM cg: coe > Aa « i January 9, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 21 be forgotten that it is really a loan to the customer. Many a butcher who will carefully check the record of a man who asks for a loan will grant a credit loan to a customer with little Or no investigation or consideration. And one might add that many a butcher is now back in the journeyman ranks, not because he didn’t “know meat,” but because he didn’t know human nature. Other selling pitfalls are defective scales, careless weighing and measur- ing, careless charging on sales slips, losses from pilfering, losses from de- terioration of stock, and so on. In- cidently, note how many of these pitfalls are merely carelessness under various disguises. Defective scales, the result of carelessness, are bad for the butcher, whether they give under- weight or overweight. case, ‘he is liable to get into trouble with the powers-that-be and get some unpleasant notoriety for his store, as well; while, in the latter case, he is giving 17 or 18 or more ounces to the pound and only getting paid for sixteen. And that goes for careless weighing, too. Careless charging on sales slips proves there is a man in that meat market whom the butcher can’t afford to keep. Pilfering is a matter which the whole store force must watch for. It is usually a bet- ter policy not to take drastic action in these cases, giving the offender the chance to pay for the goods taken and watching ‘him or her carefully in future. As for losses from deteriora- tion of stock, this may, in some cases be attributed to defective refrigera- tion and should be put right at once. On the basis of the old saying, “Take care of the cents and the dollars will take care of themselves,” a butcher might find it worth while to study the possibility of salvage in re- spect to empty boxes, waste paper, string, and all the thousand and other apparent trifles, which amount to so much in the course of # year. Another pitfall which the butcher must guard against with particular care is unproductive advertising. Ad- vertising is an investment and must be judged on that basis. If it doesn’t bring in business commensurate with its cost, it isn’t worth while, and it is up to the butcher to try a smalle- space, perhaps. It may be said ‘ it it is impossible to say if an adv*-:se- ment is productive, but an advertiser generally has a good idea on this sub- ject. And last, but not least dangerous, of these pitfalls that await the butcher is that of destructive influences from the outside. The butcher who is worried unnecessarily by home affairs cannot concentrate on building up his business. The butcher who dissipates a part of his energies on financial or real estate speculation is dissipating just that much of ‘his capacity to suc- ceed in his real business, and by tieing up his funds in speculations he is liable to find himself in a tight corner quite unnecessarily. Now these is a list of pitfalls that beset the butcher. It probably isn’t complete, but it gives a general idea. And the conclusion one comes to is that in order to avoid these pitfalls there is no genius needed, no bril- In the former > liant strategy, no sleepless nights; just a 100 per cent. concentration on business in business hours, and a habit of carefulness and common sense. ——_>+>____ Wholesale Prices Lower. L'ving costs were higher at the end of 1923 than they were at the begin- ning, but the level of wholesale prices, according to the index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was lower. A moment’s examination of this index number will show why there is this contrasting movement. In November 1922, this index for all commodities stood at 156. In November, 1923, it stood at 152. In spite of this decline in the general average there were ad- vances during the year in farm prod-. ucts, food, clothes and_ clothing, metals, chemicals and drugs, and drugs, and house furnishings groups. There were declines in the fuel and lighting, building materials, and mis- cellaneous groups, but-except for the first of these the changes were in- significant. Fuel prices have receded since the ending of last year’s coal strike, but most other items entering into a budget of living costs—food, clothing, house furnishings, etc.—are higher now than they were a year ago. In addition, there has been a heavy advance in house rents. As a result, the curve of living costs ‘has moved in a different direction from that of wholesale prices. a Watch the trend in trade in your town and note whether the center is moving away from where you new are. Maybe it is getting time to think of making a change yourself. —_—_.-~-—___ Perhaps your store front is gving you only fifty per cent. of the dis- play you might get with a modern front desigued particularly to fit your case. Consider the matter. We are making a special offer on Agricultural Hydrated Lime in less than car lots A. B. KNOWLSON CO. Grand Rapids Michigan ‘orcad for Bread” "The Wholesome The standard by which all others are judged HIGHEST QUALITY 100% CO-OPERATION SNAPPY SERVICF I. VAN WESTENBRUGGE DISTRIBUTOR Grand Rapids Muskegon Moseley Brothers GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Jobbers of Farm Produce DELICIOUS WHOLESOME NUTRITIOUS We devote careful, expert attention to properly packing our bananas THE VINKEMULDER COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN MILLER MICHIGAN POTATO CO. Wholesale Potatoes, Onions Correspondence Solicited ° ’ Wm. Alden Smith Bullding Frank T. Miller, Sec’y and Treas. Grand tsates. bichiaal sadn WAY 7 Ss Polar Bear Flour A MONEY MAKER Can Always be sold at a profit. Quality in the Bag Brings Repeat orders. ~ FLOUR “The NEW ERA MILLING © J. ty ARKANSAS CITY, KANS_ Central States Managers Ss 48Lbs Pouar Bearf OU \ Marion, Ind. a ken. a W. HARVEY & SON, ee ee M. J. DARK & SONS GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Receivers and Shippers of All Seasonable Fruits and Vegetables You Make Satisfied Customers when you sell ‘‘SUNSHINE’”’ FLOUR Blended For Family Use The auenty * Standard and the Price Reasonable Watson-Higgins Milling Co. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. NEW PERFECTION The best all purpose flour. RED ARROW The best bread flour. Genuine Buckwheat Flour Graham and Corn Meal Look for the Perfection label on Pancake flour, Graham flour, Gran- uated meal, Buckwheat flour and Poultry feeds. Western Michigan’s Largest Feed Distributors. J. F. Eesley Milling Co. The Sunshine Mills PLAINWELL, MICHIGAN 22 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN — ~~ —_ — a = — STOVES anv HARDWARE _ ~ _— — ~~ — — —_— — Michigan Retail Hardware Association. President—J. Charies Ross, Kalamazoo. Vice-President—A. J. Rankin, Shelby. Secretary—Arthur J. Scott, Marine City. Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit. Executive Committee—L. J. Cortenhof, Grand Rapids; Scott Kendrick, Ortonville; George W. McCabe, Petoskey; L. D. Puff, Fremont; Charles A. Sturmer, Port Hu- ron; Herman Digman, Owosso. How To Profit By the Annual Inventory. Written for the Tradesman. Many facts besides the amount of merchandise on hand are brought to light by the annual stock-taking. The inventory of the stock is necessary before the books can be balanced, and when this has been done the amount of profit on the year’s business is shown. But the inventory is of more value than simply to be the means of reveal- ing the profit of the year’s business. By a close study of its pages, the hardware dealer will find—perhaps. to his surprise—that he has an overstock of some goods. It will not be a diffi- cult thing to ascertain just what goods are not moving; to find out exactly what and how much dead stock there is in the store. For this purpose it will pay well to compare the stock sheets of one, two and three years back. So called dead stock is brought to light by the inventory, but there are many merchants who will not admit that their stores contain anything but the most saleable stock. By “dead stock” is meant any class of merchan- dise that does not move in, say, eighteen months’ time. Some good re- tail merchants, in fact most of our modern big department store men, would class as dead stock that stock which did not move within ten months. Some would even put it three months. But the very nature of the hardware business is such that it would hardly be possible to conduct a general hard- ware trade and move all the stock in three months time. Dead stock in the hardware store consists of any- thing that does not find a ready sale. The taking of the inventory shows that there is dead stock in the store. The goods were not thought to be “dead” when they were bought. It will often be found that once these were among the best-selling articles in the store. As an example, some years ago I ran across a hardware dealer who had over five dozen clothes’ pounders in stock. A few years earlier he had not uncommonly sold that many in a month. But gradually the machine took the place of hand work in wash- ing clothes. The clothes ceased to sell, the washing machines having more than taken their place. Those clothes pounders had become pounders. dead stock because there was no more market for them. And they came to be so in the natural course of the busi- ness and possibly because the hard- ware dealer did not look far enough ahead. Sometimes it happens that good, -marketable merchandise becomes for one merchant at least, dead stock, be- cause his sales may be cut off, though the goods are not obsolete. This has often happened to a hardware dealer in the case of mill or factory trade. A certain kind of file is in demand. One particular mill uses this file con- stantly. The dealer puts in a larger order than usual. Then the purchas- ing agent at the mill is changed, or a new foreman comes with new ideas. The mill ceases to buy that kind of a file. The goods find no other sale and they become dead stock. But in most cases dead stock can be traced back to careless or reckless buying or poor store management, al- though in spite of the most careful at- tention it will persist in accumulating. Having come to know that there are unsaleable or slow-selling goods, the wise hardware dealer will at once endeavor to move this merchandise. One of the best ways to reduce this stock is first to draw off a separate list of these goods. Another excel- lent plan is to get all these goods to- gether in one place in the store. Mark down the price on obsolete goods and move them, if possible. It has been said that for everything there is a market, if only one can find it. It is also true that a merchant can not infrequently create a market for slow selling goods by reducing prices and by advertising. In a case of overstock of a good saleable ar- ticle, for which the local demand might have become. very limited or ceased to exist, as in the case of the files previously mentioned, the best plan would be to take a loss and sell the goods, either through the regular jobber or direct to a hardware dealer, in a town or city where such goods are wanted. But in any case it is far better to take a loss on such goods and get them into something than to carry them along year after year on the inventory. A careful consideration of the past year’s business will bring to light the fact that much trade has been done with a very small amount of profit. It is profit made and not business done that brings the best results. But at the same time the next best thing to making actual profits is to anticipate losses where they are bound to come and unload while the loss can still be kept at the minimum figure. Your gross profits must pay your losses be- fore any net profits can be realized. January 9, 1924 Rain through swinging windows Keep the Cold, Soot and Dust Out Install “AMERICAN WINDUSTITE” all-metal Weather Strips and save on your coal bills, make your house-cleaning easier, get more comfort from your heating plant and _ protect your furnishings and draperies from the outside dirt, soot and dust. Storm-proof, Dirt-proof, Leak-proof and Rattle-proof Made and Installed Only by AMERICAN METAL WEATHER STRIP Co. » 144 Division Ave., North Citz. Telephone 51-916 Grand Rapids, Mich. Motor a. Trucks 4. To Fit Your Business aL SALES SERVICE ECKBERG AUTO COMPANY oo 310 IONIA AVE. NW. i be nite AND STYLE Foster, Stevens & Co. | Wholesale Hardware “ 157-159 Monroe Ave. :: 151 to 161 Louis N. W. | Grand Rapids, Mich. ‘ 2 ae Risapusste » ‘ . ; ea a Michigan Hardware Company 100-108 Ellsworth Ave., Corner Oakes GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. : Exclusive Jobbers of Shelf Hardware, = i” Sporting Goods and | : FISHING TACKLE The Nachtegall Manufacturing Company oe GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN BANK ov STORE and OFFICE Furniture and Fixtures iowa WE gece: Pty, ‘ts elaine Use Tradesman Coupons ‘pa » gen ™“ January 9, 1924 The study of the inventory will bring the average hardware dealer to some very pointed conclusions to guide him in 1924. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Buy more carefully. 2. Watch stock more closely. 3. Try less for volume, more for profit 4 Push best profit. the goods that pay the 5. Close out slow moving lines. 6. Better to buy more frequently than to overbuy. 7. Reduce stock inventory money Next year. That the stock taking discloses a certain amount of dead stock on the shelves is no reflection on your busi- ness methods—though it should in most businesses point the way to some slight improvement. The best managed business will accumulate a certain amount of dead stock; just as the shrewdest and most experienced hardware dealer will make some mis- takes in the conduct of this business. But it is possible, by dint of fore- sight, to reduce the amount of dead stock to a minimum. And it is far better to exercise this foresight than to take periodic losses. Good buying is one of the best safe- guards against the accumulation of dead stock. Good buying does not consist in getting the goods at the lowest possible figure, but rather in gauging accurately the quantity of any article that your community will ab- a given time. If your sales of an article inside a reasonable time are, at the most, two or three dozen, it is not good buying to order a gross on the chance that you will sell them, just for the sake of a somewhat lower price. For what you gain on the articles you sell will be lost, perhaps many times over, in the articles you have to carry over from year to year or ultimately to sell at a sacrifice. A fruitful source of dead stock is a momentary selling enthusiasm for sorb within possible some line of goods. The traveler gets you enthused, fills your mind with brilliant schemes for putting the stuff across, and you order more than you should. By the time the goods arrive, your enthusiasm has_ preity well evaporated. You find that selling the stuff is going to be a bigger job than you imagined. The result is that you put the goods in stock and leave them to sell themselves—and ultimate- ly you take a loss in order to unload them. That may be due to over-enthus- iasm in the first instance, leading you to confidently undertake something you can’t readily perform; or it may be due to slackness on your part in failing to put a really well-conceived and feasible selling plan into execu- tion. In either event, guard against this pitfall in your buying; do not undertake something you are not fully prepared and entirely able to put across. Aggressive selling methods, if ap- plied in time, will often relieve you of the penalty of poor buying and overbuying. But you have to watch your ‘stock constantly. That is one MICHIGAN TRADESMAN of the best ways of reducing the amount of dead stock in each suc- ceeding annual inventory. Victor Lauriston. —_——_»<+.___ Jewelry Trade Year Well. Not for some time has the jewelry trade, as a whole, wound up a year more satisfactorily than it finished in 1923. Reports from the trade indicate a generally large business during De- cember, sales of all classes of mer- chandise being well ahead of those of a year ago. Much of this business was of the memorandum variety, but the amount of “memo” goods that were actually passed on to consumers was much larger than is usually the case. This was due primarily to the shortage of stocks in retailers’ hands, which shortage is even greater now than it was before the holidays. Be- cause of this the ‘trade, especially the manufacturing end, is looking forward with a greater degree of optimism than it has shown at the beginning of any year since the boom days of the war. — Bracelets Getting Wider. Reports emanating from the jewelry trade are to the effect that flexible bracelets, which have been in vogue for a long time, are taking on added width. One such style shown here recently was an inch and a quarter wide, and had places in the setting for more than 300 stones. The idea is apparently to have one wide brace- let take the place of the several nar- row ones that are worn by many wom- en, as well as to provide an outlet for stones larger than those that have previously been in vogue in bracelets. In some of the wider bracelets told of, the stones are set in fantastic designs and given a bizarre effect. Another type of bracelet in favor is one which has its largest stones in the middle, with the rest taperating off in size as they approach the ends. > 2» ___- Clock Trade Has Been Busy. Leading firms in the clock industry report that the business done last year was good in practically all lines, due to the enlarged consumer demand. Re- REFRIGERATORS for ALL PURPOSES Send for Catalogue No. 95 for Residences No. 53 for Hotels, Clubs, Hospitals, Etc. No. 72 cor Grocery Stores No. $i for Meat Markets No. 75 for Florist Shops McCRAY REFRIGERATOR CO. 2444 Lake St., Kendallville, Ind. SIDNEY ELEVATORS Will reduce handling expense and speed up work—will make money for you. Easily In- stalled. Plans and_ Instruc- tions sent with each elevator. Write stating requirements, giving kind of machine and size of platform wanted, as well as height. We will quote a money saving price. Sidney Elevator Mnfg. Co., Sidney, O. tailers’ stocks were light all through the year, and frequent replenishment, although in small individual orders, swelled the total. Both medium and high grade clocks have been in strong request, particularly the latter kind. Refurnishing of more lavish scale and the building of many new dwellings are responsible for the better quality buying by the the or- many homes on a consumer. Wholesalers say dering now is good and that im- mediate deliveries on certain grades of clocks cannot be made. 23 The woolen trust refuses to trust the Government with its wool con- sumption statistics. Is it using too much shoddy? —__~» If you are not ready for opportuni- ties when they come, you will prob- ably be heard complaining that you never had a chance. —_—__- ~~ ___ When the road-builder encounters boulders or rocks he does not let them swerve him from his course. Do you? RUBBER 8 SOUTH IONIA AVENUE RICHMOND STAMP WORKS Brass Stencils—Steel Stamps—Stencil Cutting Machines STAMPS CITIZENS 51518 Signs of the Times Are Electric Signs Progressive merchants and man- ufacturers now realize the value of Electric Advertising. We furnish you with sketches, prices and operating cost for the asking. THE POWER CO. Bell M 797 Citizens 4261 Sand Lime Brick Nothing as Durable Nothing as Fireproof Makes Structures Beautiful No Painting No Cost for Repairs Fire Proof Weather Proof Warm In Winter Cool In Summer Brick is Everlasting Grande Brick Co. Grand Rapids Saginaw Brick Co., Saginaw Jackson-Lansing Brick Co., Rives Junction For Loose Leaf Binders and Sheets Bill and Charge Statements Write the PROUDFIT LOOSELEAF CO. Grand Rapids Michigan Bell Phone 696 Citz. Phone 61366 JOHN L. LYNCH SALES CO. SPECIAL SALE EXPERTS Expert Advertising Expert Merchandising 209-210-211 Murray Bldg. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 501-511 IONIA AVE., S. W. THE TOLEDO PLATE & WINDOW GLASS COMPANY Mirrors—Art Glass—Dresser Tops—Automobile and Show Case Glass All kinds of Glass for Building Purposes GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Citizens Phone 72-395 Are You Going to Drive Your Open Car This Winter? NOW IS THE TIME to think abcut having a glass enclosure built on your car and have all the comforts of a closed car at a relatively small expense. range from $50.00 to $125.00. HAYES-IONIA SERVICE COMPANY Richmond at Muskegon Ave. Prices on all makes of cars Bell Main 2406 INDIA TIRES HUDSON TIRE COMPANY Distributors 16 North Commerce Avenue Phone 67751 GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. BARLOW BROS. Grand Raplds, Mich. Ask about our way cash. 7 lonia Ave., N. W. Closing out our American Cash Registers as we are no longer jobbing this line. We have marked them at cost. This is your opportunity to buy a dependable register cheap, for Grand Rapids Store Fixture Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan ee 24 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN January 9, {994 (KC CO NNN Crabbed Disposition Not a Good Selling Asset. Irritable folks are good folks who have missed the formula and through failure to assimilate the ingredients supplied as directed have turned an alkaline solution into one with an acid bias. And ever thereafter go through the world with a chip on their shoul- ders looking for trouble and usually finds it in gobs. In salesmanship, as modern busi- ness classicists now define and under- stand it, irritability is a stilleto with which we_ hari-kari ourselves and make a hurried transition from a good job with potential prospects into lim- bo, where in place of pheasant and Maryland turkey we eat crow and sip the hemlock. As a selling asset, a crabbed dis- position makes no friends and we all know it. When the rooster crows, we must all laugh and appear amused, even though it gnaws our entrails and sets our nerves afire. The fact is, no buyer is interested in our dyspepsia, all beliefs to the contrary notwithstanding. Every good buyer has a hand-tooled case of his own gastronomic disturb- ance and when his digestive Etna blows hot we must blow cold or we take the count for the K. O. Being a privileged character, and holding the feed bag on which we depend for our oats, a buyer can af- ford to have dyspepsia and be irri- table, but, Bill, you and I just can’t afford to—our babies need to eat. But some fellows think they can, and in the saltness of time get bumped—discover they are not as wise as they think they are. To illustrate the point here made let’s cite an example which fits the case: In a certain jobber’s territory was was riding pretty. ambassador of the whim he worked he was considered strictly class A. When in form the was a good salesman, but he overtrained and became very irrita- ble, developing an obsession that he and not the buyer was the important end of the selling . transaction. a salesman who As a traveling jobber for All of which we now know is a pathological symptom of loco of the bean and dementia precox, for which there is no cure save a kick in the pants to dissolve the grandiose illu- sion. In the territory of this salesman was a retailer with some of the ele- ments of Carlyle’s rooster. Every time ithe salesman called on this retailer, Mr. Retailer kept him cooling his heels while he waited on children, delicatessen dealers, mani- curists and rummies intent on buying a pound of nails, a dozen screws or a fly swatter. Accepting the frequent interruptions good naturedly, in the beginning the salesman only smiled—felt the fellow was only a bit peculiar—had a touch of the eczema or maybe wife had slipped some cantharides in his pants. But each time the salesman dropped in on his rounds, the retailer repeated the performance. Sometimes—by these antics—he would stall the salesman for two hours at a stretch—time signi- fied nothing to this bird. As an occasional deal, the salesman didn’t mind the inattention, but as an habitual thing it chafed. Finally the salesman got mad—said he’d be damned if he would be ham- strung for hours of this valuable time while this Old Cheese did odd jobs while an unoccupied clerk idled. Red Head’s cackling over nickels got on his nerve—he would have to shut up or hhe’d throuw a fit. On one of his calls the salesman lost his temper—advised he would not wait—delay was impossible—asked the retailer to mail in his order when he had time to write t. Mr. Retailer said he would. That night when the owls were hooting in the nearby trees and the crickets singing and all the town asleep, he wrote out an order and sent it in exactly as promised. Next time the rooster started cack- ling with two old hens—same old stall, same piffing over nickels and nails! Mr. Salesman crossed his fingers and said a prayer for the cack- ling to cease. But for one hour it went right on until he got dippy and began to swear. Then beat it. Following the departure of Mr. Salesman, a representative of a com- peting house dropped in Mr. Retailer’s store. Mr. Dealer gave him the same treat- ment, but he hung around like a leech. While waiting he wrote out his daily report, posted his daily price changes and other needed things— made every minute stalled count for something useful. To get an order from this rooster, the competing salesman knew he had to coddle him and chew his cud while waiting for him to stop cackling and | Stop and see George, | HOTEL MUSKEGON Muskegon, Mich. Rates $1.50 and up. GEO. W. WOODCOCK, Prop. Columbia Hotel KALAMAZOO Good Place To Tie To Plat ona ee oa TP on 8 od iD One half block £os/ of the Union Station GRAND RAPIDS MICH CODY HOTEL GRAND RAPIDS 1.50 up without bath RATES § $5) up without b CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION OCCIDENTAL HOTEL FIRE PROOF CENTRALLY LOCATED Rates $1.50 and up EDWARD R. SWETT, Mgr. Muskegon $e: Michigan Lansing’s New Fire Proof HOTEL ROOSEVELT Opposite North Side State Capitol on Seymour Avenue “ 250 Outside Rooms, Rates $1.50 up, with Bath $2.50 up. Cafeteria in Connection. CUSHMAN HOTEL PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN The best Is none too good for a tired Commercial Traveler. Try the CUSHMAN on your next trip and you will feel right at home. HOTEL KERNS Largest Hotel in Lansing 300 Rooms With or Without Bath Popular Priced Cafeteria in Connection Rates $1.50 up E. S. RICHARDSON, Proprietor Western Hotel BIG RAPIDS, MICH. Hot and cold running water in all rooms. Several rooms with bath. All rooms well heated and well ventilated A good place to stop. American plan. able. WILL F. JENKINS, Manager. Rates reason- HOTEL WILLARD Detroit’s Largest Bachelor Hotel 448 Henry Street Attractive Weekly Rates Cafeteria and Dining Room Open 6 A. M. to 1 A. M. SPECIAL DINNERS—75 Cents EARL P. RUDD, Mgr. Detroit, Mich. Hotel =| Whitcomb isa ae ~_» Mineral Baths THE LEADING COMMERCIAL AND RESORT HOTEL OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN Open the Year Around Natural Saline-Sulphur Waters. Best for Rheumatism, Nervousness, Skin Diseases and Run Down Condition. J. T. Townsend, Mgr. ST. JOSEPH MICHIGAN 400 Rooms—400 Baths MORTON HOTEL You are cordially invited to vist the Beautiful New Hotel at the old location made famous by Eighty Years of Hostelry Service. WILLIAM C. KEELEY, Proprietor. Menus in English Rooms $2.00 and up. The Center of Social and Business Activities THE PANTLIND HOTEL Everything that a Modern Hotel should be. With Bath $2.50 and up. Corner Sheldon and Oakes; Facing Union Depot; Three Blocks Away HOTEL BROWNING GRAND RAPIDS 150 Fireproof Rooms Private Bath, $2.50, $3 Rooms, duplex bath, $2 Never higher Turkish Baths The Old Reliable ~~... ... WHEN IN Excellent Cuisine KALAMAZOO Stop at the Headquarters for all Civic Clubs Luxurious Rooms ERNEST McLEAN, Mgr. in West Michigen and economy. After ali, New System Dentists We've taken pain and high price out of there’s no place like the New System. 41 Ionia Ave. in G. R. Just a One Flight Dentistry and substituted comfort Step South of Monroe Ave. Up; Write for Information. ileal ogy stisee > ¢ ath ie session > tf : cscs yes cin > t ‘ » + 2 ore i i bi cpt _— 7 off and cackle January 9, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN get down to real business. No use getting mad or fussy. Knowing his style of fish, the com- peting salesman toyed with him, mean- while occupying ‘his time in mending fences and sprucing this records to date. At the end by keeping his nerve and hanging on he cleaned up an order for every requirement the dealer needed. Twice a month for a year. Sales- man No. 1 went through the same motions—called, was stalled—got mad —picked up his grip—beat it—got nothing. For the same period, Salesman No. 2 also went through the same motions —hung on—fixed up his records—held his temper—smiled—got everything in sight. Three times a year House No. 1 sent a specialty salesman ito call on Mr. Retailer. Each time Mr. Specialty Salesman got a fat order. Looking over the house records one day before one of his periodical trips to see Mr. Retailer, the specialty sales- man noted that while buying special- ties from tthe house, the dealer was not buying any staple goods. When he called on Mr. Retailer he asked why—how come? “You buy specialties but no staple hardware—why? “Your salesman,” said he, “is too damn irritable. He never wants to wait until I get through with my customers—thinks I should give him the right of way. I just won’t do any such thing. Any salesman who wants my business must suit htimself to my convenience. If he is too fussy to wait—must ‘hurry along, I should worry. I can buy elsewhere. Your competitor’s salesman is more patient. He waits until I am through and gets my orders. I have no grudge against your house—would like to buy from it, but your regular salesman goes off the handle too easily. Hence you folks lose out on the deal.” Just another case of the rooster. When Mr. Retailer said please wait until he cackled with his customer, Mr. Salesman ‘hit high C and said he’d be damned if he would—took it on the thurry-up for the next stop. But let us remember they were born that way, and probably will never be any different. As long as the buyer holds the bag and has the say whether we shall get an order or not get it, for Lawdy’s sake let the old cock crow his head with everybody he knows until his voice runs cold and the salt tears run dry. The jobber’s salesmen are supposed to be sane, and most of them are. They are supposed to be good sports, to be hickory tanned and to take a licking when its ‘handed to them. This being so, live up to your repu- tation, Bill, and don’t lose your head and spume at the nose every time a rooster crows or a gum-sucker rattles his jawbones cackling. with penny- anters while the keeps you cooling your tootsies against the counter. —_—_-~»- ___ There are enough good stores in most towns so that no customer need patronize a retailer who does not treat him right and show an ap- preciation of his trade. Fred Mason President Franklin Sugar Refining Co. Fred Mason, Vice-President of the American Sugar Refining Co, has been elected President of the Frank- lin Sugar Refining Co., of Philadel- phia, by reason of the retirement of George H. Frazier. This brings the entire sales of the American Sugar Refining Co. at all points more direct- ly under the supervision of Mr. Ma- son at the general office in New York. The remarkable career of Mr. Ma- son affords a most striking example of what can be accomplished by a man who starts out in life with a firm determination to climb to the top rung of success by painstaking effort and honest endeavor. When _ the Tradesman was established, about forty years ago, Mr. Mason was (if we remember rightly) carrying a grip on the streets of Minneapolis, calling on the retail grocery trade. He sub- sequently managed the Retail Gro- cers’ Association of that city in the capacity of Secretary. His next pro- motion was to the Secretaryship of the National Retail Grocers’ Associa- tion, which he served well and faith- Fred Mason. fully. He afterward became Sales He has now reached the highest of- Manager of the National Food Co., at Niagara Falls. He gradually work- ed up to the position of Manager of that corporation, leaving it some years ago to become Vice-President of the American Sugar Refining Co. fice he can hold in that organization with the exception of the Presidency, witch is held by Mr. Babst. Mr. Mason has been honored in many ways during the past quarter of a century, including election to the Presidency of the Specialty Manufac- turers Association. As a rule, a man who graduates out of the retail trade to accept signal honors in the wholesale or manufac- turing fields loses touch with his old friends. Not so with Mr. Mason. He has never for a moment permitted himself to forget his one-time associa- tions with retail grocers. He still touches elbows with his friends of the retail trade and shares their joys and sorrows with the same sympathetic interest he exhibited forty years ago. In fact, the Tradesman feels no hesi- tation in stating that Fred Mason is to-day the most popular man _ in America with.the retail grocery trade of this country. His popularity will never be lessened through any action on his part, because he is big enough and broad enough to comprehend the rights of the retail grocer and has cour- age and stamina enough to defend those rights to the limit of his power and usefulness. Nor is Mr. Mason’s popularity con- fined to the retail trade. Because he is the soul of honor and a prince of good nature, he is regarded every- where as one of the upstanding men of this day and age; as a man who has done much to bring about the era of good feeling between the retailer, wholesaler and food manufacturer and who is destined to devote many more years of usefulness in bringing about a clearer understanding and a more hearty accord between the vari- ous branches of the food distributive system of this country. ———_++~___ Death of Gilson K. Coffey. G. K. Coffey, the veteran traveling salesman, died at his home, 1102 South Lafayette avenue, last Friday evening as the result of fatty degeneration of the heart. He had been ill about a month. The funeral was held this afternoon. Members of the U. C. T. acted as pallbearers. Interment in Oak Hills. Mr. Coffey was born at Dry Run, Penn., May 12, 1860. His antecedents were Scotch-Irish on his father’s side and Scotch on his mother’s side. His father was a cabinet maker, but the son preferred to become a pedagogue and taught school several years. In line with this inclination, he pursued a three year course at the Cumber- land Valley Normal School at Ship- pensburg, Penn. One month before he graduated he married Miss Estella Skiles, of Shippensburg, and the two started West to seek their fortune. They landed at White Cloud, Mich., where Mr. Coffey engaged in the gro- cery business, which he _ continued about fifteen years. Selling out about thirty years ago, he came to Grand Rapids and found employment as trav- eling representative in Michigan for the Crown Baking Powder Co., of Bast St. Louis, Hl He continued in this position twenty-five years, when he retired to accept a more lucrative offer from the Michigan Shoe Dealers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. ly five years he has given his new connection all the energy he could command, earning the reputation of being one of the most successful fire insurance solicitors in Michigan. For near- Mr. Coffey leaves a widow and five children—three sons and two daugh- ters—to mourn his loss. All the chil- dren are married except one son, Mr. Coffey was a member of the Congregational church of White Cloud and also affiliated with the Odd Fellows. On coming to Grand Rap- ids he joined Grand Rapids Council, UC. Fr. Mr. Coffey was a genial, jolly and most companionable man. He made friends easily and retained them to the end. His good nature was always in evidence and as a dispeller of gloom, even in the most untoward surroundings, he was a past master. No party could be dull in his ence and no gathering of men failed pres- to note his presence, due to his exu- berant disposition and interesting con- versation. —_——_2¢___ Items From the Cloverland of Mich- igan. Sault Ste. Marie, Jan. 8—The lum- bermen in this district are rejoicing over the snow which came for the first time this year on Christmas. It was a real Christmas present to them. They are now running full force and with the excess labor they are expect- ing a large cut. Mr. Fralick, of the Fralick Lumber Co., Moran, was a business visitor here last week, The many friends of Frank J. Alli- son, formerly traveling salesman for the Cornwell Co. on the D. S S. & A. Railway will be pleased to know that he is now located in Detroit, where he is employed at a local pack- ing house looking after the beef busi- ness. Frank says that Detroit is sure- ly some place, but after paying the high rent there is very little left for recreation. He says his advice to others living at smaller places is that Detroit is a good place to stay away trom. Speros Sassalos, who recently sold his interest in the De Lux cafe, left last Friday for Flint, where he expects to engage in a similar business. Krell & Waara, new merchants, ex- pect to install a tailoring shop in ad- dition to their clothing business. The Soo Times gave away three Star automobiles as prizes for the cir- culation contest which closed last week. They also gave away numerous other valuable prizes. It is reported that the drive was a hugh success. There is now a daily stage between the Soo and Detour. McLeod & Wilson are the promoters. Mr. Mc- Leod leaves Detour in the morning, making the drive as far as Pickford, where Mr. Wilson continues the trip to the Soo. Wilson leaves the Soo each morning, driving as far as Pick- ford, where McLeod continues to De- tour. This is the first daily winter service that we have here and will be greatly appreciated by the travel- ers who are obliged to make this trip during the winter. This being leap year there has not been much progress made as yet, ac- cording to reports to date. There are many advances, according to some of our sages. One says that the best way is for a girl to set on his knee until he proposes. Another says, get your mother to cook him a good meal and swear you cooked it. A full man will marry most anybody. William G. Tapert. a Sports ;clothes to Help Belts. The silhouette in that are seen in some of the new of- ferings promises to have little effect on sports wear for the coming season, with the that vogue for leather belts to set off costumes of this kind will be used especially with knitted suits, with sweaters worn with tubular dresses result the come through as_ scheduled. They will be used more especially with separate skirts and with certain styles of plain tailored suits and coat dresses. In all cases the belts are placed at a low waist line and are adjusted loose- ly. Black patent leather belts lead in the staples, especially for use with juvenile dresses, but the leader of the novelties is the suede belt in a variety ot colors. As for ornamentation of the favored handsome ‘but not too conspicuous buckles have the call. belts, 26 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN ELE BOS = = DRUGS” DRUGGISTS SI e ° wad) nt a) LE) inl) NDRIES: ‘ Z Pele = : 22 SS ae op = = =o Es am Ko eA . & Zy YP} ye Ay] VAI ae ae ! ; eT Da) ae IWS AN é SRG ZA J CZ ree A , oe Mich. State Pharmaceutical Ass’n. nor is it wholly or even principally President—-D. D. Secretary—L. V. Rapids. Treasurer—A. A. De Kruif, Zeeland. Executive Committee—J. A. Skinner, Cedar Springs; J. H. Webster, Detroit; D. G. Look, Lowell; John G. Steketee, Grand Rapids; Ellis E. Faulkner, Mid- dleville; George H. Grommet, Detroit, ex-officio. Alton, Fremont. Middleton, Grand Michigan Board of Pharmacy. President—James E. Way, Jackson. Vice - President — Jacob C. Dykema, Grand Rapids. Secretary—H. H. Hoffman, Lansing. J. A. Skinner, Cedar Springs. Oscar W. Gorenflo, Detroit. Claude C. Jones, Battle Creek. Director of Drugs and Drug Stores— H. H. Hoffman, Lansing. Price Cutting and Price Maintenance. . Laws interfering with price fixing have been upheld by the United States Supreme Court and have pro- duced results not anticipated by those who think that the small retailer is benefited and big business is smitten by them. Price cutting is a game in which the small shopkeeper does not and cannot afford to indulge. Those who have fought and won these law- suits are rich and powerful concerns, such as great department stores, and these judgments upholding the right of the people to buy in the cheapest market tend to concentrate trade and the distribution of merchandise in the hands of a few. The Supreme Court has riddled every plan yet devised by manufactur- ers for maintaining the retail price of proprietary and trade-marked goods. Whenever the actual ownership of the goods passes the manufacturer loses his right to fix selling prices, and no subterfuge, such as the right to with- draw goods from sale, helps him. He can maintain advertised retail prices only by selling the goods at retail on his own account. He can put such goods on sale in retail stores on a pure commission basis under which ownership does not pass until the sale at retail is consummated. Few manu- facturers could finance their opera- tions on that basis and it has other disadvantages; so those who are strong enough and are bent on controlling the retail price of their products go into the chain-store business either alone or in concert with others as has been done in the cigar trade and to some extent in the drug trade. During the coming session of the Congress of the United States a de- termined effort will be made to push to favorable action the Kelly-Stephens Price Maintenance bill. The forces in favor of this legislation are already mustering, and they will make a strong showing and we hope with a happy result. Although the drug trade, in all of its branches, is interested in this leg- islation, it does not originate with, 2 wy NRE LOMA ER RTO EN PIS AI ENS IEP MPR OS EN sponsored by that trade. All trades in identified merchandise are equally interested, and some are even more active, though perhaps none is so much involved in general price cut- ting. Primarily, however, this is not .a trade fight. It is a public fight, and it is to be sincerely hoped that Con- gress, the representative of the pub- lic, will recognize the public interest and act accordingly. If goods and merchandise are to be offered con- veniently to the public, there must be numerous merchants, at strategic mer- chandising points. These merchants must dispense identified merchandise, for into the channels of identified ar- ticles, the art of merchandising large- ly has fallen. The public demands the brands advertised. If the estab- lished, advertised, and usually econ- omically sound prices of identified merchandise are aggressively cut to a point below that which allows a reasonable profit, an uneconomic price must be assessed somewhere, and in the long run the public pays. It is this feature of public interest that should be emphasized. —_2-++___ Repeal of Syrup Tax Suggested. There is a possibility that some of the “nuisance” taxes may be repealed at the coming session of congress. Whether such repeal will include the taxes on finished or fountain syrups, still drinks, unfermented fruit juices and imitations thereof, carbonated beverages by the use of a concentrate, essence or extract, beverages derived from substitutes, natural or artificial mineral waters, and carbonic acid gas is a question. There can be no doubt as to the syrup and carbonic acid taxes being “a source of inconvenience to taxpayers and difficult to collect” nor any ques- tion as to the fact that these taxes come within the category of “nuisance” taxes. Within the past twenty years the cost of operating the federal treas- ury department has been multiplied more than four times. The vast army of clerks, agents and officers employ- ed in the National capital and in the field has been created in part by the demands for their services occasioned by the inspection of records and re- ports and the supervision and collec- tion generally of numerous unneces- sary and unwarranted taxes, some of which may have been justified by the exigencies of the late world war, but none of which can be excused to-day. ——_2.2.>____ Steady Customers. Every steady customer you can get is one more volume-builder. There are many ways of attracting new patrons. See eee eee eee Ea Eee Advertising will do it, also circulars sent through the mail. A window that is especially inter- esting will entice many passers-by to enter: One of the best ways to make steady customers is by cultivating the casual shopper who drops in once or twice. Don’t hesitate to invite her to call again. Get her name if you can, and re- member it. The reason why so many stores do not increase their steady patronage is because they treat every new comer as “one of the crowd” that comes and goes. Their manner, though it may be courteous, seems to say, ‘We never saw you before and wouldn’t know you if you called again.” Human beings like to be recognized as individuals. One druggist we know thanks every first caller for her patronage and hands her a neatly printed card on which is stated the service policy of his store. That gets him many new steady patrons. > ____. Just Showing Your Letters. A merchant took advantage of the trait that causes people to glance at letters left lying around and thereby impressed them with the fact that he had an unusually complete stock. His store was small and up-to-date and many persons from out of town wrote him for things they could not get at home. He took the envelopes and letters received from this source and placed them in his display win- dow. He did this with studied care- lessness. They looked as if they were strewn about. The purpose of this arranagement was that by over- lapping the letters now and then, he could cover up paragraphs that he did not want to make public. The very January 9, 1924 fact that they could not read the en tire letter in some cases only mad the spectators more curious. The, studied them like puzzles. Near; everybody went away with a genera! impression that, judging from the or- ders from other towns, Merchant 3rown must have a good store. You will be able perhaps to apply this plan to the letters you receive from your out-of-town customers. Taking Invoice. The “taking stock” in a drug store without question is a tiresome, tedious irksome and apparently unprofitable task, however it now is obligatory ac- cording to a ruling of the Treasury Department. There are also some good points about annual invoicing, which will repay for the work done, these are: becoming acquainted with the stock, eliminating poor sellers, bet ter arrangement of stock, familiariz ing with costs of stock, moving dead stocks, avoiding overbuying in futur: and, above all, establishing the real actual financial worth of the mer- chant. Such who will not make in ventories, “may get in bad” with col lectors and inspectors of the Revenue Department. Such who have marked costs on their merchandise, when th« goods were bought, will have litil work in pricing their invoice sheets As has been stated before a stock-list will make easy settling with an insur ance company in case of loss by fire. It is not absolutely necessary to take stock on the last day of the year. oo He Could Lose Anything. Passenger (fumbling in pockets) I’m afraid I’ve lost my ticket. Irate Conductor — What do you mean, lost it? You couldn’t lose a ticket a yard long. Passenger — Couldn’t, hey? Say, you don’t know me. I lost a bas drum once. PANETELLA e /New (Java Wrepper)2 For25¢; PERFECTO (SumatraWrapper) 10¢ STRAIGHT SIZE (Java Wrapper) 10¢ BLENDED AND MANUFACTURED BY TUNIS JOHNSON CIGAR CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. BIASES Sos wx) Sea SA CSR SL pee ALL PE ER VN LRG ANALY ADEE PADS RL AG ASSEN RIA MAL. PBSO STON ROE OS SOROS EEO ESIESS ths CF s i ne sce r Atel i moet ren i crim a i s i I i exotics inticn inst a r santa wrest ean x ei Ze} ie AS ices WS ¥ RRA January 9, 1924 MUSKEGON HIGAN Makes Good hocolates bee beehathatratits ES THE NEWEST HIT AUCH A 10c BAR OF THE HIGHEST GRADE. Include a box in your next order, sure. NATIONAL CANDY CoO., INC. PUTNAM FACTORY GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Do You Sell Flashlight Batteries? he BEST BAT TE FOR Your BATTERY Brighter Light ood 24 Longer Life, IF SO, WHY NOT BUY THE BEST ONE MADE, THE “YALE” MONO-CELLS TWO SIZES ONLY TO FIT ALL MAKES OF REGULAR ROUND TYPE, MINERS’ TYPE, —~ SEARCHLIGHT TYPE, SPOT’ LIGHTS, DOUBLE DUTY, FLASH- LIGHTS... THE UNIT SYS- TEM DOES IT. nat! Bar GH R Le THIS METAL DISPLAY TESTER RACK FREE with 20 Mono-Cells No. 101, size 1%x1 in. 30 Mono-Cells No. 102, Size 23¢x1% in. Cost You $13.36 Retail Value About $21.00. Send us this order today. HAZELTINE & PERKINS DRUG CO. ORDER BLANK ids, Mich. — jets Post —Please ship us via xpress Gentlemen e p ree ane to cost “YALE” Assortment Mono-Cells Flashlight Batteries You are to send me Tester Display Rack free of charge. NAME ADDRESS 1 Only $13.36. Cli 2. ee eee 50 YEARS AT YOUR SERVICE HAZELTINE & PERKINS DRUG CO. Michigan Grand Rapids 7 Manistee MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 27 WHOLESALE DRUG PRICE CURRENT Prices quoted are nominal, based on market Acids Bovic (Powd.) -.15 @ 235 Boric (Xtal) -_.15 @ 25 @Carbolie —... 44 @ 51 Clttie 2. 62@ 70 Muriatic -______. 3%4@ 8 Nitvie .-.. 9@ 15 Oxalic -..-...__. 20%@ 30 Sulphuric ~.___._ 3%4@ 8 Partaric =... 40 @ 60 Ammonia Water, 26 deg. _. 10@ 18 Water, 18 deg. .. 8%@ 13 Water, 14 deg. .. 6%@ 12 Carbonate -...... 20@ 25 Chloride (Gran.) 10@ 320 Balsams Copaiba -.-.... 60@1 00 Fir (Canada) -. 2 50@2 75 Fir (Oregon) -.. 80@1 00 Peru 3: 00@3 26 DOW 2 3 60@3s 16 Barks Cassia (ordinary) 25@ 30 Cassia (Saigon)... 50@ 60 Sassafras (pw. 50c) @ 45 ee Cut (powd.) Se 18 25 Berries Cubeb 22... @ 1 25 Wish 22 25@ 30 Juniper —... 7@ 15 Pricky Ash ____ @ 30 Extracts Licorice -...m. 60@ 66 Licorice powd. _. 70@ 80 Flowers Apnic@ 0 25@ 30 Chamomile (Ger.) 35@ 40 Chamomile Rom —_.. 2 50 Gums Acacia, Ist 50@ 55 Acacia, 2nd __-.__ 45@ 650 Acacia, Sorts _.. 22@ 30 Acacia, powdered 35@ 40 Aloes (Barb Pow) 25@ 35 Aloes (Cape Pow) 25@ a Aloes (Soc. Pow.) 65@ Asafoetida 65@ Pow, —. Camphor Guage 22 @ Guaiac, pow’d —. @ REO @ Kino, powdered__ @ VEC @ Myrrh, powdered @ Opium, powd. 13-70@13 Opium, gran. 13 70@13 Shellac ......... 90@1 Shellac Bleached 1 00@1 Tragacanth, pw. 1 Tragacanth -... 1 -| Turpentine — ____ insecticides Arsenic —....... 20 @ Blue Vitriol, bbl. @ Blue Vitriel, lesz 84%@ Bordeaux Mix Dry 14@ Hellebore, White powdered ..... 20@ Insect Powder ~. 70@ Lead Arsenate Po. 28@ Lime and Sulphur Dry 30 07 15 29 30 90 41 oa 6G ee Paris Green .... %38@ 62 Leaves Buchu 22... 1 50@1 60 Buchu, powdered @1 75 Sage, Bulk ...... 25@ 306 Sage, % loose -._ @ 4 Sage, powdered... @ 36 Senna, Alex. ...{. 75@ 30 Senna, Tinn. .... 30@ 36 Senna, Tinn. pow. 35@ 36 Uva Ursai -.._.... 30@ 25 Olls Almonds, Bitter, thUG 7 50@7 16 Almonds, Bitter, artificial ...... 4 00@4 26 Ahnonds, Sweet, CRUG 22 80@1 20 Almonds, Sweet, imitation -.... 60@1 00 Amber, crude — 1 50@1 75 Amber, rectified 2 a 25 Anise ~_.._.. 1 00@1 25 Bergamont -.-.. 4 pa 75 Caieput ....... 1 50@1 75 assia --..___.4 50@4 75 @Sstor . 1 70@1 90 Cedar Leaf _.... 1 75@2 00 Cttronelia _..... 1 50@1 75 Cloves: 22 3 75@4 00 Cocoanut .......__- 45@=ssS5 Cod Liver ....__ 1 35@1 45 ton 2 00@2 25 Cotton Seed -__. 1 40@1 60 Cubebse —. 8 50@8 75 Higeron —.....__ 3 00@3 25 Eucalyptus —.-__ 1 25@1 50 Hemlock, pure._ 2 00@2 25 Juniper Berries. 2 00@2 25 Juniper Wood_. 1 50@1 175 Lard, extra -... 1 35@1 45 Lard, No. 1 __.. 1 25@1 35 Lavendar Flow_. 6 50@6 75 Lavendar Gar’n 85@1 20 Lemon 0 1 50@1 75 Linseed Boiled bbl. @ 97 Linseed bid. less 1 04@1 17 Linseed, raw, bbl. 95 Linseed, ra. less 1 02@1 15 Mustard, artifil os @ 45 Neatsfoot —..._ 1 35@1 50 Olive, pure _.. 3 75@é4 60 ve, Malaga, yellow —_.......... 75@3 00 Olive, Malaga, green ......... 3 75@3 00 Orange, Sweet. 5 00@5 25 Origanum, pure g: 50 Origanum, com’! 1 00@1 20 Pennyroyal —_.. 3 00@3 25 Peppermint -... 4 25@4 60 Rose, pure 5 50at0 90 Rosemary Flows 1 25@1 50 Sandalwood, E. i. 2 EE OGG 26 Sassafras, true. 2 50@2 75 Sassafras, arti’l 1 00@1 25 Spearmint -._.._ 4 00@4 25 SHG oo 1 80@2 ‘Pansy .._ rar. USP 22 5 Turpentine, bbl... @1 11% Turpentine, less 1 18@1 d1 Wintergreen, leak 2 6 00@6 25 Wintergreen, sweet Birch 2... 3 50@3 75 Wintergreen, art__ 80@1 20 Wormseed ___._ 9 00@9 25 Wormwood 9 00@9 25 Potassium Bicarbonate _____ 35@ 40 Bichromate —_____ 15@ 25 Bromide 45@ 50 Carbonate _.. 30@ 35 Chlorate, gran’r 23@ 30 Chlorate, powd. OF weal 2 16@ 25 €yanide 22 32@ 50 sOdgid@ 22 4 61@4 84 Permanaganate __ 30@ 40 Prussiate, yellow 65@ 175 Prussiate, red __ @1 00 Sulphate 35@ 40 Roots Alkanet <1. 25@ 30 Blood, powdered_ 368 40 Calamus 2. 35 75 Elecampane, pwd 25 30 Gentian, powd... 20 30 Ginger, African, powdered -.... 25@ 30 Gir ser, Jamaica 60@ 65 Gi ser, Jamaica, powdered _... 42@ 60 Goldenseal, pow. 5 50@6 00 Ipecac, powd. __ @3 75 Encerice: =. 35@ 40 Licorice, powd. 20 30 Orris, powdered 30 40 Poke, powdered 30 35 Rhubarb, powd. 85@1 00 Rosinwood, powd. 30@ 386 Sarsaparilla, Hond. ground ......_ @1 00 Sarsaparilla Mexican Sroung 2.2. 60 Squile 2 40 Squills, powdered a 70 Tumeric, powd. 17@ 25 Valeran, powd. ug 50 Seeds Apige 200 35@ 40 Anise, powdered 38@ 46 Bird, tq 2... 13@ 15 Canary =. 10@ 15 Caraway, Po. — =< 40 Cardamon ____ 25@2 50 Celery, powd. .45 * 86 40 Coriander pow. .35 27@ 30 Dill 12% 2 mx 2 074%@ 12 Flax, ground -...07%@ 12 Foenugreek pow. 15@ 25 Henn 8@ 15 Lobelia, powd. -... @1 25 Mustard, yellow... 15@ 25 Mustard, black _.. 15@ 20 Foppy ...... Ae 3G oe eS 1 75@2 00 Rape 2 15@ 20 Sabadilia Sc ieceves toes 23 30 Sunflower -..__. 11% 15 Worm, American 30@ 40 Worm Levant -... the day of issue. Tinctures @conite @1 80 Aloes @1 45 Arnica ___ @1 16 Asafoetida @2 40 Belladonna _ @1 35 Benzoin 2. @2 10 Benzoin Comp’d @2 65 Buehy @2 565 Cantharadies ___ @2 85 Capsicum ___.._._ @2 20 Catechy ... 0 @1 75 Cinchona _____ a @2 10 Colehicum ___ @1 80 Cubehs ... @3 06 Digitalis @1 80 Gentian 1 365 Ghiger DD. S. _. gi 80 Gugige @2 20 Guaiac, Ammon 2 00 foding = g 95 Iodine, Colorless @1 50 Irom, clo, @1 35 Ning @1 40 Myrrh @2 60 Nux Vomica ____ @1 55 pian @3 50 Opium, Cam @ 86 Opium, Deodorz’ da @3 60 Richart @1 76 Paints. Lead, red dry __ 14@ 14% Lead, white dry 14@ 14% Lead, white oil. 14@ 14% Ochre, yellow bbl. @ 23 Ochre, yellow less 2%@_ 6 Putty 2 5@ 8 Red Venet’n Am. 3%4@ 7 Red Venet’n En 4 Whiting, bbl. eke g Whiting 5%@ 10 L. H. P. Prep... 2 80@3 00 Rogers Prep. __. 2 80@3 00 Miscellaneous Acetanalid __.. 474%@ 658 Alu O8@ 12 Alum age and ground 9 15 Bismuth, Subni- ° trate 220 85@4 00 Borax xtal or powdered ____ 0o7@ 18 Cantharades, po. 2 oer 00 Calomel 76@1 96 Capsisum, pow’d 1139 55 Carmine oo 6 00@6 6e Cassia Buds -_.. 25@ = Cloves 2.0, 47@ Chalk Prepared. 14@ ie Chloroform ___ 57@ Chloral Eat - soi 8 Cocaine 60@12 2 Cocoa Butter _._ 55@ F Corks, list, less 24@. fo Copperas Copperas, Powd. 4 $ Corrosive Sublm 1 48@1 $3 Cream Tartar ____ a 40 Cuttle bone ____ 40@ 650 Dextrine 56@ 15 Dover’s Powder 3 50@4 00 Emery, All Nos. 10@ 15 Emery, Powdered 8@ 10 Epsom Salts, bbls. @ 3 Epsom Salts, less 3%@ 10 Ergot, powdered -- @i &@ Flake, White _._.. 15@ 26 Formaldehyde, Ib pe 30 Gelatine 1 25@1 5v Glassware, less 55%. Glassware, full case 60% Glauber Salts, bbl. "i Glauber Salts less * Glue, Brown -___ Glue, Brown Grd ug i *0 Glue, White ___27% 85 Glue, White Grd. 25 Glycerine Bae “ag io Hopy 22 76 lodimg ... : sige 16 lodoform § so. 85 Lead Acetate —_ ‘a 25 Lycopodium -..___ 60 75 Mace 2 80 Mace, powdered 95@1 00 Menthol __.__ 18 00@19 00 Morphine -___ 10 70@11 60 Nux Vomica @ 30 Nux Vomica, pow. as 25 Pepper black pow. 85 Pepper, White —_ 45 Pitch, Burgundry 10 16 Quassia .-____. ae 16 dointis eee 72@1 33 Rochelle Salts _. 28@ 35 Saecharine @ 30 Salt Peter 11 22 Seidlitz Mixture 3 40 Soap, green -. 0 Soap mott cast. we 265 — white castile ee -—- @ll 650 Sean. white castile less, per bar _.. @1 * SG Aen 3%@ Soda Bicarbonate 8¢ aie Seda, Sal _...._.. GG @& Spirits Camphor @1 35 Sulphur, roll _... & 16 Sulphur, Subl. ... 10 Tamarinds w.... 30 26 Tartar Emetic .. 7% 765 Turpentine, Ven. 50@ 175 Vanilla Ex. pure 1 75@2 26 Witch Hazel 1 51@2 10 Zine Sulphate -. 06@ 15 28 ing and are intended to be correct at time of going to press. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN GROCERY PRICE CURRENT These quotations are carefully corrected weekly, within six hours of mail- Prices, however, are liable to change at any time, and country merchants will have their orders filled at market prices at date of purchase. ADVANCED Lemon Peel Orange Peel California Prunes Canned Blackberries Canned Raspberries Oil Sardines Canned Pumpkin Canned Spinach Salt Mackerel AMMONIA Avrcuc, 16 of: 2 2 00 Arcac, ac Om. 3 2 [ X i, 3 dez., 12 ox. 3 75 AXLE GREASE 10 Ib. pails, per doz. 8 20 15 lb. pails, per doz. 11 20 25 Ib. pails, per doz 17 70 BAKING POWDERS Arctic, 7 oz. tumbler 1 35 Queen Flake, 6 oz. -. 1 25 Queen Flake, 16 oz. _. 2 25 Queen Flake, 100 lb. keg 11 Queen Flake, 25 lb. keg 14 Royal, (0c, doz. 95 Royal, 6 oz., doz. .. 2 70 Royal, 12 oz., doz... 5 20 oval 5 ib. .... 20 Rocket, 16 oz., doz. 1 25 BLUING Original fe condensed Pearl BREAKFAST FOODS Cracked Wheat, 24-2 3 85 Cream of Wheat ---- 6 90 Pillsbury’s Best Cer’l 2 20 Quaker Puffed Rice-. 5 45 Quaker Puffed Wheat 4 30 Quaker Brfst Biscuit i 90 Ralston Purina -—----- 00 Ralston Branzos ---- 3 70 Ralston Food, large .. 3 60 Saxon Wheat Food ~~ 3 75 Shred. Wheat Biscuit 3 85 Vita Wheat, 12s ______ 1 80 Post’s Brands. Grape-Nuts, 248 ------ Grape-Nuts, 100s -_-- Postum Cereal, 12s —-_ Post Toasties, 36s —-. Post Toasties, 24s Pact’e Rran he BROOMS Standard Parlor, 23 Ib. Fancy Parlor, 23 Ib. Ex. Fancy Parlor 25 lb 9 00 Ex. Fey. Parlor 26 Ib. . 00 Oy 2 2 25 Whisk, No. 3 Rich & France ane ager o. 24, Good Value -_ 7 6b 8 0 00) bo po bo ooo %” or No oO. 25, Special 0 No. 25, Velvet, plain 8 75 No. 25, Velvet, pol... 9 00 No. 27 Quality Se 10 00 No. 22 Miss Dandy —_ 10 00 No. 62 5B. 0. HE _.. 9 0 Warehouse, 56 ib. 8 75 B.O.E. W’ house, 32 Ib. 9 00 BRUSHES crub Solid Back, 8 in. ____ 1 50 Solid Back, 1 in. ____ 1 75 Pointed Ends -...-- 1 25 Cheese Stove NO: 4 ee 110 No. 2 1 35 Shoe No. io oo 99 ING 2 1 25 No 3. 2 00 BUTTER COLOR Dandelion, 2 85 Nedrow, 3 oz., doz. 2 50 CANDLES Electric Light, 40 lbs. 12.1 Plumber, 40 Ibs. ---- 12.8 Paratine, 6s —. 4% Parafine, izes —..___ 14% Wicking 200. 40 Tudor, 6s, per box -. 30 CANNED FRUIT. Apples, 3 lb. Standard 1 59 Apples, No. 10 __ 4 00@4 25 Apple Sauce, No. 2. 2 00 Apricots, No. 1 1 35@1 90 Apricots, No. 2 2 85 Apricots, No. 2% 2 “60@3 75 Apricots, No. 10 —__. 8 90 Blackberries, No. 10 12 50 Blueber’s, No. 2, 1-75@2 50 Blueberries, No. 16-_ 11 00 Cherries, No. 2--3 00@3 50 Cherries, No. 2% 4 00@4 95 Cherries, No. 10 ---- 10 50 Loganberries, No. 2 — 3 00 Peaches, No. 1 1 10@1 80 Peaches, No. 1, Sliced 1 40 Peaches, No. 2 2 Peaches, No. 2% Mich 2 25 Peaches, 2% Cal. 3 00@3 75 Peaches, ae Mich 5 50@6 50 Pineapple, 1, sled 1 80@2 25 Pineapple, 2 sl. 3 10@3 25 P’apple, 2, br sl. 2 75@2 85 P’apple, 21%, sl. 3 80@4 50 P’apple, 2, cru. 2 40@2 60 Pineapple, 10 cru. ~-13 00 Pears, No. 2 .----- 3 25 Pears, No. 2% —_—___ 50 Plums, No. Plums, No. Raspberries No. 2, blk 3 00 Raspb’s, Red, No. 10 14 00 Raspb’b, Black No. 10 10 50@12 50 Rhubarb, No. 10 ---- 5 50 CANNED FISH. Clam Ch’der, 10% oz. 1 35 Clam Ch., No. 3 3 00@3 40 Clams, Steamed, No. 1 1 80 Clams, Minced, No. 1 2 50 Finnan Haddie, 10 oz. 3 30 Clam Bouillon, 7 oz._ 2 50 Chicken Haddie, No. 1 2 76 Fish Flakes, small -. 1 35 Cod Fish Cake, 10 oz. 1 85 Cove Oysters, 5 oz. -. 1 75 Lobster, No. %4, Star 3 25 Shrimp, 1, wet 2 10@2 25 Sard’s, %4 Oil, ky 6 00@7 00 Sardines, 44, Oil, k’less 6 00 Sardines, % Smoked 7 50 Salmon, Warrens, %s 3 00 Salmon, Red Alaska__ 2 85 Salmon, Med. Alaska 1 85 Salmon, Pink Alaska 1 65 Sardines, Im. \, ea. er Sardines, Im., %, 25 Sardines, Cal. 1 1502 10 Tuna, %, Albocore -. 95 Tuna, 4s, Curtis, doz. 2 20 Tuna, %s Curtis doz. 3 50 Tuna, 1s, Curtis, doz. 7 00 CANNED MEAT. Bacon, Med. Beechnut 2 40 Bacon, Lge. Beechnut 4 05 Beef, No. 1, Corned —. 2 70 Beef, No. 1, Roast —_ 2 70 Beef, No. % Rose Sli. 1 75 Beef, No.% , Qua. Sli. 1 90 Beef, No. 1, Qua. sli. 3 10 Beef, No. 1, B’nut, sli. 5 10 Beefsteak & Onions, s 2 75 Chili Con Ca., 1s 1 85@1 45 Deviled Ham, %s ~.. 2 20 Deviled Ham, ¥%s --- 3 60 Hamburg Steak & Onions, No. 1... 3 15 Potted Beef, 4 oz. _-_ 1 10 Potted Meat, 4 Libby 50 Potted Meat, % wibby 90 Potted Meat, % Rose 85 Potted Hum, Gen. % 1 85 Vienna Saus., No. % 1 36 Veal Loaf. Medium -. 2 30 Baked Beans Beechnut, 16 oz. --.. 1 40 Camppelis 1 156 Climatic Gem, 18 ozz. 95 Fremont, No. 2 ------ Snider, No. 1 Soe Snider, No. 2 __------ 1 3. Van Camp, small _..___—_ 85 Van Camp, Med. -... 1 1b Mop Sticks Canned Aprlies Canned Hominy DECLINED Raisin Barley Scotch Twine Peas CANNED VEGETABLES. Asparagus. No. 1, Green tips 4 10@4 50 No. 24, Lge. Gr. 8 75@4 50 W. Bean, cut 2 1 60@1 65 W. Beans, 10 — 8 50@12 00 Green Beans, 2s "1 65@3 75 Gr. Beans, 10s 7 50@13 00 L. Beans, 2 gr. 1 35@2 65 Lima Beans, Zs, Soaked 98 Red Kid. No. 2 1 20@1 35 Beets, No. 2, wh. 1 60@z 40 Beets; No. 2, cut —_1 25 ieets: No. 3; cut —2.— 1.60 (corn. No. 2, x stan 1 40 Corn, No. 2, #x ‘stan 1 40 Corn, No. Z, Fan 1 6v@z z& Corn, No. z, Fy. glass 3 20 Corn, No. 10 -.7 50@16 75 Hominy, No. 3 1 00@1 15 Ukra, No. 2, whole — Zz 00 Okra No: 2, cut _.- 4 80 Dehydrated Veg Soup 9v Dehydrated Potatoes, ib 45 Mushrooms, Hotels --. 36 Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Peas, No. 2, Peas, No. Z, . June 1 90@2 10 . Fine, French 25 No. 3 1 35@1 50 No. 10 4 50@5 60 Pimentos, 4%, each 12@14 Pimentos, %, each . 27 Sw’t Potatoes, No. 2% 1 35 Saurkraut, No. 3 1 40@1 50 Succotash, No. 2 1 6u@z sb Succotash, No. 2, glass 3 46 Spinach; No. 1 ..... 1 40 Spinach, No. 2. 1 35@1 75 Spinach, No. 3. 2 00@2 40 Spinach, No. 10__ 5 50@7 00 Tomatoes, No. 2 1 svuwml 60 Tomatoes, No. 3 1 90@2 25 Tomatoes, No. 2 glass 2 60 Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Tomatoes, No. 10 —... 6 50 CATSUP. B-nut, Smail — 2 25 Lilly Valley, 14 oz. ~~ 2 50 Libby, 14 oz. .....-. 2 BS Libby, 8 oz. Lily Valley, ei see 4 1 % pint 1 75 Paramount, 24, 8s ---. 1 46 Paramount, 24, 168 -. 2 40 Paramount, 6, 10s -. 10 00 Sniders, 8 oz. 85 Sniders, 16 oz. 85 Royal Red, 10 oz. 4u CHIL! SAUCE. Snider: 16 oz. —.... 3 35 Snigers, 6 oz. 2 35 Lilly Valley, 8 oz. -- 2 10 Lilly Valley, 14 oz. ~~ 3 00 OYSTER COCKTAIL. i Snicers. 16 02. 2.2. = 3 25 Sniders, 8 02... - 2 35 CHEESE poaguetoOrE 63 Kraft Small tins ---. 1 70 Kraft American ---— 1 70 Chili, small tins -... 1 70 Pimento, small tins. 1 70 Roquefort, small tins 2 50 Camenbert, small tins 2 50 Brick Z Wisconsin Wisconsin Longnorm Michigan Full Cream 25 New York Full Cream 3 Sap Sago CHEWING GUM Adams Black Jack ---- 4 Adams Bloodberry ---- Adams Dentyne ~-----—. $6 Adams Calif. Fruit ~--- 66 sin Flats —__- Daisy Adams Sen Sen .-.--- 65 Beeman’s Pepsin ------ 65 Beechnmut 70 Doubliomint 65 Inicy Sruat 65 Peppermint, Wrigleys.. 65 Spearmint, Wrigleys -- 63 Wrigley’s P-K -------- 65 Tens 65 Poenbermy, 2 65 CHOCOLATE. Baker, Caracas, %s -- 37 Baker. Caracas, 4s -. 35 Baker, Premium, %s -- 37 Baker, Premium, \%s ~-. 34 Baker, Premium, ¥%s -- 34 Hersheys, Premium, %s 35 Hersheys, Premium, \%s 36 2unkle, Premium, %. 31 2unkle, Premium, %s-— 34 Vienna Sweet, 24s --. 2 10 COCOA. Baker's 48 =~. 40 Bakers %8 —.......-. 36 Bunte ts 8 43 Bunte, % ib. ..-..-—--- 35 Bunte, Ib. Droste’s Dutch, 1 lb._- “9 00 Droste’s Dutch, % |b. 4 75 Droste’s Dutch, Ye Ib. 2 oe Hersheys, ¥%8S --------- 3 Hersheys, %S --------- 28 Muwier: 22 36 Lowney, %S - 40 Lowney, %S - ._ 40 = eS 38 5 ib. cans .... 31 tel gto. 4s Van Houten, %s8 ------ 75 COCOANUT. Ys, 5 Ib. case Dunham 42 4s, 5 lb. case %s & Y%s 15 lb. case__ 41 Bulk, barrels shredded 24 96 2 oz. pkgs., per case 8 00 48 4 oz. pkgs., per case 7 00 So LINE. Hemp, 50 f Twisted Cotton, 50 ft. 1 75 Braided, 50 ft. 2 Sash Cord HUME GROCER CO. ROASTERS MUSKEGON, MICH COFFEE ROASTED Bulk Rip 2 1 Santos 22. 22% @25 Maracaibo 2.2 29 Guatemala 2 29 Java and Mocha ~----_- 41 BOlRte: oo 30 Peaperry 2 27 McLaughlin’s Kept-Fresh Vacuum packed. Always fresh. Complete line of high-grade bulk _ coffees. W. F. McLaughlin & Co., Chicago Coffee Extracts y,, per 1) ss Wranke 50 pkgs. —._.__ Hummel’s 50 1 lb. __ tou CONDENSED MILK Bagle, 4 doz. ----... -- 9 00 Leader, 4 doz. -.._ 7 00 MILK COMPOUND Hebe, Tall, 4 doz. —. 4 50 Hebe, Baby, 8 doz. .. 4 40 Carolene, Tall, 4 doz. 4 00 Carolene, Baby pee 3 50 EVAPORATED MILK Quaker, Tall, 4 doz. Quaker, Baby, 8 doz. Blue Grass, Tall, 48 5 09 Blue Grass Baby, 72 3 Carnation, Yall, 4 doz. 5 Carnation, Baby, 8 dz. 5 15 Every Day, Tall 5 4 Every Day, Baby --_. 4 00 Goshen, Tall .4...._._ 5 00 Goshen, Gallon ______ 4 90 Pet, Tal os 5 25 Pet, Baby, 8 oz. -_.. 5 15 Borden’ Baal... - 5 25 Borden’s, Baby -----. 5 15 Van Camp, Tell .... 6 35 Van Camp, Baby -_.. 3 95 CIGARS Lewellyn & Co. Brands Garcia Master Cafe, 100s 37 50 Swift Wolverine ANs __ 120 08 Supreme, 50s _ _-..- 110 0¢ Bostonian, 50s ---.. 965 00 Perfecto, 508 -.--._- 95 00 Blunts, 50s ~-----._- 75 00 Cabinet AOes _ =s- 18: 60 Tilford Cigars Clubhouse, 50s ---- 110 00 Perfecto, 50s ~------ 95 00 Tuxedo, 50s ---..-- 75 00 Tilcrest, 50s ----.. 35 00 eer ey ae Worden Grocer Co. Brands Henry George --——---$37 50 Harvester Kiddies -- _ 50 Harvester Record B._-75 00 Harvester Delmonico _ 75 00 Harvester Perfecto_- 95 00 Webster Savoy ---. 75 00 Webster Plaza ----.- 95 00 Webster Belmont___-110 00 Webster St. Reges_-125 00 Starlight Rouse ---- 85 00 Starlight Peninsular Cind! 20 135 00 La Azora Agreement 58 00 La Azora Washington 75 00 Little Valentine --_. 37 50 Valentine Victory Valentine DeLux -. 95 00 iowa 2 Se 30.00 Clint Ford (2.2 2 35 00 New Currency .____. = 00 Picadura Pals 5 00 Qualitiy First Stogie is 50 Vanden Berge Brands Chas. the Highth, 50s 75 00 Whale-Back --_.50s 58 00 Blackstone ------ 50s 95 00 El Producto Boquet. 75 00 El Producto, Puri- tano-Finos. ......_. 92 00 CONFECTIONERY Stick Candy = Standard Jumbo Wrapped Pure Sugar Stick 600s . 25 Big Stick, 20 lb. case 21 Kindergarten ~----_-. 19 Kindergarten .--..-.. 18 eager 2 18 x 15.0, 22 15 French Creams --...- 21 Cameo 22020 22 Grocers 22205000 a Fancy Chocolates 5 lb. Boxes Bittersweets, Ass’ted 1 76 Choc Marshmallow Dp 1 75 Milk Chocolate A A. 2 00 Nibble Sticks ~-...._. 2 00 Primrose Choc. -.... . 4 85 No. 12 Choc., Dark ~1 75 No. 12 Choc., Light —~ 1 85 Chocolate Nut Rolls — 1 90 : Gum Drops_ Pails AIRS oe aw Orange Gums ------.. 17 Challenge Gums ~__--.- 14 Favorite ..... Je puperior —8 21 Lozenges. Pails A. A. Pep. Lozenges 20 A. A. Pink Lozenges 20 A. A. Choc. Lozenges - Motto Hearts ---.. Malted Milk Lozenges 23 Hard Goods. Pails Lemon Drops --.-.—- 20 O. F. Horehound dps. 20 Anise Squares -_.._.. 20 Peanut Squares -.. 22 Horehound Tablets .. 20 Cough Drops Bxs. Putnam’s -.... A 1 30 Smith Bros. 220 1 50 Package Goods Creamery Marshmallows 4 oz. pkg., 12s, cart. 1 05 4 oz. pkg., 48s, case 4 00 Specialties. Walnut Fudge -----... 23 Pineapple Fudge —-.-..- 21 Italian Bon Bons -. 20 National Cream Mints 32 Silver King M. Mallows 32 Hello, Hiram, 24s -... 1 60 Walnut Sundae, 24, 5c 85 Neapolitan, 24, 5e¢ -... 85 Yankee Jack, 24, 5c .. 85 Gladiator, 24, 10c -_ 1 60 Mich. Sugar Ca., 24, 5c 85 Pal O Mine, 24, 5c _... 85 COUPON BOOKS 50 Economic grade .. 2 50 100 Economic grade ~. 4 50 500 Economic grade 20 00 1,000 Economic grade 37 50 Where 1,000 books are ordered at a time, special- ly print front cover is furnished without charge. CRISCO. 36s, 24s and 12s. Less than 5 cases .. 21 Hive CASeB ooo 20% TON CASES oe 20 Twenty-five cases -.. 19% 6s and 4s Less than 5 cases .. 20% Hive. CARER 22 19% Ten Cases (2. 19% Twenty-five cases -. 19 CREAM OF TARTAR 40 bib BOxes, 2 DRIED FRUITS Apples Evap. Choice, bulk ____ 13 Apricots Evaporated, Choice ____ 14 Evaporated, Fancy ____ 20 Evaporated, Slabs _____ 12 Citron 10 162) DOK 48 Currants Package, 15 og. ‘2 19 Boxes, Bulk, per lb. __ 18 Greek, Bulk, lb. ~-..15% January 9, 1924 Peaches Evap. Choice, unp. Hivap., x. Nancy, b:.P. : Peel Bemon, American ==... 2 Orang¢ American _.__ 2 e Raisins Seeded, bulk. 2: 09 Seeded, 15 om pKe: .. 12 Seedless, Thompson __ 11 Secdiess, 15 07. pkes 2 California Prunes 90-100, 25 Ib. boxes __@06} 80-90. 25 lb. boxes __@08} 70@80, 25 lb. boxes __@09 — 60@70, 25 lb. boxes LG 101 50-60, 25 lb. boxes --@13 40-50, 25 lb. boxes _.@14 30-40, 25 lb. boxes __@16 FARINACEOUS GOODS Beans Med. Hand Picked -- 06%; (Cal Limas 22 eo 3 Brown, Swedish --__ 09 Red - Kidney 2225 Oy Farina z¢ packages --.---.. 2 10 Bulk, per 100 lbs. __ 05% Hominy Puri, 100 lb. sack -. 2 ov Macaroni Domestic, 20 lb. box oe Armours, 2 doz., 8 oz. 23 Fould’s, 2 doz., 8 oz. i 80 Quaker, 2 doz. =.=: 1 80 Pearl Bariey Chester — re 42 Oe an Goon |... 6 Barley Grits oo 05 Peas MCOLGh. 1. a 07% Split, ib. yellow 2... 08 Sago Wast india 2.23 7. 11 Tapioca Pearl, 100 Ib. sacks —_ 11 Minute, 8 oz., 3 doz. 4 05 Dromedary Instant _. 3 50 FLAVORING EXTRACTS Doz. Doz. Lemon Vanilla 120 2 % ounce _..-1 65 165 2 1 ounce =o 2 20 2 io 2 244 ounce —- 3 60 BAO 222 ounce —_ 5 30 50 2 8 ounce —. 6 00 1 to 8 ounce _. 10 49 15 60 2.16 ounce —— 20 00 29 00 = 32° ounce _. 27 40 Arctic Flavorings Vanilla or Lemon a oz: Farnell, doz. —.. 1 00 2 of Mlat, doz. —.-.-= 2 00 Di (O72. SUP, 22k 2 25 3 oz. Taper, 40 bot. for 6 715 Smith’s Flavorings 2. 0m. Vanilla 2 $2 00 2 62. Demon 2... 2 40 4-07, Vania. 2 3 50 Jiffy Punch 3 doz. Carton —..--:_ 2 25 Assorted flavors. FLOUR AND FEED Valley City Milling Co. Lily White, % Paper SACK Harvest Queen, 24% Light Loaf Spring Wheat, . Roller Champion 24% Snow Flake, 24%s .- Graham 25 lb. per cwt Golden Granulated Meal, 2 Ilbs., per cwt., Rowena Pancake Com- pound, 5 lb. sack. Buckwheat Compound, 5 Ib. sack Watson Higgins Milling Co. New Perfection, Y%s_. 6 80 Red Arrow, %s ------ 7 20 Worden Grocer Co. American Eagle, Quaker. Pure Gold, Forest King, Winner. 4 4 i cs = _ = sewn " 4 a -_ i $ Bi pase 7 ; RB pints Sor January 9, 1924 FRUIT MICH seem, We, oe s IGAN TRADE Mason, ata. a os 2 o6 Wane: a" Peanuts SMAN ason, 1} cf ‘Oss 2 UNG. Ideal Go ER: gross 12 - Pamnbe Zo Heavy tage Ideal Glass jee pts.945 «4 oo $ Medium hogs -___— 08 SALT i. 29 Ideal Glas Dp, gts: 11 26 Almonds: 2° fiont fees 0914 Coloni ub No More, 18 s Top Pe oo 4 es nial, 24, 2 Spotl : Lg. 4 25 gallon ___ » fe oe Spanish, = = a eee — e Mea No. 1 Bas ooo) G5 “a ess Cleanser, 48, TEA Soe eS 70 ea bags Nels oe Med. No. 1. x . 2 80 sibioksabenit - Tello-0, GELATIN Filberts “__-_-__—__— 15% Shoulders “-—-—--—--—- 12 fa Go wh Sani Plush, [a —— win nia Ge ea an pee ane (ee Pa so lb. ne 1 do gu ~ Hoica cae pe doz. : = Walnuts: ose = Spareribs Peas 12 Pashers a 56 Ib. 3 oe 100, 12 "oz. ~ é re Wee 41@58 Minute, 3 — ee Se oo a gee each —--- 9 Snowboy, 24 Larg of 400 Toib. pkg. a ae lymouth. White ____ 06 Bulk, a ee os 6 ih . 6 Ss » 24 Large -- 4 . pkg. Siftings 166 Plymouth, White” 1SF Hulk, 3 gal. keg —3%% PROVISIONS Beta Bi uae Motil eh : ings Watt ae 7 Quart, Jars, oe Rareed. Cask oe 50 Wyandotte, 48" 415 Baney Gnaenty oe oe oe ee Te Sorc Cldas a2 taaeed oe oS a. e wiShicEs as te el Ze : , plain, doz. ear Famil ‘ 00 , b Pablo _ Whole S ee 38@40 JELLY AN -- 5% oz. Jar , doz. 1 40 iily__ 27 00@2é 28 Ib able -__ 5 390 «6 (Alispice pices. P D PRESE 9 oz. » pl. doz. 1 6 “ . bags, Table _- Allspice, Jamaica --.. @11 Pe Ce Tae 30 lb. pails oa 16% ao plain, doz. 2 - sp y Salt Meats e -- 40 Cove’. Zanzibar es a Pekoe, mete” tati 40 Ze 0 Bellf USS - @42 Pure @ 6 30 Ib. pails 1 soe ae Pl. doz. 4 50 es -_ 16 00@13 00 oe a. 52 Pure 7,08, Asst., ee. 8 os Jar stuffed -- 190 go Lard Grae At pkg., doz. eas , oz., doz. 2 10 9 oz. Jar, ‘Stuffed doz. 3 40 P Ib. tubs ____adv Ginger, C rican ce @15 English Breakf JELLY GLAS 2 Oe ee Ge ee i oe io a an oe. oe “ 1} ; L tubs . sduane, NG ? ene a = Yong Pee ann 8 oz., per doz. oaey PEANUT oak 90 50 1b. pee ----advance res eo oo ee Ganpat. Geox ___. 35@36 ------ B a . lb. -...advance 1 sf eres . Se k ooo ecg, io E : cy ._... 6 OLEOMARG = 10 Ib. pails _.--advance va Teer PX Nutmegs, oe doz. @45 2@43 Kent St ARINE 5 Ib pails ____advance # aan Nutmegs, 105 _ -- @38 Oolo : Hood a Brands. Geren 3 Ib. Lei ____advance - S " Pepper, "Siacle 10. @as Meise ee ng Good Luck. Ib. 2. 20% Compo S _.._advance 1 ye dine Goad a & @15 RONG ee 36 Good Luck - ay. i oe und Lard __15@15% 7 Allspice round a Bulk eae — Gh migons hoo Bologna Snusaae® cc afte, fami Sig | TWIN Gilt Bdge, 2 Ib. se i. 12% Sra a Canton _ @50 Cotton oe LE 2 1% et 21 aes aes - Soe _—pper, Mae 3 ee ee oe i. on scala see eee i SS. tS Pepper, White 20 @28% Cider. 40 lw enbru 5 + palls —__ a moked M e Se 2 epper, C === 86 1ite Wine. 80 erain Carlo gge Brands °,!b. pails 6 i aay 60 Hams eats - 2 30 ver, Cayenne - Whi fine, 80 grain 22 A Ppa 2 am, , Ib, ~-21 : Sea : : | Vinegar & eno oO 18% _ sets dried beef @ 26 am. Family, 100 Chili Bawden ine oer cane & Pickle PETROLEUM PRODUt i Giloods tame 10g Eye ve hoe are Celery Salt, 3 oz. ---- 43g Govens fume Con. & PRODUCTS Picnic Boiled ms _.12@ 18 Flake White, 100 s4g5 S age, ae ae 95 Oak ibbon Corn _ -- ioe. ae 18 @30 Swift Classic 100 b - 5 00 orl eaves § 20 325 No. -1., per gross --.- 16 Nie 1 1b) Capitol Cyli: Naphtha 20.2 Boneless Beet 20 Mule tee 160 bs 1, Maxiosaa, ft ox ____ 6 hes Se 7 2 aa ean Aaa a ee fun ek eee cS oe eee > mares a Ne § per gross ---. 1 50 Dineen ee wie. oe acne Ea we hk ae 8 20 tones. 24 os Be * ae ake oe Diamond, 144 box. 8 00 @ ge cates No} com: 3 00 Palm Olive, 141 box 11 00 2, Rochester, No. . oo Red ‘Dim 720 1c bxs 6 50 Pol arine Moist in glass Ss 3 somes 106 | PS etemea. s6 : toa. "2 00 e la hte Wis § 83 Gemeente no ’ box, 2 esford. 4 Be maa — ane bx 6 00 M kin Oe s Feet oes i ia i a povgaeses, pea Es 11% disci 80 Quaker, atches. : Iron Bar Z bbls. 96 Ibs 2 15 a Tar, 50 = Argo, 48, 1 lb. pkgs. 3 75 ARE oe gro. case 4 75 Lok rels. % ‘bbis. & Ibe 238 4 00 Graney Tar, 50 Le. a 00 Cream, 48-1 me pkgs. 3 75 Bushels Baskets None a: ag a ees ae Chl ooo 7 00 ao an Tar, 100 bx 4 e Quaker 40-00 4 Sica. soy alen” band, Quaker, 3 doz 4a ee eee Se ee 1415 willie € ie cs me su)- merged, but it is a risky proceeding and we ought to awake to a realiza- tion of what is really happening and try to regulate our household from within. Anyhow our educational heads should inject more business sense in their operations. Frank S. Verbeck. 2.2. Doubtful Over Goods Advances. In the discussions in the piece goods trade over the heavyweight prices that the American Woolen Company will make, the tendency lately has been to doubt that there will be any material advance. The buyers’ atti- tude, especially for a concern which must get volume business is held to make substantially higher prices “‘in- -dvisable.” “There evidently will not be enough business to go around” ac- cording to one independent mill repre- sentative, “and the big company in getting its share will undoubtedly make prices as attractive as possible.” Disputing the belief of some that the new price of Fulton 3192, considered the index, would be about $3, some well-known men in the trade said recently they thought this price too high. They would not venture any- thing like a renl prediction, but sug- gested that the new price would be low, all things considered. ——___2-2-e___- Mills Buying Very Cautiously. Pending the forthcoming openings of the heavyweight lines the mills are doing very little buying of raw wool or yarns. It is estimated that many of the mills are covered to some ex- tent on their requirements for the next two months or more and _ that they and the others will be guided in future purchasing by the buying that develops at the openings. The yarn spinners, while more optimistic than recently, are operating considerably below capacity. It is reported that worsted spinners are operating at about 75 per cent. of capacity, which is from 12 to 15 per cent. below the figure of last year at this time. Yarn prices are being held firm in most in- stances, spinners contending that the raw material situation makes any other position untenable. There is a better enquiry for dress goods descrip- tions. ——_»-2>____ It Will Stop Them. In January, after the holiday drain on purses, is when the retailer needs every ingenuity at his command in order to stimulate interest and trade. Even in your window display you can be more radical than usual—for you want to command attention from apathetic passersby. An effect, which is sufficiently startling.to attract this attention is the following. Use one window for articles for men’s use, an- other window for articles for ladies’ use. Label one window with a large sign “Of Interest to Men Only.” The other window “Of interest to ladies only.” Although the arrangement is simple and does not call for unusual skill in arrangement it will be found effective because it appeals to the curious interest of the passerby. ~~. Germany is minus a comet, discov- ered by the Leipzig Observatory in 1851. It looks as though even the stars in their courses were siding against the researchful and still un- repentant Teutons. In days of old, Cerman scientists enjoyed a complete community of interest with investiga- tors of other lands in the free-masonry of the truth. They have had to incur the odium the militarists and the politicians earned for the land of their nativity. The world will con- tinue to accept the discoveries an- Leipzig or any other center of lenrning, but the persistence of the animus against German pro- fessors is understandable. It was a group of the representative intellect- uals who issued the first passionate exculpation of the brutal kaiser and his evil works. nounced from a It sometimes seems that we are ap- time when the p rin- ciple business of those holding office will be to collect t»x revenue from these not holding office in order to meet the public payroll. - —— — If your clerks are to make suc- cesses of themselvews, it is up to you to help them by all the means in your power. Take a_ personal interest in their development for their sake as well as for the sake of your business. p-oachirg the Hides, Pelts and Furs. Hides Green. Nov 7 2 05 Green; No. 2 ses —. 04 @umed: INO. been 06 CPO. NO. 2 oe 05 Calfskin, Green, No 1 2.42.2. 11 Calfskin, Green, No. 2 Calfskin, Cured, No. 1 __.._ Calfskin, Cured, No. 2 Erorse. Noo 1) 3 56 HMarse, No. 2 20s 2S Oe Pelts. Cle Woo) 1 00@2 00 EET ss oe 75@1 25 SHEATINES 2 50@1 00 Tallow. Prime 06 No. 1 05 IN@U 2s. 04 Wool. Unwashed, medium =o .0 00 @35 Unwashed, rejects Unwashed. fing 220 @35 BUSINESS WANTS DEPARTMENT Advertisements inserted under this head for five cents a word the first insertion and four cents a word for each subsequent continuous No charge less than 50 cents. If set in capital letters, double price. display advertisements in this department, $3 per inch. to open accounts. is required, as amounts are too small insertion. Smail Payment with order Want to hear from a party having a good merchandise business or other busi- ness for sale. State cash price and par- ticulars. John J. Black, 130th St., Chip- pewa Falls, Wisconsin. 432 Tailor Shop For Sale—Good_ location, well equipped. Plenty busheling and new work. Business conditions not reas- on for. selling. Price $300. Worth in- vestigating. —____ Benton Harbor—J. R. Munger, for- merly of Three Rivers, has purchased the St. Joseph Dairy Co., from Frank and Ralph Rough. ——_+->—____ Zeeland—The Michigan Star Furni- ture Co. has been sold to the Herman Miller Furniture Co, More Rigid Home Fire Prevention. The matter of keeping fire from the home is a very important thing. The following article is very much to the point, and we hope it will benefit our readers, “Tt is a strange fact,’ declares one of the world’s leading fire prevention authorities, “that men will provide factories and offices with elaborate systems of exit and life-saving devices to protect employes from fire, and then will erect homes to shelter their own families without a single precau- tion for saving their lives in a similar emergency.” “Strange, indeed, and yet after all it is not quite inexplicable, for ‘con- sistency, save under strict compulsion, is not among the most pronounced of man’s virtues, and this is particularly true in regard to fire hazard. The naked truth is that of the 15,000 lives which annually are sacrificed to the flames in this country, no less than half are lost in dwelling house fires. During five years, then, the total ap- proaches 37,500, or an average of twenty a day. That is a gruesome record, and one that clearly points to the need for strengthened and rigidly enforced building regulations and fire laws. Only in that way, apparently, can people be defended against their own folly. “There is, too, another aspect of the fire destruction in American homes which should not be ignored. Progress has come to be identified in the mind of this generation almost exclusively with scientific achievement. Coun- tries are inclined to judge and submit to judgment according to this stan- dard, which indubitably is a lofty one. Nevertheless, people sometimes forget that the nation in reality is most ad- vanced which is best housed, since the home is the root and center of social life. It is itself the cradle of all progress. “Provision of adequate and decent quarters for the country’s expanding population is, therefore, but another name for advancement; and whatever hampers this work of supplying hous- ing accommodations, in view of the persistent shortage, whatever destroys homes that already are lamentably in- sufficient in number, strikes at the most vital part of America. By al- lowing fire to sweep away $321,453,- 878 of dwelling house property, as it did in the years 1917 to 1921, when a substantial percentage of this waste could have been stayed with a little conscious effort, the American pubiic is guilty of conspiring against its own well being.” —_+-+—_____ Corporations Wound Up. The following Michigan corpora- tions have recently filed notices of dissolution with the Secretary of State: Storam Co., Inc., Grand Rapids. Strauss Corporation, Detroit. Macomb Auto Sales Co., Mt. Clem- ens. Aljalin Realty & Construction Co., Detroit. Market Lunch Co., Detroit. American Radio & Manufacturing Co., Detroit. Hayes Wheel Co. of New Yory, Jackson. Worth Cigar Co., Detroit. a oS LAT A am January 2, 1924 Michigan ‘Copper Mining Co., New York- Detroit. Wolverine Copper Mining Co., New York-Mine, Mich. Wolfe Tire & Rubber Co., Benton Harbor. Cook-Dueweke Detroit. Prime Tea Co., Detroit. City Fuel Co., Manistique. Chicago Pole Co., Chicago-Pincon- ning. Precision Castings Co., Inc., Syra- cuse-Pontiac. Trimountain Mass.- Houghton. Campton-Sacks troit. D. Fabrizio, Inc., Detroit. Henry C. Weber & Co., Detroit. Griswold Building Co., Detroit. Warehouses, Inc., Roxbury, Mass.- Mining ‘Co., Boston, Building Co., De- 2-2 No Nation Can Prosper Without Homes. Kalamazoo, Jan. 8—We organize Chambers of Commerce to build up our cities, to bring in new industries, to make our cities bigger when we count noses, and stronger when we count money, all of which is right and fine and just as it should be, but one of these days we are going to realize more fully than we do to-day, that without homes, real honest to God old- fashioned homes where love is the ruling power, no nation can prosper. Jacob Kindleberger. a Detroit—L. P. Witzieben has been appointed manager of the Detroit dis- trict of R. G. Dun & Co., as succes- sor to S. L. Rockel, it has been an- nounced ifrom the New York office of the company. Mr. Witzleben has served Dun & Co. in Michigan, New York and abroad for a long period. He is well versed in agancy affairs, and a capable successor to Mr. Rockel, who thas been in charge in the De- troit district many years. — 2+. Hudson— The Pet Milk Co., has begun work on a 20 x 28 foot addition to its plant here. The room will be used for the manufacture of solder, a new departure for the Hudson factory. Heretofore the solder has been ship- ped here for use in the canning de- partment, from the plant at Delta, Ohio. The new addition will be one story high. — ~+-.____ Adrian—Steps have been taken ito- ward establishing a new bank in Adrian, to be known as the Maumee Savings Bank. Those interested in the project are Fred E. Ash, of Adrian and Howard C. ‘Wade, John S. Hag- gerty, Frank O. Tasche and George H. Kirchner, business men of Detroit. Application has been made for a char- ter. —_>-.____ Why is it that most people think that the glory of life does not belong to the ordinary vocations—that this belongs to the artist, to the musician, to the writer, or to some one of the more gentle and what they call “dignified” professions. There is as much dignity and grandeur and glory in agriculture as in statesmanship or authorship. —_>+>_____ Detroit — The Delray waterfront yard of the Lowrie-Robinson Lumber Co. has been sold to lthe Michigan Portland Cement Co. for building site. Another site will be found in the same section on which the lumber yard will be installed. ae