2 aN (ase 7 — kG (oe Ly Oe ] Ox CJ X As UBLISHED WEEKLY % 758 IIIS SAO ONES, Forty-first Year 2S a: 22. BSPHO ws aS\ NS NN Sd NCEA] VA WESSS)A Uy = : 2 \ = es \ A \ \ ay? 0 {| ( rh } Gh (GCE AOE \ “a ACY ee Tee (4 j SN oO ae Ds KG, NY i es ) Gi net) L 24 = PNG Cian oe SSsTRADESMAN COMPANY, PUBLISHERS FAL OOO av Me Ki iy y a \ wer ere NW) MZ ) ‘a 5; Vy f 1) \S , Us, ec Sa “J ed — I y, AN Cs ibrar oe LS Z is ai Za QS, SP} = LR OS UDI Or GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1924 4 is © loz Do Ne ¥ @ TY J blicnReterence : | — St u @ ® @ e 9 © 3 e @ e® 3@ ® @ ® 9 e 9 e® 8 & @ ee @ ® @ ® @ ® 9 eo 8 ® ME EBB @ @ OQ @Q@ QQ OQ @O AY > UY NY GY GD py CS II NI WI GD GD SD Rey / sy e e® @ e® ¢ © @ ‘© owe, an 4 6 e ® s e°¢ ® 8 ® °s © @ eo Gee oo ‘© s © ¢ ) Se OzeRe @ e 9 & Oe @ re A MA) AY EA Uy Coy) Coy s CO o & ©® @ e @¢ © © cle 1 Q WZ es ‘e CV o Ly, ows”, & ie e @ SX A Ty e (} & e e © @ ¢ C ni } i e€ eae *) @ o~ © Ex) Cnr) Ty cry we ore @ @ @ AD) ry es e® @ @ ©® 8 ©» @ A At) e © @ © @ © © © 8 A &, te © SJ I) F3 & s oO “ > Ci} e 3 @ og Ly, © © e 8 @ e Ly ae e (yo © )\ © wy, (f e ye e “) es) @ q Me) © J » C oan Al Soe s )& ry i] x s © a { © a, ay © @ © for e oe © es e g e a, Cys & WV \J oy, © e © © ¢] ‘7 OW? YY cA 9 ws Se & 8 We (4 S® Oo SG, SO @ ©» 8 } Ay) Uy es © @ ‘© @ ) © © © — (ae) Cj @ s @. gS 4 © & © ®) Pa CT) A 2s © its WT y e Uy, @ @ © c NJ CD AY rs es ® © © “) SS 8 8 g © © @ ahs) Ty ¢ © @ 5 © @ A a © @ LD wy Gy ) © ®@ © 30) cae AeA © i) Ly, YY G, Cy C 4 6 @ © Fo @ © 8 © % f @ @ © © S Around the Corner Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end; Yet days go by and weeks rush on, And before I know it a year is gone, And I never see my old friend’s face; For life is a swift and terrible race. He knows I like him just as well As in the days when I rang his bell And he rang mine. We were younger then; And now we are busy, tired men— Tired with playing a foolish game; Tired with trying to make a name. “To-morrow,” I say, “I will call on Jim, Just to show that I’m thinking of him.” But to-morrow comes and to-morrow goes; And the distance between us grows and grows. Around the corner!—yet miles away . . “Here’s a telegram, sir.” 1. . . “Jim died to-day!” a TX |, yy ® 8 @ — ~~ ae} © Sze 32 © eR? Szene 8 © 9 © @ e 9 e ® e GAGS ssoossss wey ww way wy NY we, oF, ’ wy, ww, ww, e ® ee e e 8 O “Re ® e % an 4 Pr 9 DY e © 8 © @ e 8 © SDS Ee Ext Gy) ry e © @ © @ oe SM WY, w% wey & © °@ © @ @ © A = G e oe © Oo cI) @ ®, © HOO \O 4 s ry c? o e S & e © ® CV ry ae e 9 i) e® @ & eo @ Ly (v) xy =o rr ry ® ° %, Xd ) iy py) Ny © ® —pe a ) @ @ A KT e a @ © Dy y ‘ , D C] ras OY ) wb es es y : aa i ® © © © EP) Q cy ‘J oe oe LD CO; y e -) 2 ci) © © @ A: @ eo @ SS) yy Bs Uy, wy \\ © @ © ey © © )\ @ Oz 2 ,Y (“) KD @ | 2 , a cD) © >) And that’s what we get—and deserve in the end— Around the corner, a vanished friend. OTe OTe 14 Tr A AD Co) CE) SS ono 3 © 6 e © © Ee Om Om © Gere Beene? & eo 8 eg e 9 e 9 © Gere Bene OZere @ AD Ain A SA BY) EA KY) GY GY BD GD DD 8 e @ © @ © @ ® @ © os @ e@¢ @@ © ° e © ow owe @ Cy e 6 e & oer © TD EY ® Gp e € @1@ @ © elie oe @i° @ fon ® GQ e @ ei © or Sy eS .y nN Fon es J e 9 oe ep g es 2 @ yh @ LO, LO, ED, CO wy wy TW QW BYP SG ‘ s e@ ¢ oe @¢ © & eo owe» e 6 © 9g e® ¢g © @ ® @ oe s e a © Ore 2 Cm Ne NN et NY e rE NY Ne) e LA CYA A Ay ALA CA CW ALA ae A iw) GS A Per 5 Orr) F® Ce ) AAD CARY CM C TAA & & wh ® & wa, MG ve © @ @ 3° DD © @ oe © S ° Cy, Uy, s Q C3 en® 8! Carre 2 CLAM © @ ViTy Ss © L ie ( & 8 Dy, hy mo Ly\ M3 ) © C] e| os X] az . @ i @ AT CAD Gy, | 2 cz @ PH | 7 CY C7 i) e189 © | ae | (AY | ey Be ¥.| S| NY, & , coy money invest- ed in advertising Mazola to your custom- ers insures the sale of every case you buy. - why the grocer who special- izes in Mazola takes no chances. RANKLY, is there any need for you to handle unknown, un- advertised brands of salad and cooking oils? CORN PRODUCTS REFINING CO. 17 Battery Place New York STICKY FLY PAPER ing The Best Way for Catching All Flies KillsFlyandGerm Guaranteed Non-Poisonous No Odor Mr. Retailer: American Fli-Catch is packed 300 Double Sheets to the Case so that in sell- \ \\ ing 2 Sheets for 5 Cents you make an Ss %\i\\ Extra Profit of $1.25 per case or at least \whs'h\\ twice the net profit. Grand Rapids Sticky Fly Paper Co. A. G. Dickinson, Prop. Grand Rapids, Mich Buyers Prefer Them It is because the quality of Seaside Limas and Baby Limas is jealously guarded that customers buy them without question. They know that they are uniform in quality, because of the cleaning, grading and inspecting we do before selling them under the Seaside trade-mark. SEASIDE CALIFORNIA LIMAS ond BABY LIMAS California Lima Bean Growers Assn. Oxnard, California Hh bh AA i_b A... enor tes \ 9 ll. foo ” at > f x om lly —— peal . \ ~~ ~ ' a4-a of ‘ oe oe ee ae 2 ‘ ADESMAN Forty-first Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1924 Number 2115 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN (Unlike any other paper.) Frank, Free and Fearless for the Good That We Can Do. Each Issue Complete in Itself. DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF BUSINESS MEN. Published Weekly By TRADESMAN COMPANY Grand Rapids E. A. STOWE, Editor. Subscription Price. Three dollars per year, if paid strictly in advance. Four dollars per year, if not paid in advance. Canadian subscriptions, $4.04 per year, payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cents each. Extra copies of -urrent issues, 10 cents; {ssues a month or more old, 15 cents; issues a year or more old, 25 cents; issues five years or more old-#$' cents. on Entered Sept. 23 1883, at the Postoffice of Grand Rapids as second class matter under Act of March 3, 1879. COURSE OF SILK PRICES. For one cause or another silk has been commanding “a lot of attention during the past few months. When the , Japanese earthquake occurred there was much apprehension in this coun- try at the prospect of the supply of raw silk being cut off, as most of the material used in American mills comes from Japan. It did not take long, however, to discover that the fear was not well founded. After a temporary interruption the shipments sent here became normal again. This checked a rise in prices which was threatened. Then came a reduction of silk con- sumption in American mills which had the effect of lowering the price of the raw material. Another factor which worked in the same direction was the increasing use of artificial silk which has been gaining in favor even in Japan and Italy two producers of the real silk. Quite recently, when the price of the artificial article was rather drastically reduced, that of raw silk followed. Since then the reelers in Japan have been trying to push up the prices of their product by curtail- ing output, but they are having rather a hard time in effecting their purpose. It has been like a game of see-saw. When the price dropped buying would start up, only to be followed by a pegging up of price which would check the buying. There appears to be no eagerness to purchase and what of it is done is by piecemeal. A number of the domestic mills are still running on short time because there is not enough demand for silk fabrics, and while this is the case, there is little excuse for high prices for the raw material. HAND-TO-MOUTH BUYING. Retailers are being subjected to quite a bit of criticism by manufac- turers and wholesalers for their per- sistence in adhering to hand-to-mouth buying. This is to be expected. It is asserted. that-.such.a -policy . must, in the long run, lead to increased cost of production and thus to higher prices, as it upsets the producers’ plans and works against the economies of large- scale operations. The wholesalers al- so claim that by this policy retailers are forcing them to tie up their funds for a longer period in stocks and to assume a burden that normally should be borne by the retailer. Moreover, when the intermediary between manu- facturer and retailer stocks up it is claimed that the latter buys in driblets in order to force price concessions. In all of this there may be some truth; but the fact remains that re- tailers have found that buying in small quantities at the present time is profit- able, and they are not in business from philanthropic motives. How long this will remain profitable is a question. If we get back to a condition of freight congestion and delayed shipments it is obvious that retail buying will be dif- ferent from what it now is when prompt deliveries are assured, but the retailers will stick to their present plan so long as it pays. SIGNS OF WELL BEING. Gains in savings deposits and in the amount of life insurance written in the United States, as well as the data of retail trade, reflect the increasing pur- chasing power of the American people. The amount of ordinary lite insurance written during February was 12 per cent. above that of the same month in 1923, and also one per cent. above January of this year, according to a recently published statement of the Life Insurance Sales Research Bu- reau of New York. The increase was ‘general over the country, with only the South Atlantic States failing to register a gain, but it is stated in ex- planation that the sales in that section during the previous year were unusu- ally high. The gains were greatest on the Pacific Coast, with the industrial communities in the Middle Atlantic and East North Central States coming next. Among the cities the greatest gains were registered by Cleveland and Detroit, a result, without doubt, of the prosperity of the automobile industry. ’ MURDER WILL OUT. Nothing is added to Woodrow Wil- son’s fame by the publication in the Saturday Evening Psot of a statement which James Kerney says the late president made to him last December. The statement was: I should like to see Germany clean up France, and I should like to meet Jusserand and tell him that to his face. This volunteer statement, made only a few .weeks before Mr. Wilson’s death, when his mind was as clear as it ever was, discloses the real reason why he delayed the declaration of war by this country until the allies were “bled white.” It is a matter of com- mon knowledge that Germany knew that Mr. Wilson was friendly to the German side; in fact, the kaiser relied on Wilson’s German bias to keep this country from participating in the war, but the pressure finally became so strong that Wilson was forced to acquiesce in the demands of the Amer- ican people. Cee CANNED FOODS CONDITIONS. Spot stocks are being drawn upon to take care of distributing needs, as jobbers are not long on staples and need pickups and larger sized parcels to keep them going, but they prefer to buy as they need the goods and not in speculative blocks. Of the major sub- divisions of the offerings fruits show- ed more change last week than vege- tables or fish and a stronger under- current developed in fruits to corre- spond with a change at primary points. There has been more desire to ac- cumulate California fruit, perhaps not however as great as among dealers in other centers. Offerings of fruits on the open market are not as extensive and peaches, apricots, cherries and other items are being advanced in all grades. Vegetables and fish show very little change. In the opinion of some shrewd trade observers, the general industrial condi- tions promise soon to claim a larger share of public attention than they have. It would not surprise them if this year showed the turn of the tide from the constantly increasing labor costs which are now gravely affecting production and distribution. Labor or- ganizations have been sensing this situation and have tried to avert the consequences by agreements for main- taining wages at a high notch for two . or more years to come. They have been most successful in the building lines, where the pressure for produc- tion is strongest. The entering wedge, so far aS wage reduction is concerned, seems likely to appear in the textile trades. They are in a comparatively weak condition, not so much because of overproduction as of underconsump- tion. There is already considerable unemployment because mills are re- fusing to manufacture for stock while demand remains as irregular as it has been for some time past. This condi- tion of affairs is not conducive to keeping the unions in a position to do any dictating. If it continues for any length of time there is apt to be a scramble for jobs which would result in lowering of wages. A_ situation somewhat similar is likely to come in the garment industry unless business improves and buying habits are changed. Thereafter, it would not take much impetus for the movement to spread in time to other lines of industry and thus help bring relative values of things more on a parity. THE TREND OF TRADE. Alternations of weather during the past week tended to make retail buying rather fitful, especially so in articles of wear. But each pleasant day showed throngs in the stores, indicating a fairly eager buying tendency. Spring ‘habiliments are called for in advance of Easter because of the lateness of that holiday, and a second installment of buying after that date appears as- sured. Stocks on hand are more meager than is usual, although the as- sortments are rather complete in most instances. When more goods, es- pecially garments, are wanted they are obtained by hurry orders. Merchandise managers are keeping close check on their buyers and preventing any lib- erality by them, except, occasionally, in the matter of novelties. Out-of- town buyers and resident ones are pur- suing about the same tactics as are those in this city, though always keep- ing an eye open for “distress” mer- chandise which can be offered at bar- gain prices. Thus far not. a great quantity of such goods has come out, the season still being at its height. In the primary markets conditions show little if any change from what they have been for a month or two. Buy- ing remains scattered and frequently inconsequential, though there are oc- casional bright spots for goods par- ticularly in vogue. But the quicken- ing of retail sales, which is imminent, is more than likely to infuse greater activity in the wholesale field. AUTOMOBILE OUTPUT. That the automobile manufacturers have been busy during the past month is shown by the production figures for February that have just appeared. The output of 336,363 passenger cars represents a gain of 17 per cent. over January, 1924, and of 31 percent over February, 1923. Production in Feb- ruary was exceeded only three times during 1923, and that was a record- breaking year. The production of trucks, which includes fire apparatus and street sweepers, showed a gain of 7 per cent. over January and of 33 per cent. over February, 1923. Figures from the automotive indus- try continue to confound the prophets of a “saturated” market. What they really show is a wonderful amount of purchasing power and an amazingly high standard of living on the part of the American people. There are-un- doubtedly some people with cars who cannot really afford them. When there are 12,000,000 owners it would be more than amazing if this were not the case. Yet the continued prosperity of the country in the face of this large expenditure for automotive vehicles shows that the number whose eco- nomic efficiency is impaired by such outlay must constitute a negligible fraction of the whole. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN April 2, 1924 CONVICTED OF FRAUD. Carl Mather Forced To Disgorge By Editor Stowe. I spent three days last week in prosecuting one of the most criminals who ever disgraced the State of Michigan. I was rewarded for my efforts by convicted of fraud by the jury on the first ballot. The jury were. out of their seats less clever seeing ‘him than ten minutes when they were back again to announce their verdict, which carried with it a judgment in my favor for $2,500, costs and interest from Jan. 15, 1922. The prisoner at the bar was Carl N. Mather. I was the plaintiff in the case and the charge on which conviction conclusive was worthless stock in the Knitting Mills under false pretenses. The circumstances at- tending the swindle are as follows: In November, 1921, | tuned by a local broker to purchase $1,000 worth of guaranteed stock in the Grand Rapids Knitting Mills which had previously been organized to continue the manufacture of under- wear originally undertaken by the Mather-Palmer Co. With each cer- tificate of stock for $1,000 there was given a bond issued by the Grand Rap- ids Mutual Building and Loan Associa- tion, agreeing to pay the holder $1,000 stipulated period, was so prompt and selling me Grand Rapids was impor- at the end of a whether the stock turned out to be good or bad. I accepted this offer and purchased $1,000 worth of the securi- ties on this basis. About two months later Carl N. Mather came to my office and opened the conversation substantially as fol- “Mr. Stowe, you have the wrong kind of stock. I have a better proposition to make you. If you will surrender. the stock and bought in November and give me $1,500 additional, I will deliver to you 1000 shares of no-par value stock, which is now $2.50 per share, on which you will receive divi- dends of 5 cents per share ($50) each business is prosperous lows: bond you selling at month. The and the contracts already secured will enable us to maintain this dividend rate for a long pericd. The Grand Rapids Knitting Co. owns its building, which is worth $70,000. and is free and clear of incumbrance. We ‘have ample machinery to serve our purpose, all of which is paid for.” On the strength of these representa- tions I accepted Mr. Mather’s propo- sition, receiving a certificate for 1,000 shares of no-par stock, which I had every reason to believe would turn out well. I received three monthly dividends, but no more. The omission did not alarm me greatly, because I was as- sured that the company was. shifting its customers from the wholesale to the retail trade and that it required funds to carry so many small accounts. In June, 1923, the company went into bankruptcy, the schedules of assets and liabilities be- ing published in the Tradesman _ of June 20. Then I learned for the first time that the building was not owned by the company; that it was owned by John D. Case, who leased it to the company. This made me very angry, additional witnesses who because it showed me very plainly that Carl Mather had intentionally and deliberately lied to me when he as- sured me that his company owned the building, free and clear. I thereupon took my certificate over to my attor- neys, J. T. & T. F. McAllister, and in- structed them to tender him the stock certificate and demand the return of the $2,500 which Mather procured from me under fraudulent representations. On their advice that such action was justified by the facts in the case, I swore out a warrant for Mather’s ar- rest and had him apprehended by the sheriff of Kent county. Bail to the amount of $2,500 was subsequently furnished by John D. Case and Meyer May. The case was called in the Kent Cir- cuit Court last Wednesday morning, but the prisoner at the bar- failed to appear, although he had been notified to be present. This naturally looked bad and an adjournment was taken until afternoon and a subpoena was issued and placed in the hands of an officer, resulting in his appearing in court in the afternoon. He was called as the first witness for the prosecution and _ his which he was obliged to give under cross examina- tion, practically settled the case, so far as he was concerned, before he had been on the witness stand an hour. He throughout the trial with the utmost abandon, treating the loss of the $362,000 he caused his de- luded more as a joke than as a serious matter. His attempt to square ‘himself with court and jury was puerile and pitiful. He seldom made direct answers to the questions put to him, but squirmed and hesitated, dodged and ducked. He was forced to make many damaging admissions, even under the examination of his own attorney, and perspired freely un- questions of the testimony, carried himself stockholders der the searching plaintiff's attorney. The crux of the matter was whether Mather deliberately lied to me when he told me his company owned the building, free and clear from incum- brance. He, of course denied the statement, but I had five reputable testified that Mather made the statement to them when he took their money; and I could have furnished fifty additional witnesses if same had been deemed necessary. I have nothing but commendation for the masterly manner in which the matter was handled by my attorneys. They conducted the case without re- sorting to abuse or villification. The disclosures made by Mather on the stand are the most disreputable I have ever had brought to my attention. He stated that his net receipts from stock sales for which he received cash amounted to $255,423. His disposition of this enormous sum, as stated by him under oath, was substantially as fol- lows: Paid salesmen for selling stock $64,155 Paid himself for selling stock, Commission... 42,496 Paid Building & Loan, Ass'n. for guaranty bonds —...__._ 15,000 Paid Mather-Palmer Co. ______ 27,993 Paid Palmer, Murray and Mather 22 10,000 Retained by Mather, for which fe Tanglefoot Spray Tanglefoot Fly Spray—a_ scien- tific, powerful household insecti- cide that kills flies, mosquitoes, moths, fleas, bedbugs, and cer- tain other insect pests—is the latest addition to the famous Tanglefoot line. Backed by a name and repu- tation known the world over, Tanglefoot Fly Spray is guar- anteed to be of the same in- comparable quality that for more than two generations has distinguished alk Tanglefoot products from the rank and file. Here is a fiy spray that is quick-acting, effective and ab- solutely non-poisonous and non- irritating to human beings. It kills flies and mosquitoes whole- sale and may be used with equal success against moths, fleas, bedbugs, and other house- hold insects. Tanglefoot quality costs no more than ordinary liquid insecti- cides. Ask your jobber for full particulars about this latest and greatest Tanglefeot product. Order your summer supply now. THE O. & W. THUM COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Michigan T AD GS UL Fiy Paper, Fly Spray, Fly Ribbon, Roach & Ant Powder, =e F © 8 TFT Tree Tanglefoot BEECU-NUT Prepared Spaghetti WITH CHEESE AND Sey Tyas —S Ready to Serve! The ideal quality product for the progressive Grocer to sell. tomers you have it. BEECH-NUT PACKING COMPANY ‘*Foods and Confections of Finest Flavor’’ CANAJOHARIE Display it, thus telling your cus- It is nationally advertised. . NEW YORK . - - f a \ a - eh ~y * isa ~‘, \ ll atictnee Mell Ra en , : ” ‘ “A ” * a js ts ‘ a < . Ps , f he \ a ~~ if A ~e ae ~‘, \ ic dernens Sopa. ani. 3 4 PB es ' 4 3 * r ‘ a April 2, 1924 he gave company his note —_ 95,779 $255,423 In other words Mather absorbed personally practically the entire re- ceipts of the sale of the stock. Tf: would be interesting to know ‘how much of this enormous sum he had to divide with Uncle Sam in the tax pay- ments he made during 1923. According to Mather’s testimony on the stand, it appears that not one penny was ever turned into the treas- ury of the Grand Rapids Knitting Mills. To mulet the investing public to the extent of $362,000 for stock in the Grand Rapids Knitting Mills and never turn a cent over to the company con- stitutes one of the most gigantic swindles ever perpetrated on Michigan investors. Mather stated on the witness stand that he, as an officer of the company, obtained permission from the Michi- gan Securities Commission to sell 100,000 shares of no-par stock at $2.50 per share: that Jan. 15 1922 he as broker increased the price from $2.50 to $5 per share without obtaining the consent of the Commission. He says he made a contract with the company to purchase the stock at $1.70 per share, no matter what price he ob- tained for the stock. How he kept the company going without turning over any of the proceeds from the sale of the stock is disclosed by the bank- ruptcy schedules filed by the company June 4, 1923, when its indebtedness was $84,320.33. At that time the as- sets were claimed to be $171,224.74, which included the worthless note Mather had turned into the company in lieu of the cash. which he himself “absorbed.” In the final analysis the assets at public sale brought only $14,213.98. An unfortunate feature o° the situa- tion was that Mather and his swind- ling stock selling campaign were both commended by the Grand Rapids As- ~sociation of Commerce in an offic’al letter which was reproduced in fac simile and used to good effort in rak- ing in the victims of the tragedy. Be- cause this organization has bolstered up several swindling schemes of this character, I deemed it well to with- draw my membership Jan. 1 of this year. Because I served the organiza- tion as’ President for two years more than a dozen years ago this action was a source of great regret to me. I hope to see the time when this organization will cease its championship of frauds. Another unfortunate feature of the fiasco is the part played by the di- rectors. These men would not toler- ate for a moment the swindling tac- tics of their fraudulent associate, but they permitted their names to be used to bolster up the fratid perpetuated on the investing public by Mather. It is time that business men who have de- voted a lifetime to building up good names for themselves refrain from lending their reputation and prestige to such cheats and shysters as Mather turned out to be. For many years I entertained a high opinion of John D. Case. When I was originally asked to invest in the securi- ties of the company, I sought him out and asked him point blank if he in- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN tended to be President of the com- pany in reality as well as in name. He said most emphatically that he pro- posed to give the business his per- sonal attention and “see to it that the boys made good.” He said he had re- tired from the Sligh Furniture Co. and had ample time on his hands to go carefully into every detail and keep his fingers on the pulse of the concern. Most of the men and women who put money into the hands of Mr. ‘Case’s son-in-law did so because they be- lieved in the ability and energy of Mr. Case to make good. He never kept faith with the people who relied on him. Instead of staying by these peo- ple, as he should have done, he slipped away to California as soon as the crash came and has done _ nothing whatever to clear up the situation. I am one who believe that Mr. Case is personally responsible for the failure and would be so held by the courts if any one had the courage and_ back- bone to force him to face the issue. If he had done his duty, the failure could have been avoided and the peo- ple saved at least a portion of the enormous contribution they made to the worst swindling scheme which has been perpetrated in Michigan s_nce the days of Colfax Gibbs. In this connection I wish to thank the witnesses and others who, by their timely assistance, made it possible for me to bring out the truth and to se- cure the victory I achieved in this case. Practically every person who was victimized by the shark has the same opportunity to secure the return of his money providing he gets busy and causes the arrest of Mather on a capias before he joins his wife and the Case family in California. E. A. Stowe. a Urging Diversification. While the Devartment of Agricul- ture refrained this year from publish- ing the cotton growers’ intentions to plant, reports that ‘have reached the department from various sources in- dicate that the plantings will be ap- proximately equal to those of last year. Private trade estimates have indicated a somewhat larger planting in the Western portion of the belt, wth per- hap; a reduced-acreage in the South- sastern part of the belt, where the weevil ravages last year were most damaging. Meanwhile a number of farm associations are warning against overplanting, and bankers also are urging the growers in their districts not to neglect diversification because the price of cotton this year happened to have touched a highly profitable level. A number of Alabama bank; have announced to their rural cus- tomers that they will make no loans next year to enable them to buy feed. If farmers were certain to get 30 cents for their cotton it would pay them to plant only cotton and buy their feed, but if every* producer followed this policy it is practically certain that none of them would receive such a price for the staple. Wise Child. “Dear God,” prayed little Johnny, “please watch over mamma. An’, I dunno,” he aded as an afterthought, “it might be a good idea to keep an eye on dad, too.” Two Friends of the Retail Grocer QUAKER COFFEE yy | ats TU ea LA MM SS OFAN GO EVAPORATED MILK The Milk for Every Meal AO TCU LC WORDEN ([ROCER COMPANY Grand Rapids Kalamazoo—Lansing—Battle Creek The Prompt Shippers. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN iat. * SoM (= =m ‘ eT) (Go Movement of Merchants. Sylvester—Lloyd H. Skutt succeeds William Allen in general trade. Detroit—Schechter’s Pharmacy has changed its name to Siegel’s Phar- macy. Detroit—Jos. Gatt Sobeh in the grocery at street. Detroit—Ludwig Hess has purchas- ed the bakery of Frank Arnet, 8739 Mack avenue. Wyandotte—The Big Chief Oil Co. has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to $45,000. Muskegon—Balk & Porter succeed “A. E. Hunt in the grocery business at 17 Pine street. Detroit—Andrew Pasula has sold his grocery stock to Louis Harla, at 6457 Herbert street. Jackson—The Bates-Thatcher Lum- ber Co. succeeds the Hugh W. Bates Co. in business. Manistee—Alton Erickson, recently of Onekema, has engaged in the meat business on Fifth: street. Maybee—The Detroit Creamery Co. has purchased a site and will erect a succeeds Minor 220 Fifth modern creamery on it. Ironwood—Lindbloom & Peterson, boots and shoes, are reported ‘to have filed a petition in bankruptcy. Detroit—August Titz and wife are conducting the meat market of Frank Gorski, 8021 Harper avenue. Detroit—Sam Greenberg has bought the confectionery at 593 Farnsworth avenue from Aaron Simon. Detroit—Sfire Brothers, grocers at 5963. Woodward have sold their stock to Philip Shapiro. Plymouth—The Peoples State Bank has been incorporated with an author- ized capital stock of $50,000. Muskegon—Workman & Roman succeed Workman Bros. in the grocery business at 47 Emerald street. Detroit—The Tulite Auto Bulb Co., Equity building, has decreased its cap- ital stock from $25,000 to $14,000. East Jordan—Fire destroyed the store building and grocery stock of Houghton & Kowalski recently. Grand Rapids—The Thomas-Dag- gett Canning Co., has changed its name to the Thomas-Daggett Company. avenue, Detroit—Jennie Danielson is the new owner of Chas. G. Toepfer’s con- fectionery at 3614 Bellevue avenue. Saginaw—The Home Dairy Co., 403 Genesee avenue, has increased its cap- ital stock from $45,000 to $100,000. Detroit—Israel Goldberg, dry goods dealer at 2816 Rivard street, was rob- bed of $35 by two negroes March 27. Muskegon—The Peoples State Bank for Savings has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $100,000. Detroit—Evart Goldman has taken Fred Faddell’s place as owner of the confectionery at 4401 Seyburn avenue. Temperance—The A. I. Rodd Lum- ber Co. has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $25,000. Detroit—The Schroeder Hardware Co., 131 Cadillac Square, has increased its capital stock from $50,000 to $100,- 000. Detroit—John Ancaciu has sold his share in Ancaciu & Arteeman, grocers at 5200 Russell avenue, to Alex Ob- snuk, Kalamazoo—Monningh & Doxey have removed their drug stock from 119 East Main street to 326 West Main street. Detroit—William and Anna Crow have sold their confectionery stock at 6819 Mack avenue to Vincent Vig- giano. Kalamazoo—Heavy & Pieters have opened their new shoes and men’s fur- nishings goods store in the Peck building. Detroit—George and Anna _ Kurz, tailors at 635 Michigan avenue, have sold out to Geo. Caraschevici and J. Lambert. Detroit—G. A. Stever and wife have turned over their grocery and confec- tionery stock at’ 12635 Kercheval to Carl Woloch. Detroit—The confectionery at 5525 St. Antoine street has changed hands. Joe Zaen bought it from Max Ries- man and wife. Detroit—The Canadian Fire Proof Unit Co., 611 Sherer building, has changed its name to the Sturko-Steel Canadian Co. Flint — The Zirger-Milburn Co., clothier at 311 South Saginaw street, has increased its capital stock from $20,000 to $40,000. Elsie—Netsorg & Ferguson, Inc., dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, has decreased its capital stock from $15,000 to $12,000. a Detroit—Hatter Newmark, with lo- cal headquarters at 1021 Woodward - avenue has opened another store at 30 Monroe avenue. : Detroit—Frank Swigger has sold grocery at 1124 Scotten avenue to Anna Miles, wh») at one time owned a part of the business. Kalamazoo—Clark & Biek succeed A. Alton Wenzel in the clothing, men’s furnishings and shoe business at 121 West Water street. Detroit—Anna Glicker has sold the delicatessen that she and her husband formerly conducted at 4629 Hastings street to Anna ‘Waxler. Detroit—Charlotte Vlite, 5570 Rivard avenue, bought out Thomas Popovich, who conducted a soft drink and cigar store at the above address. Eaton Rapids—A. W. Nisbet has sold his stock of jewelry and sporting goods to V. TF. Burroughs, of Lansing, who has taken possession. Detroit—George C. Shouker and Omar Ben Mohammed have purchased the Cass General Market, 3638 Cass avenue, from Albert Mikel. Bay City—Fire destroyed the three- story building and stock of the Jen- nison Hardware Co., March 27, en- tailing a loss of over $400,000. Detroit—The hardware store at 4141 Hastings street is now in-the hands of Louis Langwald, who bought the stock and fixtures from David Platt. Big Rapids—The Farmers Building Association of Big Rapids has chang- ed its name to the Big Rapids Co- Operative Building Association. Detroit—Harvey L. Campbell is the new proprietor of the confectionery formerly conducted by John B. Havi- land at 11533 Woodward avenue. Detroit—Harry G. Rubin’s confec- tionery, at 7418 Kercheval avenue, is row in the hands of Sarah Koenigs- berg, who bought it March 25. Detroit—Geo. L. Herschelman’s meat market, 6833 Kercheval, is being operated by Thomas Tocco & Sons, who purchased the stock recently. Detroit—Hill’s Bargain Department Store, 64 Cadillac Square, will open an annex at 70 Cadillac Square April 5. The manager is Louis Berman, Detroit—Harry Zakas and _ others have bought the bakery at 3145 Cass avenue from Jos. Sepeter. The Forest Lakery is the name of the business. Detroit—The Brush Fruit Store, 2125 Brush street, is being run by Gust Lianos and Gust Poulos. The former proprietor was George Kaiser. Detroit—Frank Drolshagen, Incor- porated, is the new style under which rank Drolshagen, delicatessen dealer at 3 Broadway market, is operating. Detroit—The Keystone Confection- ery, 1101 West Warren avenue, has been sold to Homer Harvey. Raymond Brodie sold it to him on March 27. Detroit—Karl M. Kullberg bought out his partner, Gust Dahlin, in Kull- berg & Co., operating meat markets at 3609 McGraw and 12337 Twelfth street. Detroit—A. Penn has sold his gro- cery stock and store fixtures at 5686 14th street, to J. A. Pastick, who will continue the business at the same lo- cation. Detroit—The grocery store and meat market of Chas. \Weeby and Leo Lotef has been transferred to Geo. Thomas. The transfer took place March 26. St. Johns—William Murray has pur- chased the interest of his partner, Martin, in the Murray & Martin bakery and will continue the business under his own name. Ypsilanti—The merchandise, stock, machinery and fixtures of the C. & A. Baking Co., which is in the hands of a receiver, will be sold at auction in the near future. John H. Jones, proprietor of Jones’ Grocery and Meat Market at Bronson, says: “The Tradesman is essential to anyone in business. It is a great asset to any business.” Detroit— Degens Cement Floors, Inc., 400 Penobscot building, has been incorporated with an authorized cap- April 2, 1924 ital stock of $2,500, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Lansing—I. Gross has purchased the interest of his partner, S. Gross in the Hungarian Restaurant, 110 West Ottawa street and will continue the business under the same style. Lapeer—Stephen A. Lockwood, dry goods and general merchants, is the object of an involuntary petition in bankruptcy filed recently by creditors whose claims aggregate $19,145.56. Bronson—John H. Jones, proprietor of Jones’ Grocery & Meat Market, has sold his stock and store fixtures to Graves & Brower, who will continue the business at the same location. Detroit—The Kirsch Furniture Co., 2669 Gratiot avenue, moved to 7739 Mack avenue, the former location of the Reeber Furniture Co., bankrupt, April 1. August Kirsch is the owner. Detroit—The Erwin-Moore Drug Co., 7443 Kercheval avenue, has been known as the Townsend Drug Co. since Morton and Ralph Raskin bought it from Chas. F. Erwin and Leon A. Moore. Detroit—Edward Stendel, of the J. L. Stendel Co., hardware, 1014 Gratiot avenue, was severely wounded by a bandit a short time ago, when he re- sisted the hold-up man who robbed the store, Detroit—The Continental Ware- house Co., 1523 Dime Bank building, has been incorporated with an author- capital stock of $1,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Detroit—The Detroit Bricklaying & Plastering Co. 6 West Jefferson avenue, has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $1,200, all of which has been subscribed and $300 paid in in cash. ized Royal Oak—The Gifford Lumber Co. has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $50,009 common and $100,000 preferred, $150,,- 000 of which has been subscribed and $15,000 paid in in cash. Detroit—H. H. Clark & Co., 1523 Dime Bank building, has been incor- porated to deal in sugars as brokers for refiners, with an authorized capital stock of $5,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Kalamazoo—The Modern Appliance Co. has been incorporated to deal in oil burning heaters, electrical supplies, etc., with an authorized capital stock of $4,000, $1,050 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Kalamazoo—Harold: Vermeulen, for five years connected with the Home Furnishing Co., has severed his connec- tion and engaged in the furniture busi- ness under his own name, in the Inter- urban Bldg., 210 West Water street. Detroit—The R. S. Knapp Co., 48 Rowena street, has been incorporated to deal in building materials, stone, brick, cement, etc., with an authorized capital stock of $50,000, $25,000 of which has been subscrived and $5,000 paid in in cash. Detroit—The Franklin Warehouse Co., 153 East Jefferson avenue, has been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $1,000 common and 1,000 shares at $1 per share, all of which has been subscribed and $2,000 paid in in cash. ces j 4 4 Sal accel Apne e % ~ x ” ~~ ate een rr cats EGE nce ~ r aS April 2, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 5 Essential Features of the Grocery on the part of some holders to shade perhaps are a little stronger than they Poultry—Wilson & Company now Staples. Maine sardines in order to clean up have been. Pea beans are steady. pay as follows for live: Sugar—Loca]l jobbers now hold cane before the new pack starts. The buy- White kidneys are weak, with down- Heavy fowls ee granulated at 7.20c. ers, however, are very indifferent, as ward tendency. California limas are Heavy Sprmes =) 24c Tea—The demand probably shows the prices are still too ‘high to move slow, with about steady prices. Green bight fowls 18c slight improvement for the week over quickly. High-grade salmon is in some peas are apomt wnchaiged on list Geese. 12%c the week before. It is still, however, demand but holders are rather press- week’s basis. The demand is dull. Dieks 92200. 17c rather light. The big tea business ing for sale and are willing at some- Ciccc Cheese is in light supply Radishes—85c per doz. bunches for nowadays comes in warmer weather, times to shade prices. Red and pink and prices about the same ps last hot house. and that is almost here, therefore the Alaska salmon are unchanged and week. Rhubarb—12%c per Jb. for Florida. holders of tea are looking confidently dull. Crab meat has weakened lately Provisions—Smoked meats and lard Spinach—$2.25 per bu. for Texas. at the market for the next few months. and prices show a rather wide range. are unchanged, the latter selling in A full carload (700 bushels) is due to The prices show no change for the week. Fermented teas, meaning Cey- lon, India and Javas, are about wun- changed and still firm, with an ad- vancing tendency. Other teas show no change for the week. The under- tone is firm. Coffee—The future market for Rio and Santos grades has been rather nervous during the past week, with small fractional declines. The spot coffees, meaning Brazil, green and in a large way, are unchanged over the week before. Once in a while a hold- er will shade slightly from extreme top prices, but the general market is unchanged and on the same basis as a week ago. Mild coffees are firm and seem gradually working up. Cocoa—Walter Baker & Co. write the Tradesman that the statement that an advance had been made in_ its brands in the issue of March 12 was an error; that no change in price of its goods has been made for many years. Canned Fruits—It is admitted that the unsold portion of the 1923 pack of California fruits is unusually light for this season of the year and short in the popular sellers. Export outlets have made inroads into peaches, apri- cots and other varieties, while the do- mestic trade, especially in the interior, has been buying more freely this spring than usual. Eastern resale lines are held with more confidence and are working upward. The future market is very much unsettled as drouth and frosts have made canners apprehensive as to the size of the 1924 pack and the costs of production is apt to run high. Several packers estimate not more than 8,000,000 cases this season. Pack- ers are reluctant to book futures as they do not know the extent of their packs nor their operating costs. Pine- apple is feeling the effect of the change in California competing fruits and it is developing more firmness. Canned Vegetables—The tomato market is steady but quiet. Southern No. 2s and No. 3s are unchanged and are not to be had at concessions at the factory. Canners are not free sellers and while they report constant buying Grand Rapids has not been as active as some other markets. California No. 2%s are quiet. Gallons have not at- tracted much attention. Futures have remained dull, as spots are not active enough to create much demand for new packs. Fancy corn. is scarce on the spot and primary points have little to offer in Crosby or Golden Bantam. Need of goods causes a constant de- mand. Standards are steady and in good jobbing request. The market is so strongly placed from a statistical standpoint that current pack favors the holder. All grades are sparingly offered. Canned Fish—There is a disposition Other canned fish unchanged and quiet except white meat tuna, which is scarce and wanted. Dried Fruits—The unsolved problem of the dried fruit trade is the liquida- tion of the medium sized California prunes without disturbing large counts or the Oregon line. Packers say it can and will be done and that there is no cause for apprehension, and they point out that prune consumption has been about the heaviest on record, as it has cleared about 200,000,000 pounds of the 300,000,000 pound stocks in sight at the beginning of the season in all of the prune producing areas. How- ever, California sizes from 50s down’ have not been moving to any extent, and they are still quiet, since they offer little attraction at the present Coast basis and in comparison with Oregon packs of more desirable sizes. What can be done to get these prunes moving to bring about the clearance of the 1923 crop, which is necessary before new pack is available? Few question the position of California 20s, 30s and 40s. Twenties amount in tonnage unsold on the Coast to only a small block and 30s are strong enough placed to be offered in assort- ments with the slower sellers, while 40s are causing no worry. Small sizes have already been so well cleared that they are not a factor. Between 40s and 90s, however, is the zone of per- plexity. Oregon large sizes were firm all week, and while not so freely taken from the Coast packers are able to hold up their prices. Chain stores and other distributors are using their own goods and find ready sale for them, but where three pounds of 40s are be- ing sold for 25c, it is questioned how extensive sales will be at retail if the price is advanced when replacements face a revision. Raisins are firm and in good, healthy demand for package and bulk packs. There is no surplus on the spot and dealers are ordering for Coast shipment so as to take care of their future wants. Considerable firmness exists at the source. Peaches are showing a stronger undertone on the Coast and on the spot there is bet- ter distributing demand, as consump- tive outlets are widening. It is not a speculative market but one which seems to be fundamentally. sound. Pears are scarce in all positions and easily command a premium. Currants are steady but are not moving except in a routine way. Salt Fish—There is a very fair Lenten demand for mackerel, better, in fact, than for several seasons. This is because the stocks are ample this year and prices moderate. The mar- ket shows no change for the week. Beans and Peas—The demand for dried white beans is very dull, with prices abount unchanged. Marrows wholesale lots at last week’s prices. Dried beef prices same as last week. —_—_+~--.___ Review of the Produce Market. Apples—Standard winter varieties such as Spys, Baldwin, Jonathan, Rus- setts, etc., fetch $1 per bu. Box ap- ples from the Coast command $3. Asparagus—90c per bunch for Cali- fornia. Bagas—Canadian $2 per 100 Ib. sack. Bananas—9@9'%c per Ib. Beets—New bu. Butter—The market has been jin a very poor condition. Prices declining every day and the stocks accumulating from Texas, $2.35 per rapidly. Local jobbers hold extra fresh at 40c in 60 Ib. tubs; fancy in 30 Ib. tubs, 41c; prints, 42c. They pay 20c for packing stock. Cabbage—$4 per 100 ibs. for $5 for new. Carrots—$1.75 per bu. fer old; $2.25 per bu. for new from Cauliflower doz. heads. Celery—90c@$1 per bunch for Flor- ida; crates of 4 to 6 doz., $5. Cucumbers—Hot house command $2.75 for fancy and $2 for choice. Eggs—Receipts have been retarded by the cool weather and bad roads. Local dealers pay 21c to-day. Egg Plant—$3.50 per doz. Garlic—35c per string for Italian. old; Texas. California, $3.25 per Grape Fruit—Fancy Florida now sell as follows: (sO ips SETI Sg Gite eee $3.00 Oa a5 ee 3.50 O4 and 40) 3.25 Green Beans—$4 per hamper. Green Onions — $1.10 per doz. bunches for Chalotts. Honey—25¢ for comb; 25¢% for strained. ae Lettuce—In good following basis: California Iceberg, per crate -..$6.00 rear per pound he Lemons—The market js now on the following basis: Gey See $5.75 ae ed Ta ce 5.25 DOU Ned: Daly 26 4.75 Onions—Spanish, $3 per crate; home demand on. the grown, $2.25 per 100 lb. sack. Oranges —. Fancy Sunkist Navels now quoted on the following basis: Me 2 1. SO oo 400 EN 6.25: Dee aoe FO 5.50 Oe oe Ae ee 4.50 Da 4.25 Floridas fetch $4.50@5. Parsley—65c per doz. bunches. Parsnips—$2.25 per bu. Peppers—75c per basket containing’ 16 to 18. Potatoes—55@b60c per bu. arrive to-day. Sweet Potatoes — dried fetch $3.50 per Tomatoes—Southern Delaware kiln hamper. an grown $1.25 per 5 lb. basket. Turnips—$1.50 per bu. ——_>-+ - ____ The Tradesman’s Roll of Discord. The Tradesman withdraws one name from its Roll of Discord this week— the Van Camp Sea Food Co.—because it sells the jobbing trade only in Mich: igan. In some other states it caters to the chains, but in Michigan it con- fines its sales to regular trade chan- As corrected, to date, the list is now as follows: National Biscuit Co. Swift and Company Proctor & Gamble Sun Maid Raisin Growers Carnation Milk Products Co. Wm. Underwood & Co. John Duncan Son’s Co. Burnham & Morrill Bon Ami Co. Libby, McNeill & Libby Hills Bros., N. Y. (dates) Diamond Crystal Salt Co. N. K. Fairbanks Co. The Shinola Co. Jas. S. Kirk & Co. Pompeiian Olive Oil Wm. Wrigley Co. American Chicle Co. Tillamonk Cheese Co. Hersheys Cocoa Co. Red Wing Grape Juice Co. Ball Brothers Glass Co. Kerr Glass Manufacturing Co. S. O. S. Manufacturing Co. Scat Manufacturing Co. Scott Paper.Co. Van Camp Packing Co. —_2-e--.>—____. Bring the Ladies. To the Convention. Grand Rapids, “April 1—The “local association at Grand Rapids is plan- ning a little entertainment. especially for the wives of the merchants’ who will attend the convention in, this city April 22, 23 and 24 at the Pantlind. Mrs. P. D. Mohrhardt is chairman: of the reception committee for the ladies and, among other things, they. are planning a luncheon -at the New ‘Mor: ton Hotel and an automobile. ‘trip around the city. Now,-wives, don’t-let your fiusbasids make you believe there ‘is’ no ‘attrac; tion at these conventions for the ladies; because this- year we especially want the merchants to bring their ‘wives and the reception committee will show them.a good. time. Of course, the local stores will be showing their newest Spring apparel and, no doubt, many of nels. the women will want to do - some shopping. - : Don’t forget the dates i cues Wednesday and Thursday April 22, 23 and. 24. Grand Rapids will go on fast: time April 12, so that all sessions ‘of the convention will-go by fast time: Paul Gezon, Sec’y. —_+~+-____ « Anyway, all. mistakes are self-made. Proceedings of the Grand Rapids Bankruptcy Court. Grand Rapids, March 24. On this day was held the first meeting of creditors in the matter of Alex Nieviadomski, Bankrupt No. 2442. The bankrupt was present in person and by attorney. No creditors were present or represented. No claims were proved and allowed. The bankrupt was sworn and examined with- out a reporter. No trustee was appoint- ed. The case being one without assets it was closed and returned to the district court. On this day was held the special meet- ing of creditors and final meeting in the matter of Lawton L. Skillman, Bankrupt No. 2224. Several creditors were pres- ent. The trustee was present. Claims were proved and allowed. The assets for sale were sold to the original offerers for the original amounts offered, and certain of the stocks for abandonment or sale were sold for a nominal sum. The bal- ance of the stocks, which appeared to be worthless, were abandoned as such. presencia eee & + 4 a ’ ‘—e a | oo ‘ » » } ' Ss en — a , ¢ 2 ..-< a ¥ : Way? C73 te > April 2, 1924 Some Records Broken. The past year was a record-breaker in livestock production. According to the yearbook of Swift and Co., the market receipts of hogs in 1923 were 30 per cent. greater than in 1922 and 21 per cent. in excess of the receipts of 1918, which was the largest previous year. The heavy run of hogs to mar- ket during the summer, when receipts are usually light, was one distinctive feature of the past season. During one day in July over a thousand car- loads arrived in Chicago. This in- volved the payment of over a million dollars by the packers. The heavy movement during the summer was the result of the high price then ruling for corn. It was more profitable to sell corn than to feed it to stock when the price was running up to nearly a dol- lar per bushel. The large shipments of hogs naturally caused the price to drop somewhat, but the farmers’ total income from this source was. still larger than for the preceding year. The receipts of cattle at the principal markets also registered a gain during the past year. In the marketing of cattle 1923 did not break the record, but it registered a gain of 2.6 per cent. over 1922, and has been exceeded only three times—during the war years in 1917 and 1918 and again in 1919. For several years before the war cattle production was steadily declining. The war brought a sharp reversal of this trend, and by 1918 market receipts had risen 85 per cent. over 1914. With the end of the war the downward trend was resumed until 1922, when it again became upward. The receipts of cattle at the market last year were 35 per cent. above those for 1913. While the supply was larger last year than in 1922 prices were also better, as a re- sult of good business conditions and high purchasing power of consumers. The larger marketing oc cattle, how- ever, does not mean that this industry is thriving. It has been pointed out that the increase since 1921 is due in part to the selling of their herds by discouraged cattle men in the range sections. —_+-~—___ Greetings To the Retail Grocers of Michigan. Cleveland, April 1—The year 1924 is swiftly making its way and already one-quarter of it has gone. A year thas slipped away since we last met in convention. The question that pre- sents itself to us is, “What have we accomplished during the year that is worth while?” We are now going into convention to consider the problems pertaining to the welfare of the grocery trade, to present some constructive thought whereby all will be better merchants and thus better able to serve the pub- lic. The officers have prepared a pro- gram for your consideration. Unless all take part in the proceedings of the convention, the effort of your officers will go for naught,-and the time and money spent will be wasted. This is the day of combinations— combination of capital, combination of influence, combination § of _ brains. Everything is being done to promote individual efficiency and to combine individual efficiency to secure results. No individual has ever achieved as great a measure of success in any undertaking as a result of his own efforts, as could be achieved by him when this efforts, power and strength are united with these of his fellows who are striving for success in a simi- lar cause. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN In these days of shifting methods and innumerable suggestions for con- ducting food distribution, it is no won- der that men stop to consider the feasibility of any or all of the systems now in use. that way only can we make the con- vention a success. John A. Green. —_>->___ One of the Chicago mail order 7 ways been a handicap to regulation. The problem will never be solved com- pletely until the factories themselves can be got at, but any step that makes houses has voluntarily abandoned the sale of revolvers and pistols, thus set- ting an example that others might well follow. So we seek through this coming to- gether, through an exchange of ideas, to formulate plans which we can pre- sent to the trade at large, so that they may, by putting them into practice be better able to serve the community pons is in the right Laws against “pistol-toting” will be impossible of complete enforce- ment so long as the supply of such place in a civilized country. direction. T it more difficult to obtain such wea- ' ne carrying of concealed weapons has no Whatever a : can be done to obliterate the evil and ee a i ie aba a . weapons is not controlled at the heist ha 4 r hj remuneration for the service rendered. : : should be done. The Chicago company : source, and the fact that mail order ; = ; I trust that each one coming to the a a mar f ae S . bos choan how : fovca th 6 convention will come prepared to pre- houses sell without restriction in states las shown how to re-enforce the et- sent some constructive thought. In where there are drastic statutes has al- forts of the lawmaakers. Americas Most Famous Dessert” JELLO Draws materials from five continents and from the islands of five seas. The United States, England, France, Italy, Holland, India, Brazil, Sicily, Angola, Canary Islands, Java and Cape Verde Islands send their products to the factory above, where they are mixed and blended into “America’s Most Famous Dessert.” @ 8 ‘8 And from this factory to every State, to our Insular Possessions, and even to the Four Corners of the Earth Jell-O goes as an Ambassador of Ameri- can. Enterprise to the Courts of Good Living. THE JELLO COMPANY, Inc, - - - - - - - - - LeRoy, N.Y. ALY CN LE Ges) ies) Lee CG 5 ———— 2, abe) 6 se ey. *, a EXPLANATORY REMARKS— The dotted arrows indicate the countries from which the ingredients are procured to make JeuO ? ememme SUGAR from Cuba, South America ind Java. e Se #998 GELATINE from United States, France, ze England and Holland. meme TARTARIC ACID from England /taly Coy ie ee ‘ (= aucnss OS fee coy Siri) ; and Cape le Islands. [= ; on) «m= TURMERIC from India JELEO Wy) vd wme=t FRUIT FLAVORS from United States. ote RR) | PE Faure fs warms CHOCOLATE from Brazil, we CITRUS from Sicily: © THE GENESEE PURE FOOD COMPANY. COLFAX GIBBS OUTDONE. The disclosure the Tradesman makes this week regarding the stock selling campaign of Carl N. Mather in behalf of the Grand Rapids Knitting Mills is the most appalling situation of the kind ever unearthed jn this county. Of course, Mather had to have some institution to use as a stalking horse, but his testimony on the witness stand in the Kent Circuit Court fails to disclose that the company he was sup- posed to represent ever received one penny of the $362,102.53 he testified he received from the sale of stock. No greater unfaithfulness to trust was probably ever unearthed than this, which would have remained a closed book but for the determination of the writer to unmask a man who posed as a business man, but was in reality a wolf in sheep’s clothing, filching the savings of the people—many of them in very moderate circumstances—in order to fatten himself on his illy got- ten gains. No greater commentary on the in- adequacy of the law was ever pre- sented than in this instance, where a man who claimed to be a broker, sell- ing stock on 15 per cent. commission, was really absorbing the difference be- tween $1.70 and $5 per share, and in the final analysis juggled the figures so that the company was handed his worthless note, instead of the cash, for the stock thus marketed. This case shows very plainly how wrong it is for men to act as directors of a company and not know what is going on. If the directors of the Grand Rapids Knitting Mills had con- sulted the definition of director in any standard dictionary, and lived up to the definition, they would have dis- covered the defalcation of their man- ager and proceeded to oust him be- fore his defalcation amounted to so enormous a figure. If the Michigan Securities Commis- sion had any adequate system which would enable it to review and super- vise the work of the men it occasion- ally turns loose to plunder the people, the swindling tactics of Mather would have been discovered and vetoed. The law creating the Commission and de- fining its duties has been amended from time to time, but there appears to be still a lack of adequate authority to function properly in a case of this kind. The fearful havoc thus wrought by an utterly irresponsible man, uncheck- ed by his inactive directors, should serve aS a warning to the investing public to proceed very carefully when asked to trust their funds to a man whose character is not clearly estab- lished by long and intimate acquaint- ance. _—_—_—— COTTON AND COTTON GOODS. Cotton continues to act in defiance of the statistical position so far as this is shown by the figures of avail- able supply. Even the calculations of the experts selected by Secretary Hoo- ver showing that the official estimates allowed for nearly a quarter million more bales than were existent had no effect in raising the quotations on the exchanges. This was much to the disgust of certain Southern representa- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN tives, official and other, who have been interested in trying to boost prices and who attribute their failure to do so to the wicked speculators. It would appear, however, as though not all the speculators were on one side. The present holders of cotton would seem to be in this class, for there is little or no cotton now held by the growers. Better planting weather was reported last week over most of the cotton belt, and advan- tage is being taken of it. The general impression continues to be that the acreage this year will be fully equal to that of last year and that the boll weevil will be less of a factor than it was. Census Bureau reports show a lessened consumption-of- cotton in the mills last month, and every in- dication points to a further reduction in March. Southern as well as East- ern mills are announcing curtailment of operations because of a lack of orders. Sales of cotton fabrics are comparatively small and there has been a weakening in the prices of gray goods. Toward the end of the week came a reduction in the prices of percales. This was a logical conse- quence of the drop in gray goods lev- els. When the possibility of it was first broached it was scouted. Now, however, it has been found necessary to make the reductions which, it is believed, will lead to more buying. This is something which has been needed. The fall in cotton is also af- fecting both sales and prices of knit underwear and _ hosiery. WOOL AND WOOLEN APPAREL. Auction sales of wool abroad during the past week were about on a par with those of weeks preceding. Val- ues continue to be upheld, although American bidders were not much in evidence. A little more contracting ahead has occurred in this country, but purchases by mills are not very marked. Buying of men’s wear fab- rics is still far from satisfactory. Wool- ens have had the call in the orders placed so far, but it is believed that there will be more demand for wor- steds later. This is the general rule, although there are exceptions where the mills are fully booked up on or- ders for two or three months ahead. Last month showed a falling off in the loom activity of the country, but a slight gain in that of spinning spin- dies. In women’s wear fabrics the season started out well. Latterly there has been some hesitation because of the possibility of labor disturbance. Workers have presented a series of demands which manufacturers and jobbers are not disposed to accede to. Conferences are now being held or arranged for at which the whole mat- ter will be thoroughly thrashed out. Until the situation- is cleared, how- ever, there will be little disposition to plan much ahead. Wthin the next few days the last of the noted women’s wear fabric mills will show its fall offerings. Retail garment sales are beginning to make quite a satisfactory showing. A little continued season- able weather would, however, help out much in this direction. Labor may be at the bat, but will “strike” out. BUSINESS INCENTIVES. It is a favorite saying of the Social- ist soap-box orators that in modern business considerations of property come before those of humanity and that pecuniary considerations are al- ways uppermost. Economists of the orthodox school however, do not ad- mit that the desire for wealth for its own sake is the prime incentive to business activity. They point out that human wants are infinitely varied and numerous and that the same individ- ual may be actuated in his economic life by different motives at different times. Many successful business men seem only to care for the power that wealth confers; others toil strenuously simply because they love the activity, the contest, and the satisfaction that comes from winning. With them busi- ness is a game that seems to gratify what is left of the primitive fighting instinct. Others desire to accumulate wealth for the social distinction that it brings, and still others find an in- centive to strenuous endeavor in con- siderations of an ethical nature. They toil from a sense of conscientious duty. History, as every one_ knows, abounds with examples of men of genius whose only incentive to inces- sant toil has been the desire to turn out a perfect-piece of work. Wealth was no object with them. But genius- es, like Angels’ visits, are few and far between, and such cases are held to prove nothing. On the other hand, every one can Cite illustrations from his observation of individuals who are not geniuses but normal, everyday folk who attach little importance to pecuniary rewards. In every village there is the doctor who goes day and night in all kinds of weather, charging only modest fees, a large portion of which he never collects. While the public is willing to admit that this spirit of service is to be found in some of the professions, it still as- sumes that in the field of business the primary motive is “dollar-chasing.” And there is a certain type of business man who takes pleasure in spreading this impression. He boasts that he is not in business for his health; the calls everybody who is not engaged first of all in “making money” a dreamer, and he wants nothing better than to be designated as “just an ordinary red- blooded, two-fisted business man.” When he hears of some successful busi- ness man performing a public-spirited act he will shrug his shoulders and re- mark, “That’s good advertising; it pays.” In this respect he and the soap-box orator are in.complete agree- ment. : Men of that type rarely become real leaders in the business world. They lack the vision possessed by those who become the captains of industry, and they are obstacles to the raising of business to the dignity of a profession. That business leadership, is attaining such a status is attested by the oppor- tunities now being afforded for train- ing for this profession. As a reéent bulletin of the School of Business Administration points out, training in the. so-called “learned” professions not many,.yéars ago was gained through ‘tHe methods _of apprenticeship. A student. of law Harvard Graduate April 2, 1994 or medicine learned his professio by reading and working in the office 6 some practitioner. But under modern conditions there is a demand for men of more ability and higher quality thay can be developed under the appren. ticeship system. So we have high standard medical and law schools as a result. The same forces which put an end to the apprentice system for !ay and medicine are having their effect oy training for business. THE GREAT EGG INDUSTRY. Few persons realize the importance of the. egg industry in the United States. The Department of Agricul ture estimates the value of the annual production at more than half a billion dollars. This amounts to a third o/ the value of the total cotton crop o! last year even with the price averag ing 30 cents per pound. The eggs consumed on the American breakfast table are gathered from no fewer than five million farms, which means that fully as many people are engaged in their collection. In their transporta- tion and market distribution a large army of other persons are employed before the egg finally reaches the ulti- mate consumer. Over 47,000 car loads of eggs are shipped by rail every year. This would make up 1800 freight trains of twenty-five cars each. The great bulk of eggs arriving at the Eastern markets come from farms in the Middle West, where they are produced as a side line to supply the farmer’s wife with pin money, although there are many specialized egg farms in all parts of the country. Contrary to the popular impression, the propor- tion of the total egg crop that goes into cold storage is small. The De- partment of Agriculture estimates it at about 12 per cent. Eggs are stored in the spring, when production is in excess of demand, and held against shortage in the winter. THE COST OF BANKING. The cost of banking has increased in marked degree in the Northwest, ac- cording to data furnished by the Northwestern National Bank of Min- neapolis. This institution points out that six years ago it cost National banks in that section $48.50 to handle each $1000 of deposits, and in 1923 the cost was $56.18. In both cases this cost was about $12 above that for the entire United States. Much of the high cost in the Northwest is due to acute competition in a region that is generally overbanked and to the sur- vival of expensive non-essential ser- vices inaugurated by the banks in a period when conditions were easier. Many banks in an effort to obtain good will and more patronage have been performing free of charge numerous legal and notarial services for their clients. Among these are the prepara- tion of affidavits, making out income tax returns, remitting life insurance Premiums, executing house leases, safe- keeping of securities, obtaining auto- mobile licenses, and so on. Now that par collection of checks and new rural credit agencies are reducing income from other sources, the banks are be- ginning to impose a series of charges for these extra Services. —_ Small talk begets big trouble. Gee £ fee , : Peete ie __i April 2, 1924 Comes To the Defense of the Spar- row. Grandville, April 1—When I wrote my article on the sparrow I: did not expect to convert all the bird. haters, nor do I expect: much sympathy for my position from those who have no kindly feeling in their hearts’ for the lesser creatures of God’s kingdom. Such people seem to. imagine. the world was created: expressly for one created being and that is man. _ When Squire ‘Signal’ says;:'“The English sparrow is an awful nuisance, and a menace to the welfare of the community,’ he states what cannot be maintained. I lived with sparrows for sixteen years on the-farm. I have’ had them eat with my chickens, roost un- der the eaves of the barn and carry on in every manner peculiar to birds in general, yet never have I known the despised fellow to destroy other birds or cut up in the reprehensible manner intimated by your correspond- ent from Onaway. Furthermore, it ‘is a misnomer to call them ‘English.’ We pride our- selves on being Americans, even though originally we hailed from the British isles. There are no British sparrows any more. . Those we have about us are American to the core and should have the same rights. under the American flag which other birds have. The very fact of warfare upon this one small bird would not be quite so bad if in the demolishing of the spar- row thousands of other birds were not sacrificed. oo What do you think of a State ship- ping tons of poison to farmers to be used in exterminating grasshoppers, the use of which in poisoning bran, is scattered where all birds can find. ac- cess to it and thus fall victims to the wisdom of our. Governmental solons? Squire Signal speaks of seeing spar- rows pounce into a robin’s nest, spill the eggs and raise particular ned. However this may be, why 1s it that the writer, who is as friendly to all birds as he is to the sparrow, has never had such an experience? For two years a robin nested over the front door of my humble abode, and while myriads of sparrows were flying about every day, fot an act ‘Of, hostility took place. It behooves man | to not look, with prejudiged eyes, whens facing this bird question. I was once visiting a farmer frie~d and noted an incident that rather. staggered me. By the way, this fa*m*y er is a very devout church man and is scrupulously horest. Towar1 the sparrow, however he has a .st¥ich, hatred, bred, no doubt, by the folse representations of newsraners which hold to the doctrires of Squire Signal that man has a God given right to exterminate all life with whch he is not congenial. Ce A sparrow had built her nest urder the farmhouse eaves and the wicked- ness of the act had;not come to the notice of the farmer until the nést was filled with young birds. With a feeling of indignation th’s man procured a long pole, poked out the nest, while the mother bird whir- red about giving forth. that insolevt (?) “cheap, cheap,” which is s9 annoy- ing to friend Squire Signal. The nest and young birds fell at the farmer’s and were there trampled to death as if they had been, a nest of poisoneus serpents. And that-man went with his wife the next day to church and told how much he loved the Lord! The bird question would be easily settled and settled right if we all could agree in dealing justly with every one of God’s creatures. "' Squire Signal’s suggestion to Old Timer not to judge too harshly lest ye be iudged may well apply to himself in this particular. Certainly his judg- ments against. the sparrow are harsh to cruelty and cannot be approved “by any self respecting man or woman. If a sojourn of sixteen years amone the sparrows,.as_ furnished. on the farm, doesnot give’ a man experience enough with bird life to express an opinion I do not know how we -can come at it, -: MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Among the birds mentioned by Squire Signal as falling a prey to the awful sparrow, is the king bird. Now this bird is all right in a way, yet if the sparrow is really bad, the kingbird is bad with a big B. He certainly makes war on other birds and it may be lucky there are so few of him. We lost a fine canary, which hung on the porch, when a king bird espied the little warbler and promptly launched himself’ on the cage and tore off the canary’s head: Not for worlds, how- ever, would I go back on the king bird. Our carelessness gave him his opportunity which he certainly im- proved. There is room for all the birds in the world, even the despised crow. I had to wrestle with the latter while on the farm. I might go into par- ticulars of how I saved my cornfields from this bird, but that is too long a story, and J am quite satisfied that a man who hates the sparrow would not believe a word said in favor of the erow. Phere are words—many | of them—which can be truthfully said of the usefulness of this bird, and if my life is spared I mean to make this bird question a living one throughout the length: and breadth of the land. Those who are not lovers of God’s birds, which, of course, includes the sparrow, cannot possibly be right in This Cross and Circle, always printed in Red on every genuine package of Alabastine, is, to the user, a symbol To the dealer, a guarantee of salability, satisfied customers, constantly increased demand, of quality and uniformity. sure profit. and no remnants or dead stocks. In 5 Ib. packages: White and beautiful tints; ready to use by water; mixing with pure cold package. the sight of the All Father, and I trust that brother Squire Signal may yet see the light and come down from his pedestal of hatred and try and give the sparrow his just dues. “It is plain to be seen that our tastes differ on the sparrow question.” True enough, and it is because of those who occupy Squire Signal’s position N N N N N N AS ~ full directions on each EASTER CANDY April 20 is the Big Candy Day and you will need a good supply of Siudgantl Faris OWNEYS CHOCOLATES also Easter Eggs and Novelties NATIONAL CANDY CO. INc. PUTNAM FACTORY, Grand Rapids, Michigan The Latest HitSCARAMOUCHE An Irresistible 10c Bar LUMMMMiisiddiiddilildddidddddddlldddlddlldddulJUulaaLLLL~~xL,QQQEZZxZZZZZZZZZZZZ, 9 that a great danger menaces the lives and happiness of the American people. Old Timer. ———_» ~~. Can you prove your books are right when the customer claims they are wrong? See that your system is the best obtainable to that end. WLLL MIX IN ONE MINUTE WITH | COLD WATER THE ONLY TOOL NEEDED TO APPLY ja! ye ‘ if a ts ne att ee we PO we A ) yt! w wit yt yw A yw! yt a " ‘ ‘ wt! oe ye eat ft ee ptt lee “ yy we a To iy itl gt 10 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 7 H ff ‘\ ane wi CA a A \] is fe cy P mn Gh (Ce RUS W(t White LI Wy) } TIP i PPL) \ me : co; 7 << Awt3 Twenty-five Years’ Experience as Shoe Salesman. Ben Bolt, who for twenty-two years has been in charge of the shoe depart ment of the Palace Clothing Co., of Kansas City, Mo has for years been acknowledged one of the most expert fitters of shoes in the country. At the time Mr. Bolt took charge of this shoe department, it was a very modest affair, employing only two or three salesmen, and the managers of the Palace Store, feeling the import- ance of a first class shoe department in their expanding clothing store, chose Mr. Bolt in preference to all other applicants, since even at that time his ability as a shoe fitter and salesman was apparent. How well they have chosen, in selecting Mr. Bolt, is readily attested by the growth of the department under his leadership. To-day the shoe department is one of the great drawing cards in this large modern house, occupying two rooms, each 125 by 33 feet, and stocked to capacity with tens of thousands of pairs of shoes, and requiring the ser- vices of about twenty sales people to care for the throngs who purchase their footwear at the Palace store. The entire work of buying the shoes sold annually in the Palace Shoe Store is one of the “odd jobs” which Mr. 301lt does in connection with his work of store management. Then there is the little matter of sales management, of training the entire force to the high- est point of efficiency and of building prestige and the firm which employs him. One of the interesting accomplish- ments of Mr. Bolt is the card-index system which he has devised, by means of which he is enabled to keep a record, not only of each customer who has dealings with the store, but also of each pair of shoes which leaves the store, with the date of sale, and the name of the purchaser. He has, like- wise, built up a system of scientific selling, follow-up methods and guar- anteeing “shoe comfort and satisfac- tion,’ which has converted his depart- ment into a hive of sales activity, in addition to establishing a juvenile de- partment which provides, as Mr. Bolt terms it, “foot insurance” for the grow- ing youngsters. Mr. Bolt has many clear and definite ideas in regard to his vocation, and, most important, these ideas are all workable, for he Fis tested them year after year. “It’s «he little things that count in the shoe business,’ declares Mr. Bolt with conviction. “When a customer enters the store I make it a point to give him a hearty greeting, which puts him at his ease and makes him feel that we appreciate his pres- ence in our store, business for “In making a sale, half the battle is won when the customer is made to feel the pleasant atmosphere and the warm personality of the store and its em- ployes. “Then, to me, the~e is a distinct pleasure in fitting a pair of shoes properly; it isn’t drudgery or labor or a task to be dreaded, but rather a work of art, challenging all that is worth while in me, both as salesman and me- chanic. And right here is where the salesman’s skill, judgment and know- ledge of sizes is called into full play. “The expert-shoe fitter must be trained to base his work upon what the contour of the customer’s foot re- veals to him after a very brief inspec- tion. Next comes his knowledge of stock, of shades in sizes and types of construction. But if the salesman is to succeed in a marked degree he must ~ take a pride in his work. Personally, I never feel that a sale is made and a patron properly fitted until I have brought from the shelves a pair of shoes which exactly conform to tne foot structure, and which, to my cer- tain knowledge, will not afflict the wearer with bunions or corns, or other injuries or irritations of the feet.” Next in importance, says Mr. Bolt, in regard to qualifications of the ideal shoe salesman, comes the knowledge of qualities. He continues: “Another point which is vitally essential in fit- ting and selling shoes is a thorough knowledge of qualities, as well as of types and sizes. Suppose a customer is wavering between two pairs of shoes, one retail.ng at $7, the other at $12. The salesman who knows his wares must be capable of explaining lucidly just exactly why the $12 pair of shoes is pre-erable to the cheaper pair and worth the difference in price—its su- periorities of construction and material —in a convincing manner, which will leave no doubt in the customer’s mind. Selling a customer a pair of shoes is not an end in the Palace store, under the policies enforced by Mr. Bolt, but is regarded simply as a beginning. Mr. Bolt says: “When we have sold a pair of shoes and received payment for same, and have completed a record of purchaser and of sale, we do not con- sider the transaction a closed incident, by any means. With every pair of shoes we give this guarantee, ‘Satis- faction or money refunded.’ And we live up to this guarantee without quib- bling or squealing. “When a customer returns with a pair of shoes purchased here and com- plains that they have failed to give satisfaction in any way, we make our guarantee ‘good immediately and with- out argument. If the shoes have be- come ripped or worn after a few weeks’ wear, we do not attempt to talk the customer into a compromise by offer- ing to have them mended. In cases where a dissatisfied customer is will- ing to exchange these for new shoes, that arrangement is always agreeable to us, and the exchange is effected upon the spot. However, where the patron demands return of his or her money, and would be irritated by an offer of exchange, a check is made out on the spot for the amount purchaser paid for the shoes in question. “And here’s another point to con- sider: We take extra pains, in such instances, to see that the transaction is accompanied by the same courtesy, care and cheerfulness upon our part as in making the original sale to the patron. Naturally, in a few instances we are imposed upon as a result of a fair and generous policy. Yet the soundness of this policy as a whole is constantly demonstrated by the sat- More Wear Famous Black Gun Metal Shoe A favorite of thousands. Extra wear, extra value. Roomy, last stitch. Moderately priced. good-looking sturdily made to the April 2, 1924 isfaction it insures to our thousands o/ loyal and satisfied patrons as well a to ourselves.” According to Mr. Bolt, he feels at al} times that he is selling something more than shoes. Here’s how he explain; his attitude in the matter: ‘While we take the greatest pride in the world in our lines of shoes, which are of the highest qualities to be obtained at any price, nevertheless we feel that we are selling something more durable than shoes. Yes, we are dispensing foot comfort and guaranteeing continuity of satisfaction, accompanied by cour- tesy and efficient service. Perhaps here is one of our business secrets which reveals a reason why, year after year, the total volume of business shows a Satisfactory increase over that of the preceding year.” Discussing another angle of his policies, which have resulted in con- Per Dollar Farmers Prefer Dependable H-B Shoes For 30 years our skilled shoemakers have been satisfying the middle states farmers with Dress and Service Shoes combining good looks with exceptional wearing qualities. A complete line for men and boys, including the H-B Hard Pan that wears like iron. Fairly priced, easy on the feet and pocketbook. ¥ Herold-Bertsch Shoe Co. Grand Rapids, Mich. ROBERT HENKEL, Pres. 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 A. D. BAKER, Sec.-Treas. > r hinnnisinmasll no-—— —— " i - 4 as — > harman < ae April 2, 1924 verting the small department of which he took charge 22 years ago into one of the most successful and exclusive shoe establishments in Kansas City, Mr. Bolt declares that aggressive busi- ness methods have been largely re- sponsible for this business growth, but that these have always been accom- panied by diplomacy and courtesy. “Even during a good business era,” declares Mr. Bolt, “the business man who pushes his lines vigorously is the only one who will reach the goal of success. I use in this store a little slogan, the essence of which I impress continuously upon the sales force. It’s short and snappy—two words: ‘Pro- mote Business.’ “And we make practical use of this slogan in speeding up turnover in this manner. For instance, when we have sold a lady a $12 or $15 pair of shoes we consider that as a mere beginning. “Such patrons are encouraged to establish a ‘shoe box’ containing from four to a dozen pairs of shoes, appro- priate for different occasions, or for use with various types of costumes. And here is where our shoe salesmen must possess a concise and definite knowledge of what is appropriate for wear with various types of dress, or for the different social functions and occasions. “The ‘shoe box’ idea promotes busi- ness for us in the most satisfactory manner imaginable, and opens up avenues for more business as. well. Shoes suggest hosiery, naturally. For every pair of shoes we sell there is a type of hose which is exactly appro- priate and we carry these in stock. This helps promote business and _ it renders a distinct service to our clien- tele. “When we have fitted a patron out with a well-chosen ‘shoe box,’ the next step is to sell her a complete outfit of hosiery to match each pair of shoes purchased. The attitude of salesmen while on duty is a subject of much interest to Mr. Bolt. He says: “Any salesman who goes about. his work with a frown upon his countenance soon loses his place in our shoe department. The prime requisite of a salesman who works under my surveillance is op- timism, combined with an alert inter- est in the task at hand as well as atten- tive courtesy to every patron who comes under his care. Indifference upon the part of our salesmen is not tolerated for a moment, since the aver- age patron will not normally give an order to a clerk who is indifferent to his or her needs, inattentive to sug- gestions, or whose mind is apparently wandering to some other subject than that of shoes or hosiery. “At regular intervals I call the sales force together and discuss these things frankly with them, man to man, and those who have profited by these ideas have become fixtures here, some of them having served the establishment faithfully for years. The others are systematically weeded out. In _ this manner I have built up a competent, trustworthy sales force, capable of translating my ideas, gained by. long experience, into actual accomplish- ment.” _ The juvenile department, established some years ago, is regarded by Mr, MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Bolt as one of the outstanding ac- complishments of his career. This de- partment is entirely separate from the main store, occupying the entire base- ment, and the youngsters are waited upon by sales people who are experts in this particular line of work. “The growth and success of the juvenile shoe department have been remarkable,’ asserts Mr. Bolt. “I feel that in establishing same we have ren- dered a distinct service to our trade, and at the same time have utilized a business-building idea of the first mag- nitude. The youngsters go through a pair of shoes much more rapidly than grown people, hence the’ regular patronage of several hundred children of varying sizes and ages is a real asset to any shoe store. “T like to think of this service as ‘foot insurance,’ rather than as a plain matter of business. To fit properly the feet of growing children with shoes which are both sensible and comfort- able and adapted to the foot conforma- tion of each is a goal well worth striv- ing for; and I am sure that this special service will enable most of them to grow to manhood and womanhood with feet properly developed and free from infirmities caused by wearing im- properly fitted shoes. —_>-~__ Psychological Effect Possible. Since the higher duty on wheat does not become effective for thirty days after the executive order, it is probable that all the Canadian wheat to meet this season’s requirements will be im- ported before the new rate is effective. The duty benefits only the growers of il hard spring wheat in the Northwest. Domestic production of this grade isn’t sufficient to meet the millers’ require- ments for blending purposes, and a portion of our consumption has to be imported from Canada. Evidently whatever benefit the wheat grower in Montana or the Dakotas gets from the wheat will come when he sells his new crop next fall, but if he obtains any benefit from the lower duty on feed this should be noted as soon as the new tariff goes into effect. Mean- while, the higher rates on grain and lower rates on feed may have some useful psychological effect on the de- pressed farmers of the Northwest. That is the most to be expected im- mediately. >< —_____ The big man is tolerant. Reliable Transport During almost every winter there comes to Michigan at least one period in which all inter-city transportation fails, except that fur- nished by the State’s 24 steam Railroads. Such a period followed the snowfall of February 19, 1924. During that period, traffic was suspended on even the most ex- tensively traveled trunk highways. Automobiles, trucks and buses either remained indoors or were deserted and left in the drifts, awaiting aid from the highway authorities. Yet, throughout this entire period, no community in Michigan suffered for food or fuel. For the railroad trains moved, carrying the freight and passengers entrusted to their care. Railroad men fought day and night against the storms, that this service might be provided. The railroads consider it a compliment that Michigan always ex- pects good railroad service, even complaining occasionally, it mid-winter trains vary from fair-weather schedules. The expenses of this service under storm conditions are always excessive—and the state pays no part of the bill as it does for highway snow clearing. Railroad men incur the hardships and railroad capital pays the bill. Will you recall, next July, that the Railroads hauled in your winter food and fuel despite 6 foot snowdrifts which shut off other means of transportation? Courage and railroad earnings did this —not your tax money. Michigan Railroad Association Railway Exchange Bidg., Detroit, Mich. LY (6) 12 WELLE _ —_— MICHIGAN TRADESMAN CU Cd yea top dene When Does an Order Mean Business? Proverbially it is the buyer who is to be warned; the seller is popularly blamed for many of our business ills. Let us slip the boot on the other foot a few moments and see how it fits. Once upon a time—this is a true story, not a fable—a Big Manufacturer called a Chemical Maker on the tele- phone. He wanted to buy a tank-car of a certain acid for immediate deliv- ery, explaining that he must make cer- tain goods quickly, and the chemical was essential. So. the Chemical Maker telephoned his plant manager, nearly a thousand miles away. Half an hour later the plant called back that special arrange- ments had been made with the railway to send a special switching engine and take the tank-car off their siding in or- der that it might get out on a fast, through freight, leaving at eight p. m. It meant working overtime, but they would guarantee this schedule. The Chemical Maker telephoned the Big Manufacturer this good news. “Fine!” he exclaimed. “That’s what I call real service. Ship the car at once.” Then the Chemical Maker quoted him the market price on the acid and asked him to confirm the order. “You'll have our confirmation in the morning mail, and say, I certainly ap- preciate the way you have taken care of us in this matter. I won’t forget it in a hurry. So the Chemical Maker, because he mistrusted any communication slower or less direct, telephoned his plant manager the instructions, and the men went to work, and the tank-car of acid started that night, all according to schedule. In the morning came the confirma- tion, but the mail had not been sorted before the Big Manufacturer called the Chemical Maker on the telephone. “Cancel that tank-car order,” he said. He did not enquire if the car had been shipped. He did not ask whether the shipment might not be diverted. He did not request delivery be post- phoned. He simply and baldly ordered the cancellation of his own order be- cause a broker had located an odd lot of this same acid and could supply it with a saving of less than two cents a hundredweight in freight charges. When the Chemical Maker refused to accept cancellation, this Big Manu- facturer talked about “high handed and declared in vivid lan- guage that in the future his orders would go elsewhere. Caveat emptor! vendor. It is not even a state secret that we have a cancellation evil. Nor can we blink the fact that it grows more and more serious. hat Big Manufacturer quite honestly believed that he was well within his rights in cancelling his order. .His indignation was. sincere. He was stone blind to the fact that his word is just about as good as a bond secured by a pail of dish-water; yet in his personal dealings he is a scrupulous and upright man, a highly respected citizen, a churchman, a bank director, the active head of a large, established business. His glaring in- consistency would be a good joke were it not serious. And it is indeed a serious matter when men of this type hold business obligation so lightly. Already cancellation is beginning to be looked upon in many industries as an old established and legitimate trade custom. Although this cancelling habit has become widely prevalent only since the war, when the Govern- ment itself set business men a bad ex- ample, nevertheless it was more firmly fixed upon us during the deflation years of 1920-21. It has spread far and quickly, and like most bad habits, it is extending its bad influence. For cancellation has brought in its train other questionable and costly practices. Its baneful in- fluences have reached out until they touch the ultimate consumer at one end of our economic system and the producer of raw materials at the other. Every step in the production of goods, every step in their delivery into the hands of the user, is being made diffi- cult and expensive because along the whole line of distribution, at any stage, treatment - Rather, Caveat gocds may be thrown back. Ask any retail storekeeper what he knows about “returned goods.” His | purchase. PRIVATE WIRES to all MARKETS | Chins | LOCAL AND UNLISTED Bonds and Stocks Holders of these classes of securities will find in our Trading Department an active market for their sale or CORRIGAN. HILLIKER & CORRIGAN Investment Bankers and Brokers GROUND FLOOR MICHIGAN TRUST BLDG Bell Main GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 4900 ADVERSITY is liable to come to any man sometime during his life. He is wise who prepares for it by laying aside a part of his accu- mulations of prosperous times, where it cannot disappear or decrease. We have a very competent organization enabling us to buy securities for trusts at advantageous prices and to render good service as Trustee under various forms of so-called “Living Trusts”. The head of a family, or any member may place with us funds of any amount, under very ad- vantageous terms, the income and finally the principal to be paid to such persons or objects, at such times, as may be di- rected, — or to be accumulated. Our officers will gladly give full infor- mation on this valuable feature of our service. THE Micuican [RUST COMPANY Organized in 1889 CORNER PEARL AND OTTAWA GRAND RAPIDS April 2, 13 YOU CANNOT LENGTHEN THE HOURS OF A DAY. ANY men and women are so busy that M they have no time to give to the proper care of their own investments. Days slip by. Bonds are called. Coupons come due. Records become out of date. You cannot lengthen the hours of the day, so that you can care for such details yourself. But you can delegate these duties to this insti- tution. In our Safe Keeping Department we would look after your property, including the prep- aration of tax returns, making a complete re- port to you, periodically. That's part of our day's work. [RAND RaPios [RUST [‘OMPANY GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Voy 5 an I acorn OT AA ma ser 5 ee — a April 2, 1924 answer will not bear printing. At the Suggestion of the dry goods trade as- Sociations this problem was almost the first to receive the attentions of the Bureau of Domestic Commerce, re- cently organized by Mr. Hoover. They have collected an appalling mass of facts and figures, published in a most illuminating report which comes to the conclusion that Mr. and Mrs. Ultimate Consumer, and all the little Consum- ers, too, do not now even take the trouble to have goods sent home “on approval.” They make purchases and then send them back for any or no particular reason. Let the seller be- ware! Ask a wholesale distributor, and he will tell you that he puts goods on the retailer’s shelf without assurance that they will not come back to his stock- room. If the retailer overstocks, if seasons and styles change, if goods are shop-worn, just send them back to the jober and get credit for them. Real bargain sales to reduce overstocks, or to make room for new goods, or to move old stocks are going out. of fashion. Send the goods back to the jobber and get credit for them. Let the seller beware! Ask some manufacturer, and he com- plains that jobbers deal in wholesale quantities, collecting a carload and re- turning it, freight charges collect. Dur- ing 1921, twenty-seven such carloads were received from wholesale drug- gists by a single manufacturer of phar- maceutical preparations. More than 60 per cent. of these goods had been bought and paid for, and 40 per cent. of them had to be rebottled, recorked, or relabeled before they could be put back into stock. In freight charges, in labor, in packing materials, in restock- ing his wares at a time when all his raw materials and manufacturing costs were lowering rapidly, the cost of these twenty-seven cars was estimated to be something over a quarter of a million dollars. Let the seller beware! Ask some producer of raw materials and you will learn that cloth for cloth- ing, steel for tools, cement for build- ings, alkali for glass, leather for shoes, rosin for paper, acids for fertilizers, and scores of similar products all are bought on contracts that are cancell- able at the option of the buyer. Furthermore, these industrial buyers, face to face with the battle of compe- tition and the threat of returned goods, are demanding that these same con- tracts, which they reserve the right to cancel, shall carry with them a clause protecting the buyer. against any and all declines in price. A contract that protects the buyer against declines and gives no similar protection to the seller against ad- vances is hardly quid pro quo. It is hardly, in the terms of the law, a meet- ing of minds to mutual, equal advan- tage.” In fact, it is no contract at all, merely an option to buy a certain quantity of goods at a price no higher than set forth, an option, furthermore, that the buyer considers may be de- layed or even refused. Let the seller beware! These basic raw materials, the metals, chemicals, fuels, fabrics, gums and pigments, lumber and hides, and what not, which are bought in large quantities on contract for use in all MICHIGAN TRADESMAN industries, are the very foundations of our economic structure. Cancellation is driving wedges into these foundations that weaken serious- ly the stability of all American busi- ness. Much of this stability rests di- rectly upon those contracts for future ‘delivery, since they are the basis upon which our industries make their pro- grams of production, buying their raw materials and their power, engaging their labor, building and equipping their plants, financing all their future operations, based upon the future delivery of the goods they make. If the contracts upon which all these plans are laid are worthless, if goods sold and delivered are thrown back, we are turning fundamental business op- erations into a gamble. At a point one step further along the line of distribution, when retailers and jobbers, during the down sweep of the business cycle, lightly toss off their inventory charges by returning goods to the manufacturers, they are doubling the costs of production and trebling the costs of distribution. They are not only piling up heavy fixed charges against the stocks in the hands of the makers of those same goods, but they are also forcing back- wards the flow of goods to the ulti- mate consumer. Everyone knows who pays every bill for all economic mis- takes and all economic wastes. Throughout all business, cancella- tion is inducing careless buying. If goods sold and delivered do not stay sold, there is not much use in good Selling or good buying. If goods need not be kept and paid for, it is a foolish waste of time and money to buy wise- ly. Even if it be still true that “well bought is half sold,” nevertheless there can be little incentive to buy well so long as unsold means returnable. Both the selling and the purchasing func- tions of business pay toll to cancella- - ae: E : rT RESP Ay ~ ‘ ©) YF yp NB y i SA ESTABLISHED 1853 Through our Bond De- partment we offer only - such bonds as are suitable for the funds of this bank. Buy Safe Bonds from The Old National dlddhbddddddddidddddddddddddddedeecniccciiii” AMAA bshbh hiss hhihhhdibidhddddlidhdslssdlddddldddsidddsbdsddsleciLtnjunnnuuununnnnznnunnnnnqnnnnncOAOHAAAAAcXL, Ahh ssssiddddh KL dd ddddddncdcctaececcEZEZ CMisdsdd9ddssdiidsddidididdddiddidddlidtiiicu "77 tion in the lowering esteem of the pur- chasing agent and the growing criti- cism of salesmen. But most fundamental and import- ant of all the bad effects of cancella- tion is its tendency to increase the up and down swings of the business cycle. From the point of view of the profes- 13 sional economist, the question of these alternate periods of prosperity and de- Pression is, “Why does consumption fail to keep pace with increased powers of production?” Or, conversely, “Why do the powers of production increase faster than the rate of consumption?” From the point of view of the ac- ' a? gyn! at s a8 as* ® aes ol tt ates ecentees cosecensccncgnsenessee®® ~~ The Is Always Out Wm. Alden Smith, Chairman of the Board Chas. Committee. Gilbert L. Daane, President Arthur M. Godwin, Vice-President Earle D. Albertson, Earl C. Johnson, Vice-President O. B. Davenport, Asst. Cashier H. J. Proctor, Asst. Cashier H. Fred Oltman, Asst. Cashler Dana B. Shedd, Asst. to President Noyes L. Avery Joseph H. Brewer Gilbert L. Daane Charles W. Garfield William H. Gilbert Arthur M. Godwin Chas. M. Heald J. Hampton Hoult John Hekman 54,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS siete ————— ‘ =o FS DPAPIDS SAVINGS BANK c Welcome Sign OFFICERS W. Garfield, Chairman Executive Vice-Pres. & Cashier DIRECTORS Chas. J. Kindel Frank E. Leonard John B. Martin Geo. A. Rumsey William Alden Smith Tom Thoits ’ A. H. Vandenverg Geo. G. Whitworth Fred A. Wurzburg RESOURCES OVER $18,000,000 Couey THE BANK WHERE YOU FEEL AT HOME Grand Rapids National Bank The convenient bank for out of town people. center of the city. Handy to the street cars—the interurbans—the hotels—the shopping district. On account of our location—our large transit facilities—our safe deposit vaults and our complete service covering the entire field of bank- ing, our institution must be the ultimate choice of out of town bankers and individuals. Combined Capital, Surplus and Undivided Profits over $1,450,000 GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL BANK GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Located at the very Fenton Davis & Boyle BONDS EXCLUSIVELY Grand Rapids National Bank Building Chicago GRAND RAPIDS Detroit First National Bank Bldg. Telephones | Gitizens 4212 = Congress Building. THE CITY NATIONAL BANK — a . Our Collection and Bill of Lading Service is satisfactory Capital, Surplus and Undivided Profits over $750,000 _ | “OLDEST BANK: IN LANSING” - < 4 ‘S Be lle i i it | Yih 14 tual producer of goods, our manufac- turers, business activities are adjusted, as carefully as they are able, to the demand for the goods they produce. While, plainly, it does not initiate a period of rising prices, nevertheless, the careless buying prompted by can- cellation quickly becomes speculative buying when goods become scarce. It may be honestly inspired by a natural desire to keep stocks balanced with a demand which is obviously increas- ing; but its inevitable result is a great overstimulation of production. Willy-nilly such buying creates a fictitious demand, a demand that never existed for actual consumption, and if anyone doubts the effectiveness of such a mythical factor in practical business, he should consult the Steel Institute, which estimates that for every three tons of unfilled steel orders on hand in July, 1920, one ton represented pyra- mided orders for which there existed no actual demand. This amounted to fictitious orders for some 3,735,000 tons, which at the average composite price of that date represented some two hundred million dollars. During that same year the rubber industry of Akron cancelled orders for chemicals totalling over $2,000,000 and dumped into the market, through brokers, chemicals worth another mil- lion. Based on normal consumption, practically half of these sums must have represented purchases beyond the actual manufacturing needs. How much all the buying ‘orgy of 1919-20 was tinged with speculation no man can know; but surely in the case of the basic industries many tons of materials at many millions of dollars were “sold” to supply a non-existent demand. Since all signs point to a period of many years’ duration during which all price levels will gradually be lowered, these are serious considera- tions, for no group in the country, ex- cept speculators, profits by booms and panics. This whole cancellation problem is a moral evil. Its prevention should be- gin in the Sunday School, its cure in the court. But American business does not go to Sunday School. Like our Big Manu- facturer, many an honest business man has been blinded to the injustice and dishonesty of cancellation. Recently I sat in conference for two MICHIGAN TRADESMAN hours on this evil with an industrial executive whose own company had but that same day ordered their advertis- ing contracts “suspended at once until further notice from us.” Under just such a double standard of business morality, a corporation’s purchasing department will be demanding protec- tion against decline while its salesmen are instructed to eliminate that same clause from their orders. Business expediency and competitive necessity are hard drivers, and to live up to obligations which other firms disregard is often to inflict financial self-punishment; but, even under such stress, it is plain that what a firm gains by cancelling and returning is more than offset by the cancellations and re- turns of its own sales. Because of this new double standard of buying and selling, recourse to the courts is a practical absurdity. Gener- ally speaking, our industries are over- produced and our trades are over- populated. The forced competition re- sulting makes it impossible to take any buyer into court and force him, accord- ing to the just and straightforward law of sales, to accept, pay for, and keep the goods which he has ordered. All of which, parenthetically, is a pretty example of a fact which we all often forget, that the laws of economics have a greater and more direct bearing upon practical business activities than do the laws of the land. Very obviously, cancellation can only be stopped by stricter conditions of sale. Therefore, let the seller be- ware! This is made difficult because cancellation has spread widely through- out all branches of business, so that all kinds of industries and all classes of trades are involved in the sticky net. On the other hand, it can be solved the more easily for that same reason. We are all at once buyers and sellers. Accordingly, we can slip the buyer’s shoe onto our seller’s foot. It is rather surprising to find how tightly it pinches our own toes. William Haynes. ——_2-~>____ Now We Know. Spud—Why do old maids church early? Slim—I dunno. Spud—Because they want to be pres- ent when the hymns (hims) are given out. go to New York Howe, Snow & Bertles (INCORPORATED) Investment Securities GRAND RAPIDS Chicago Detroit April 2, 1924 Fourth National Ban United States Depositary 3% 34% interest paid semi-annually. Wm. H. Lavant Z. Caukin, on Savings GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Capital $300,000 Surplus $300,000 Deposits, interest paid on Certificates of Deposit if left one year. OFFICERS Anderson, President; Vice-President; J. Clinton Bishop, Cashier; Alva T. Edison, Ass’t Cashier; Harry C. Lundberg, Wr. a. DIRECTORS Anderson Christian Bertsch David H. Brown Marshall M. Uhl J. Clinton Bishop James L. Lavant Z. Caukin Sidney F. Stevens Robert D. Graham Samuel G. Braudy Samuel D. Young Hamilton payable Ass’t Cashier. FINNISH MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. CALUMET, MICHIGAN ORGANIZED IN 1889. inmeonee io teers $6,064,185.00 SCE a 259,540.17 Assetts per $1,000 in force 2622 44.11 Premium income — 0 107,866.97 SOUUGO 197,322.28 Sitpias per BL008 in force .... 30.89 DIVIDEND FOR 1924. 50% The only company in Michigan returning 50% Dividends on all Mer- cantile, Dwelling and Church Risks. F. A. Romberg, Manager, Finnish Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Calumet, Michigan. For further particulars write Class Mutual Insurance Agency General Agents Fremont, Michigan. Michigan Shoe Dealers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Lansing, Michigan PAYING 307% DIVIDENDS Write L. H. BAKER, Secy-Treas. P. O. Box 549 LANSING, MICH. Preferred Lists of Safe Investments FOR the guidance of clients this organizatien maintains constantly revised lists of bonds of all types that offer unquestionable security plus attractive yield. Lists Supplied Upon Application Telephones: Bell Main 4678. Citizens 4678. HOPKINS, GHYSELS & CO. Investment Bankers and Brokers Michigan Trust Bldg., Ground Floor, Grand Rapids Nachtegall Manufacturing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan 237-245 Front Avenue, S. W. STORE BANK § oFFICE FIXTURES and FURNITURE «? Ls Ae _ i | April 2, 1924 Time of Intent Is Not Vital. We have received a report of an interesting decision by the courts of Massachusetts from F. R. Morgaridge of the Committee of Incendiarism and Arson of the National Board of Fire Urrederwriters. A man by the name of Cali was convicted in September, 1922, of burning a dwelling owned by his wife with intent to defraud the insurer. The evidence showed that the assured was present, and that he had the means and opportunity to have set this fire. Firemen found candles in the house and other evidences tending to establish corpus delicti. There was no direct evidence that Cali purchased any of the candles, nor was there any direct evidence that he had prepared the plant and set the fire. At the con- clusion of the trial the judge gave the following instruction to the jury: “Tf a man does start an accidental fire, what is his conduct in respect to it? A question might arise, as if, after the fire had started accidentally, and he then has it within his power and’ ability to extinguish it, and he then forms in his mind an intent to injure and defraud an insurance company, he can be found guilty of burning to de- fraud. It is not necessary that the in- tent be formed before the fire is started.” The defendant’s attorney objected to this instruction, was overruled, and took exception. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court. At the Novem- ber term a rescript was handed down by the full bench of the Supreme Ju- dicial Court overruling the exceptions taken by defendant’s counsel and af- firming the conviction. This is quite an interesting and im- portant decision, in that it holds that a man may be guilty of burning with in- tent to defraud even though the in- tent is formed after the fire is set, or even after it has been accidentally started. ——_+-+-4 Seven Billion Barrels. Some time in the fall of this year the United States will have produced 7,000,000,000 ‘barrels of crude petro- leum. It took 41 years and 4 months to produce the first 1,000,000,000 bar- rels, but about 1 year and 7 months will be consumed in the production of the seventh billion. Beginning with August 27, 1859, and up to Dec. 31, 1900, only 1,003,600,000 barrels of crude oil had been produced in the United States. Now that we are well on the way to our seventh billion barrels it seems almost incred- ible, at first thought, that in less than twenty-three years we will have pro- duced six times as much oil as we did the previous forty-one years. It took nineteen years for the regis- tration of cars and trucks to reach l,- 000,000. In the twenty-eighth year alone three times that many will be manufactured. The question may naturally arise as to how such a relatively small per- centage of gain in crude oil produc- tion could care for the tremendously increased percentage of automobiles and trucks consuming gasoline, and the answer is in refining and auto- motive effeciency. ———_. + Cheerfulness may sometimes be dif- ficult, but it always pays dividends. MICHIGAN TRADESMAN “Trading Down” Hurt to Business. Consistent “trading down,’ which has marked the activities of the hosiery department of many retail stores throughout the country during the past year, has done serious harm to the trade. This assertion is made by an executive of one of the largest con- cerns in the country. “Trading down” is the result, he says, of overproduc- tion of merchandise of indifferent quality, which has been selling for some time at almost anything the manufacturers who turned it out could get for it. The low prices are then passed on to the consumer by the retailer with the result that, although she probably obtained stockings worth all she paid for them got her so used to paying low prices that she insists even on getting the better quality goods at low figures. This has given the retailers a real problem to solve, and on their success or failure hangs to a considerable extent the future of the industry. ——_>+>—____ Case of Mistaken Idenity. A pretty young woman stepped into a music shop in the city the other day. She tripped up to the counter where a new clerk was assorting music and in her sweetest tones asked: “Have you ‘Kissed Me in the Moonlight’?” The clerk turned, looked, and said: “It must have been the man at the other counter; I have only been here a week.” ——_>->—__ That Stopped Him. A gentleman riding with an old Irishman came in sight of an old gal- lows, and to display his wit said: “Pat do you see that?” “To be sure I do,” replied Pat. “And where would you be to-day if the gallows had its due?” “T’d be riding alone,” replied Pat. We are in the market to purchase an entire issue of public utility, industrial or real estate first mort- gage bonds. A.E. Kusterer & Go. Investment Bankers, Brokers MICHIGAN TRUST BLDG. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Phones Citz. 4267, Bell, Main 2435 15 SAFETY SAVING SERVICE CLASS MUTUAL INSURANCE AGENCY “The Agency of Personal Service”’ C. N. BRISTOL, A. T. MONSON, H. G. BUNDY. FREMONT, MICHIGAN REPRESENTING Central Manufacturers’ Mutual Ohio Underwriters Mutual Retail Hardware Mutual Hardware Dealers Mutual Minnesota Implement Mutual Ohio Hardware Mutual National Implement Mutual The Finnish Mutual Hardware Mutual Casualty Co. We classify our risks and pay dividends according ¢o the Loss Ratio of each class written: Hardware and Implement Stores, 40% to 50%; Garages, Furniture and Drug Stores 40%; General Stores and other Mercantile Risks 30%. WRITE FOR FURTHER PARTICULARS. OUR FIRE INS. POLICIES ARE CONCURRENT with any standard stock policies that you are buying. The Net Cost is 30% Less Michigan Bankers and Merchants Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Fremont, Mich. WM. N. SENF, Secretary-Treas. Merchants Life Insurance Company RANSOM E. OLDS WILLIAM A. WATTS © Chairman of Board President Offices: 4th floor Michigan Trust Bldg.—Grand Rapids, Mich. GREEN & MORRISON—Michigan State Agents 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. 319-20 Houseman Bldg. Grand Rapids, Mich. 16 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN April 2, 1924 Some of the Interesting Features of Kobe. Shanghai, China, March 3—We had 11% days in Japan, six days overland by. na and the remainder of the time in Tokio and Kobe. Kobe harbor is from the open sea and not land locked, as is Yokohama, but they have enough big docks at Kobe for most of the ships to un- load on dock, while Yokohama has only one small dock and that reserved for passenger boats. Kobe is hoping to retain the shipping gained by the ruin of her sister city, although a day further by boat from the United States. We visited the Kobe College, a Congregational school for girls started in 1873, and were shown through by one of the teachers. They have 600 pupils from the sixth grade up, 150 of them resident students. The remain- der are day students from Kobe. They charge tuition. The grounds on the hillside cover probably ten acres and have some eight buildings. They live as the Japanese do, no beds except a mat on the floor, and use chop sticks. The main diet is rice. Asked if they were teaching religion, the reply was indirectly, “They read and study the Bible.” Asked if the parents of the day pupils objected to the teaching of our Bible, they replied, “Those who object do not send their children.” We also visited the Young Women’s Christian Association, which has been running about four years. They have a three-story wooden building, built several years ago. It is rented. They have about sixty Japanese girls who come for lessons in domestic science. One of the Japanese assistants to the American Secretary was a graduate of Kobe College, of which she was quite proud. At a market they had good looking beef at 60 cents per pound; rice, cook- ies like our Uneeda biscuits, for 30c per pound; apples, 7c each; oranges, 4c each for the best ones; eggs, 50c per dozen. As Americans we have been greatly pleased to see how many American lines there are running over here. The oldest line, the Pacific Mail, of San Francisco, operated for the U. S. Shipping Board, five passenger steam- ers, President Lincoln, Pierce, Cleve- land, Taft and Wilson, all of 21, 000 tons and 17/4 knots per hour, running from San Francisco to Honolulu, Japan, China and Manila. The Ad- miral Line, of Seattle, also operated for the U. S. Shipping Board, with five steamers, President Jackson, Jef- ferson, Madison, Grant and McKinley, from Seattle to Victoria, Japan, China, and Manila, sail about every twelve days, making the trip to Yokohama in thirteen days. The Dollar Steam- ship Line, owned and operated by the Robert Dollar Co., with seven pas- senger and freight steamers, the Pres- ident Van _ Buren, Monroe, Polk, Adams, Hayes, Harrison and Garfield, running around the world with a steamer every fourteen days, making all the ports. For instance, the Pres- ident Adams leaves New York, Feb. 7; Havana, Feb. 11; Colon and Bal- boa, Feb. 15; Los Angeles, Feb. 25; San Francisco, Feb. 28; Honolulu, March 8; Kobe, March 21; Shanghai, March 25; Hong Kong, March 31; Manila, April 3; Singapore, April 9; Penang, April 13; Colombo, April 17; Suez, April 29; Alexandria, April 30; Naples, May 4; Genoa, May 5; Mar- seilles, May 7; Boston, May 19; New York, May 22. If they once get "estab- lished this should be a popular line. One of the steamers was in Kobe when we were there and we went through it. It is finely equipped and furnished as clean and bright as a new silver dollar. | The Robert Dollar Co. ought to in- terest Michigan people particularly, because Mr. Dollar was for many vears a resident of Michigan, having founded the town of Dollarville in the Upper Peninsula. He came to Mich- igan from Canada, where he had al- ready achieved some measure of suc- cess as a lumberman. After making a nice clean up in the Upper Peninsula he removed to the Coast, locating in Sonoma county, Calif., where he bought the largest tract of redwood remaining in that county. In 1893 he started a large sawmill at Usal, Men- dacina county. He soon found it very difficult to obtain vessels to carry his lumber to the Orient, so he had sev- eral vessels built to enable him to keep a fleet on the Pacific. He continued to add to his equipment until now his company owns over fifty sea going ships. Just before the war he had a vessel built in Glasgow at a cost of $350,000. The Michigan Trust Com- pany loaned him $200,000 on the ves- sel, selling bonds representing the loan. He paid the bonds off within two years, the boat earning $300,000 in addition thereto in the meantime. On the breaking out of the war he sold the vessel to the English Gov- ernment for $1,500,000. Mr. Dollar maintains enormous warehouses and yards at Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tient- sin, Hankow, Kobe, Petrograd, Manila, Vancouver, Seattle and New York. We were surprised to find some good English papers. The Japan Adver- tiser, of Tokio, is splendidly edited and is quite newsy. Financially, Ja- pan, judging by her newspapers, is quite gloomy. Silk is not selling well and cotton goods are selling on close margins. The supplies of iron, ce- ment, lumber and other material for rebuilding Yokohama and Tokio are. so great that the imports far exceed their exports and that is bad for any country, financially. This has been at tts height this month, owing to an increase in their tariff law next month and probably by Fall their exports will catch up to their imports. Our geography maps are so small they do not give the innumerable small islands of Japan. The main island is Nippon, on which all of the large towns of Japan are located. The Sea of Japan is between this and the main land of Korea and Manchuria. The Inland Sea is between the Island of Nippon and the two next large Islands, Sikok and Klusin, and ex- tends from Kobe at the North to the Korean Channel, some 300 miles long and ten to twenty miles wide, with smaller islands dotting the sea, the ship turning this way and that to dodge them. These little islands have on them small fishing towns nestled in the covers and the sea is covered with thousands of fishing boats from Shimonoski, on the South end of Nip- pon, reached by rail from Kobe. It is a night’s run by steamer to Tusan, the port for Korea, arriving at Seoul, the capital, by dinner time. About 100 of our passengers made this trip, going on to Pekin and will catch the boat again at Shanghai. We decided not to do this. owing to the unsettled condition of China. Shanghai is 768 miles from Kobe, a two day run by this ship. It is a wonderfully busy city, with fine build- ings and the Astor House, comparing favorably with the big New York ho- tels. With it as headquarters for the 600 Clark party it was like a beehive. The ship came up the Yangtze River, its yellow waters making a path out into the ocean for ten miles, then up the Wusung. We anchored fifteen miles down the river and were taken up in a river steamer, 300 at each trip, then a motor ride around the city and lunch at the Astor Hotel. Some of the passengers went back to the steam- er at 5 o’clock and some stayed over night at the hotel, so as to have an- other day for shopping. We drove out of the city about five miles. All truck gardens filled with mounds of Chinese graves every ten or twenty feet which look like beehives from five to ten feet high. They plant around these graves, but do not dis- turb them. C. C. Follmer. —_—oe+. Get your happiness out of your work, or you will never know what real happiness is. —_~++>—___ A good temper should be well kept. A bad one—ditto. The Passing of the Hero of Verdun. Grandville, April 1—There lies dead in France one of the world war heroes. Equally with General Grant’s. pro- nouncement that he would “fight it out on this line if it takes all summer” is General Nivelle’s saying at Verdun, “They shall not pass.” He erected a barrier at Verdun. that was stronger than the whole imperial German army, with its gas and can- non. All the world was held amazed at the sudden strengthening of the French lines, the determined pro- nouncement that here on this line the French army staked its all for. the honor of France. When the war first opened there, seemed no possible chance for the Frenchmen to save Paris from the despoiler, and it may well be ques- tioned if the war would not have _ had a different termination had not Albert of Belgium been the man that he was and refused passing for the German beasts through the small. buffer na- tion. The Belgians had nothing to lose, everything to gain by suffering the Kaiser to pass his legions through their country and invade France; and yet, because he was an honorable man and believed in keeping his plighted word, King Albert blocked the Ger- man advance for days and : weeks, much to the surprise and admiration of the outside world. All this gave the French an oppor- tunity to strengthen their lines, to erect barriers to the advance of the Germans, and at Verdun to finally call a halt to the moving mass of goose- stepping brutes from the North. Verdun and Nivelle are names in- dissolubly linked in the minds of men, and the name of the gallant Frenchman who stood with his army between the capital of his country and the foe like a rock of granite will go down in story as one of the bravest in all history. It was feared that France would fall an easy prey to the rapacious Hun, and sympathizing America clos- ed its eyes to shut out of sight of ravaged homes and the downfall of the gay French metropolis. To the astonishment of the world that catastrophe did not come about. When the legions of France fell back to the Marne, and at Verdun bade de- fiance to the incarnate fiends of Kaiser Wilhelm, the neutral nations sat en- thralled as General Nivelle declared, “They shall not pass.” It was the last stand of a gallant band of heroes and it proved effectual. The world was thrilled at the sight, and when the French hero of that time passed on a few days ago a re- gretful sorrow filled all hearts, Ni- velle’s stand at Verdun saved France from becoming a German province and too much honor cannot be _ heaped upon the memory of that man known as the hero of Verdun. In the days that tried men’s souls as never before, this clarion voice of defiance thrilled men until they resolv- ed to do and die rather than retreat another inch before the Hun invader. How much can be performed by a single brave man at a time like that! Napoleon at Arcola, Thomas at Chickamauga, Nivelle at Verdun! And the Germans did not pass. The turning point had come. When the Allies stood with their backs to the wall and served notice that from that time on it was to be victory or death, a change came over the spirit of Ger- man dreams. A _ conquered world, lying low at the feet of the insolent Hun, faded as a dream of the’ night, and stark defeat seemed to. stare: the invaders in the face. All honor to Nivelle and such: men as he who braved death rather than acknowledge defeat. Nivelle was a skillful and able gen- eral. In fact, his name will go down with that of Joffre, glowing brighter with the passage of time. It is such men who sanctify war and make its horrors less revolting. As General Sherman remarked, “war 1923. reached 282. is hell,” and yet war must needs come because of the wickedness of the hu- man heart. It was not America’s wish to.enter the kaiser’s war; far from it. In fact, so much did America hate war she held' off for months, at least a year, before taking the step. which could. not be avoided with any sense of honor. Franée, too, as well as Belgium and England, could not ‘keep out of the war. - It was’ forced upon -these na- tions by.a cruel and ambitious enemy. To-day, while thousands: pass the bier of the dead General Nivelle and drop a tear for his memory, preparations in 4 quiet way are making in Germany fos: the starting of another war which may, reach to the remotest boundaries of the earth. . Such a fact is a sad commentary on our civilization and is a discouraging outlook for Christian humanitarians of all denominations. The pillage and ruck of war is in no sense Christian, and yet it is use- less to declare that never again will the Christian ministry support a state of hostilities. where men kill each other with. the rabid. viciousness of savage ‘beasts. All honor to the General Nivelles who fought to the death when war rocked the country, yet were ready to lay. down their arms when an honor- able peace was to be obtained. From the life of such a man a les- son may be learned—the lesson that a duty well done is worth more than all the theories. about war ever uttered in the world. When war, so often in- evitable, does come there must be men who dare fight it out that good may come as an aftermath. -Old Timer. —__+~+<-—___ Detroit’s Arson Squad. The arson squad of the Detroit Police Department, headed by detec- tives Howard L. Seiler and George W. Smith, did very effective work in that city during 1923. Thirty incendiary fires were thoroughly investigated, as compared with fifty-nine in 1922. This shows a decrease in the number of in- cendiary fires in Detroit of nearly 50 per cent. in 1923. The direct fire loss due to these incendiary fires was $210,- 316 in 1923, a decrease of nearly $90,000 or 29.9 per cent. as compared to 1922 The Arson Squad of the Detroit Police Department responds to all fires be- tween 8 p. m. and 8 a. m. other than first alarm fires, without waiting for report as to Grigin. In addition to such fires the detectives responded to twenty-eight fires, while off duty, which were reported as being of a suspicious origin by the Battalion Chief in charge of the fire. Seventeen of the incendiary fires were set inside the property and thirteen outside. The total. number of. fires investigated in Eighteen arrests were made, five convictions were ob- tained and three suspected parties are fugitives as a result of the Squad’s work. +++ Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticel- lo, has not yet come into the hands of the American people, where its title rightfully belongs, but the work of collecting funds for its purchase is nearing its close. It should not be hard to raise the as yet unsubscribed Part of the $1,000,000 fund. Monticello should become a National shrine equal in importance to Mount Vernon, for Jefferson played a part in the founding of the Republic little if any less vital than that of Washington himself, The neglect of his memory that has allowed his old home to remain in private hands for:so.long shouldbe remedied as speedily as possible. ww April 2, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 17 National Exposition KNIT UNDERWEAR INDUSTRY Begins April 7, 1924. Every retailer selling men’s or boys’ knit underwear should feature ZEPHERIZED knit underwear in the following models: KNITGARD, KNIT - ATHLETIC and SEMILETIC Every retailer selling women’s, chil- dren’s or infants’ knit siidecwens should feature ZEPHERIZED knit underwear in the desirable models and shades. Appropriate display material will be sent you on request. Suitable cuts for your own newspaper announcements free on request. Address inquiries to Byron G. Moon, Advertising Director 65 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. “SSociarep — a ies ate nit Und r Man ee meer ene ent of theo eteutat ia a Under rwe nthe Tn ited Stat MANUFA RWEAR i MENOe RERs MICHIGAN TRADESMAN April 2, 1924 18 f e = eb = . = ¥ Y (2: =? DRY GOODS, =: :: Ae = = . = N oe ee 9 : me re = i = * ? . FANCYGOODS +> NOTIONS: | fe eee = = = = = = = ) ( sy Q —/f /\ pam = =, : \ — ¢ Se SS SSS 8m SS OYke: x Michigan Retail Dry Goods Association. President—J. C. Toeller, Battle Creek. First Vice-President—F. E. Mills, Lan- sing. Second Vice-President—W. O. Kalamazoo. Secretary-Treasurer—Fred Cutler, Ionia. Manager—Jason E. Hammond, Lansing. Jones, Textiles and Other Things. There is still much speculation w:th regard to the unsatisfactory conditions in some lines of cotton textiles. A change in the nature of consumer de- mand is sometimes cited as the main cause; others say that it is resistance to high prices, and still others main- tain that it is not so much the high prices of cotton goods but the high prices of other things, like rent and food, which are forcing a curtailment of the use of cotton goods. The con- sumer cannot avoid paying rent and buying food, and so he buys less tex- tiles. The higher income and living stan- dards of these days have undoubtedly increased the consumption of silk at the expense of certain grades of cot- ton goods. A stroll along city streets will show at once how far cotton hos- iery has been replaced by silk and woolen. Moreover, cotton at present prices is not so very much cheaper than silk for certain kinds of apparel, and the slackened demand for cotton may not be so much a case of con- sumer resistance as of consumer pref- erence. The automobile also gets its share of the blame. Many consumers, it is stated, have to economize to own a car, and what used to go for tex- tiles goes now for gasoline and spare tires. When to the cost of keeping a car js added the high rent for the dwelling, the need for economizing in other directions becomes still more evident. Perhaps part of the explana- tion for the present situation in tex- tiles is to be found in each of these assigned reasons. ———o-> 2 Colored Dress Linens Slowing Up? Although reports are current in the textile trades that a slowing up in the demand for colored dress linens has come about, sellers of the goods are apparently continuing to do a nice business in them. Not for years, if ever before, has a larger volume of this merchandise been sold than has been the case this season, and in a number of the popular pastel colorings the amount of business done has been bounded only by the inability of the manufacturers and importers to make the required deliveries. The sale of colored linen dresses by the cutters-up was said yesterday to be marking time for the moment, after a good start, but there is apparently no fault to be found with the movement of the goods by the yard over the retail counters. Ma Jong Colors in Millinery. Mah Jong has finally invaded the millinery field, with the result that the bright hues which in older days were referred to as the blazer colors now masquerade under the dozen and one odd names that the Chinese game has implanted in this country. Contrary to appearances, in view of the numer- ous high shades seen in the market here, black is extremely strong at the moment. Alone, with white or with a touch of lacquer red or Chinese yel- low, it is the top of the mode in tailor- ed hats, but in the sports field the colors with Far Eastern designations have the call. The various blues and almond green seem particularly well entrenched for the latter part of the season. —_>--2>____ Black Hose on the Way Back? Although the call for women’s color- ed silk hosiery is expected to continue strong for some time, possibly until well into the Summer, the assertion is made by a sales executive of one of the biggest manufacturers in the business that a definite swing back to staple shades, especially black, has set in. So far it has manifested itself mostly in the business that has come in from outlying parts of the country, but the indications were said to be that it will gradually extend toward the Eastern markets. For Summer wear the same executive predicted a marked call for the better grades of white hose, es- pecially with colored clocking. By keeping in constant touch with the leading style centers we are able to meet our cus- tomers every need. Our importations and selections of domestic flowers, novelties, etc. are always of a high stan- dard of quality and workman- ship. No matter where you go you will find that our Criterion dress and semi-dress hats, also our Wolverine tailored hats are well known. When you think of Millinery think of CORL-KNOTT COMPANY Manufacturers & Wholesalers Grand Rapids, Mich. The House where quality rules. Variety in Children’s Clothing. Greater variety is being offered to buyers of children’s clothing this sea- son by manufacturers than ever be- fore. In addition to the many strictly party frocks made up of the fancier silks, organdies and voiles, there are a number of other dresses that may be used for every day wear as well. In some of the more elaborate garments described in a bulletin from the United Children’s and Infant’s Wear League of America are seen the rather un- usual combinations of gayly colored Oriental silks with such fabrics as checked ginghams and organdies. The bloomer dress is in high vogue, and in some instances the manufacturers have gone a step further and added an underwaist. Both this garment and the bloomers.are made from the same material as the dress, and where the outfits are made of thin material they are so constructed that all buttons are concealed. —_>+>—___ Satin Garments Much Favored. In the ‘higher-priced merchandise, satin coats and suits continue to gain in favor. Manufacturers of style gar- ments here have featured garments of this fabric and, while the orders have not been overwhelmingly large, their vogue is described as well established. The three quarter lengt! coat in the box effect is the predominating one. The skirts of the suits are generally plain and ‘hang ten inches from the ground. With more favorable weather, it is thought likely the demand for satin coats, particularly, will prove a feature of the later season business. THE NEWEST STYLES At this time of the year business is quiet and extra effort is necessary to keep your stocks turning and keep attraction centered on your store. We know you can get sales-action in your various departments if you buy the new Novelties as fast as they are de- signed or created. Note our suggestive and timely offerings below. OUR SWEATER DEPARTMENT Offers a wide range of newest Spring Styles as converted Chappy Coat effects, the original Jacquettes, Elton styles and others all of which are brought out in colorful combinations as Apple Green, Brick-dust, China Red, Cocoa, Mexico, Jade, China Blue, Fr. Blue, Buff, Harding, Ocean Pearl, Ching, Henna, Taupe, Flame. OUR HOSIERY DEPARTMENT Is showing a wide variety of the new Spring light shades in Ladies’ numbers as, Log Cabin, Peach, Nude, Beige, Atmosphere, Jack Rabbit, Oriental Pearl, Thrush, Cinnamon, Airdale, Polo Grey. These new numbers can be had in fibre and pure silks, Glove Silk in Mock Seam and Full Fashioned styles. We advise your making purchases of children’s hosiery made of combed cotton in a derby rib in new shades as Grey and Champagne. In Men’s Neckwear buy a few “Mah Jong” Silk & Wool Neck- ties, sweeten up your stock with some of the newer patterns of fibre silks. Narrow Knit ties are also in vogue. “Have You Seen’’ _ The newest in Men’s Dress Shirts, powder blues with sky line stripes. We have a good assortment on the way for near by delivery. “Art Silk” Underwear for the women is new merchandise which shows a rapid turn-over. We are showing this beautiful line in separate gar- ments as Vests, Step-Ins, Bloomers, Envelope Chemise and Teddies. Colors are Flesh, Peach and Orchid. You can buy these to match or separately. The price is very reasonable. Ask our salesmen to show you the samples or pay us a visit. We can show you how to increase your sales. GRAND RAPIDS DRY GOODS CoO. IN 1924 DEPEND ON US. EASTER NECKWEAR We are showing the newest Novelties in Neckwear. The styles and values are better than for some time past. We are sure if we have the opportunity to show them it will mean an order. Roadmen are showing the complete line. Call if pos- sible, it will be our pleasure to show you the line. Samples submitted on request. PAUL STEKETEE & SONS WHOLESALE DRY GOODS GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN er “uals fe Vv ea eae ' . ' EY “i April 2, 1924 What a Salesman Owes Himself. I owe to myself, as an employe, to be on time. To be on time means to be actually on the job ready for work when the time arrives. I owe it to myself to be thorough, for if work is not properly done, some- one else must do it over, or the results are mediocre or poor. This means a loss to my employer as well as a low- ering of my own standards. I owe it to myself to be fast in what I do. That is, to work as rapid- ly as is possible in order to produce good work. If I take care of only three customers when I could easily take care of four, and still do it just as well, I am increasing the overhead ex- pense and lessening the business profits. Further than that, I am not worth as much as I am capable of be- ing. I owe it to myself to be cheerful. If I feel out of sorts, or have home worries, I must learn to exercise suffi- cient self-control to keep these per- sonal matters in the background while I serve the public. I owe it to myself to be well physi- cally. It is true that sometimes I feel below par, but if I sleep enough, eat regularly of the right kind of food, and follow a sane program of life, I can and should, make the most of myself, so as to be able to enjoy my work and to do it well. I owe it to myself to improve con- stantly. Naturally, this will mean sustained effort in a given direction. I cannot afford to be a drifter, or to let the years go by without increasing my worth. So I must make the effort and keep on in spite of discourage- ment or the fact that I get tired some times. I must be determined to pay the price of larger success if I am to win it. I owe it to myself to be self-con- trolled and_ self-respecting. When conditions are annoying, or someone is unreasonable, I have all the greater need to be cool, to think clearly, and to weigh my words. To be self-respecting I must be able to do my best at all times, and to do that, I must be associated with a busi- ness concern which I respect and be- lieve in. I owe it to myself to train my memory with diligence. If I do this, my mind will be come a store house of valuable facts, names and available data. The memory prodigy is usually a fellow who couldn’t remember any- thing until he set out to conquer his weakness. I owe it to myself to locate my three greatest weaknesses, and to guard against them. These may be personal habits, careless business methods, or ignorance. All can be remedied, and I will be worth more and happier in consequence. I owe it to myself to determine what I can do best. That is where my special talents lie. Then the ob- vious thing is for me to cultivate the advantage which nature has given me. I owe it to myself to be loyal to my employer. When it is impossible for me to be loyal any longer, I will seek employment elsewhere. But whomsoever I serve, I will serve with zeal and intelligence, and will prove MICHIGAN TRADESMAN myself dependable to a degree. I owe it to myself to plan for my future that I may be independent. In order to insure this I must be thrifty, cautious, and far-sighted. I will guard against unnecessary risks, and will protect my good name and my private business affairs with earnestness. If I take these simple and common- sense precautions, I shall be happy because of the consciousness of work well-done; of service well rendered; and of foundations well laid. ———_>-.>__. To Standardize Work Gloves. A study is being made of the re- quirements of the users of work gloves in the various trades by the National Association of Leather Glove and Mit- ten Manufacturers, with a view to de- velop types that will give the most protection and the greatest service. Ac- cording to Roy A. Cheney, Secretary of the Association, the retailers and workers are equally uninformed re- garding the qualities of different leathers or fabrics. The result is that BEEEELEL EEE EL ILL LLL ELLE LEE EET TET ELEY the gloves bought are frequently not suited for the work they are to be used for. This means complaints later on. To remedy the situation, a committee of the association will investigate the actual glove needs of the various in- dustries so that the manufacturers can produce the best gloves for each, and so designate them for the retailer and the consumer. One result will be a lessening in the number of models by the elimination of superfluous ones that now merely add to the number of manufacturing operations and increas- ed overhead costs. ——_>-~>____ Favor for China Split-Straws. The China split-straw hat promises to be the “good form” complement of the dinner jacket this summer, accord- ing to A. G. Keeshan of the National Association of Men’s Straw Hat Manufacturers. This type is being worn extensively at the Southern re- sorts now. Men’s wear retailers are watching the trend and are finding a growing demand for the China split with plain black band. For afternoon 19 wear the leghorns with turned down brims are popular. The sennits worn generally have a fancy ribbon band. The association is pushing its cam- paign for “the proper straw hat for every occasion.” ———+-+___ Voile Underwear Gaining Favor. Increasing favor is being accorded to women’s undergarments of fine voile, both in pastel and “strong” col- ors. Tailored effects are especially in demand, many of them decorated with bindings and appliques of voile in con- trasting colors. Touches of drawn work also trim some of the favored models. Envelope chemises and step- ins are the undergarments liked most in voile, although there is an excellent business being done in nightgowns of that material. Nile green, rose and lemon yellow are mentioned as the leading colors in the range now being bought by the retail trade. ——_>-.___ A clever sales idea starts a proposi- tion auspiciously, but it is merit and service that keeps it going. Bete See ee eee eee eee ES EE eee eee Eee ye to render. throughout OVERALLS. on your part. Michigan as The Ideal Clothing Company Wholesale Manufacturers HIGHGRADE OVERALLS GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN He He = He ~ = He He He He - He He He He ~ He = “= He i QUALITY FIRST will be the motto of The Ideal Clothing : Company from this date on, and will apply not only to the class of e merchandise which we will manufacture but to the service we intend fe He He He - He He o He ~ He He He - SB - He He - He He He - “ ~ He The new owners will reorganize and refinance the company and continue the business under the old name, which is recognized The same numbers will be continued including the OLD RELIABLE SPADE AND CLUB pattern and the boy’s DOUBLE VALUE BROWNIE both in the plain blue and the rope stripe. Manufacturing operations have already been resumed under the supervision of Mr. A. D. Carrel who has been with this Company for twenty years, and who is a firm believer in QUALITY MERCHANDISE. The garments will be cut over the same patterns which provide for large, roomy good fitting overalls. the same force of skilled operators and every attention will be given to the little details that will insure Service to the wearer. The new capital will also insure the BEST OF SERVICE to the trade, for it is our intention to carry a complete stock so that when an order is received it can be shipped immediately. If you have been carrying this line mail us your order for such sizes as you may need to make your stock complete, if you have not, write for samples which will be sent without expense or obligation THE IDEAL CLOTHING CO. a standard for They will be made up by HIGHGRADE MICHIGAN TRADESMAN April 2, 1924 7)))) PTS TETT? sony setae On the Size of Eggs. Every farmer, but not every city man, knows that large eggs and small eggs come from the same hen; that, while some hens lay eggs of larger average size than others, there is a progression in size at different times in the lay, not only by season but by the order of the laying. A laying con- sists of a dozen or a few more than a dozen, and after a laying the hen takes a new start, so to speak. A laying of eggs forms in the ovi- duct, and the individual eggs are de- veloped serially. According to Rogers of Cornell, as noted by Benjamin, it takes about fourteen days for the egg to fully develop from its original size. Horace Atwood, in Bulletin No. 182 of the Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion, West Virginia University, Au- gust, 1923, notes these periodic cycles as he calls them, and that the first egg is usually the heaviest and there is a fairly regular decrease in egg weight as laid from day to day, the last egg in the cycle being the smallest. There is also a seasonal variation in the size of eggs laid by the same hen, the eggs being heaviest in the spring of the year and gradually becoming smaller toward the end of the laying season. By this phrase, we assume Mr. Atwood means the spring season, for it is common observation that, after a short rest, the hens start again with larger eggs, usually during a time when harvesting affords more and better feed; but this may apply to the range hen in particular, and Atwood only notes that the number of eggs decreases for a short time between the spring and fall laying. The subject of Atwood’s Bulletin is “Certain Co-relations in the Weight and Number of Eggs and the Weight of Fowls.” It is of interest to the operator who is trying to bring up the size of eggs in his territory to know that he can only succeed in bringing up the average size and that the variations are inherent. It is of interest to the younger mem- bers of the trade who do not always come into close relations with their source of supplies and who may at- tempt to build trade on one size of eggs only. Due to the inherent nature of the variations in size, as explained, it would seem as though it is doubt- ful economy in the long ryn to build permanently on any one size of eggs if one wishes to buy from original sources, but that a variety of demand should be cultivated. The subject also suggests that grading will always tend to make one standard case either too large or too small for good appearance and safety in packing, and that in the end the trade will come to using a larger case and larger fillers for large eggs. Straight Run of Aprils No Longer Uniform. Twenty, or even ten years ago the straight run of Aprils from a good packer would contain half or more of the finest eggs. It is estimated that hatching takes about 10 per cent. of the whole crop, and, as this 10 per cent. is taken out of the early lay, it comprises several times 10 per cent. during active hatching. The commer- cial hatcheries which pay a_ heavy premium are better fortified with ex- perienced graders than is the farmer, and in consequence they skim the crop more thoroughly for fine eggs. The packer who maintains a good grade for storage during the same sea- son must grade and must candle to some extent, especially the packer who draws eggs from other towns. In this connection, too, it should be re- membered that interior markets are taking a larger share of eggs at all seasons and that consumers are being educated up to a higher standard of requirements, or to a lower price for culls. The packer has, therefore, little choice but to grade if he is to main- tain an attractive pack. It seems to the editor that it is only a matter of a short time before buy- ing on grade the year around will be thoroughly compulsory for the quality packer. Only in that way will he be able to supply trade which can take culls and keep open his outlets for undergrades in addition to supplying his better trade with suitable eggs. ——_+-+___ Storage Eggs and Sunken Yolks. We note that illustrations of typical eggs as seen under the candle, sup- plied to shippers by the Missouri State Bureau of Markets, still include the above titles, and that the storage egg is represented as a deeply shrunken egg, while the title “sunken yolk” is used for the egg with yolk nested in the small end. In the case of the storage egg it is misleading and serves to perpetuate a false idea to represent it is a deeply shrunken egg. The deeply shrunken egg has been held outside of a good storage, either before or after storing, or it would not be deeply shrunken. The egg with yolk nested in the small end has never become such by sinking. The yolk is always lighter than the white and leaves the center of the egg upon aging, when it floats to a higher position. ‘When the egg is placed in position with the small end up the yolk gravitates toward the small end. When large end is up, the yolk still gravitates upward, but is more securely held by the chalaza, which adheres to the small end more persistently, and in consequence the yolk becomes a captive balloon, re- maining, as a rule in the center. M. J. DARK & SONS GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. i ieee Receivers and Shippers of All | Seasonable Fruits and Vegetables We are making a special offer on Agricultural Hydrated Lime in fess than car lots A. B. KNOWLSON CO. Grand Rapids Michigan Moseley Brothers GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Jobbers of Farm Produce Lipton’s Coffee Ask for Yellow Vacuum Can Always Fresh Distributed by LEWELLYN & CO. WHOLESALE GROCERS GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN Misleading Flour Price Gauge Reports from many flour markets indicate that buyers are on the wrong track in computing the cost of flour. Too many buyers, it is apparent, are giving heed to wheat futures alone, which millers cannot grind, and paying no attention to milling grades of cash wheat and the mullfeed situation. Premiums on milling wheat have widened during the. recent period of recessions in wheat futures. At the same time, millfeeds have declined sharply. Millers must base their flour prices on the cost of wheat they grind, not on the cost of futures, and on the returns from offal. If flour buyers appre- ciated these fundamentals as generally as they should, millers’ present prices on flour would be understood everywhere. For the choicest wheat, the premiums to-day over futures are the widest of the present crop year. Millfeed is at the lowest level since early last fall. These are factors in flour prices which neither millers nor flour buyers can ignore. Judson Grocer Company GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. ” aie & April 2, 1924 Doesn’t Like the Law. There has been much said and little done, except by the politician, for the Storage egg. It has become the year- ly custom of the politician, aided by some of the newspapers, who are ever ready to publish in large headlines misinformation and call the storers of eggs profiteers, to get some women looking for a lot of notoriety to start a boycott everywhere at the time con- sumption should be good, and the storer is at their mercy. Never in time of production have they interfered or offered assistance. This country is overridden with poor laws and lawyer politicians, who are always scheming to put some law through which will cause litigation and increase their own bank account. One of these poor laws is the cold storage law which demands that all eggs held in cold storage over thirty days must be sold for cold storage eggs. The general public, not being fa- miliar with modern refrigeration, is led to believe that all such eggs must be bad and that eggs held any length of time under all conditions, any place, except in a modern refrigerator, are fresh and good, with the result that consumer gets poorer quality at higher prices, thus making the law a detri- ment to everyone except the dishonest dealer who moonshines the better has the public paying far more than the food value of an egg at such times as they should be saving money by being blessed with storage eggs. Apples, potatoes, fish, meat, milk and many other articles are stored for months and sold for good values and yet are not branded with the skull and . cross bones, such as the politician has placed on the poor, innocent egg. Thus a poor law has made dishonesty a virtue, and a business intended to be a benefit to mankind a failure. Let us wake up and have this vicious law MICHIGAN TRADESMAN stricken from the statute books of every state. Now is the time to do it—-before the new crop is stored. And let us sell eggs for good, bad or in- different, whatever quality they might be, but not fresh or storage. J. W. Fuller. en ee a Why He Likes the Tradesman. Alma, March 29—-Your issue of the Tradesman of March 26 is certainly chuck full of good valuable informa- tion for the trade, from cover to cover. The front page is certainly a beautiful description of “character.” In my humble way I just felt the impulse that I must write you my personal ap- preciation of the many good hints con- tained in this issue and, in fact, in all of them as they come to my hands regularly. By the way, the Trades- man is also my wife’s favorite paper. She is as ardent to read it as myself. Surely you are successful. C. Powell. —_+ ++ ___ Unless you know at the end of the year whether you have made money or not, and how much, how are you going to know what to do next year? (Par vigehold ‘ Imiont Unless it it is C. C. PARSONS’ Made and Guaranteed by THE BEST FOOD, INC. Who make the Famous Nucoa. We have a real live sales propo- sition that will put GOLD MEDAL over BIG. Write us or see our Salesmen. I. VAN WESTENBRUGGE DISTRIBUTOR Grand Rapids Muskegon 21 ea : For the Wholesale Trade FIELD AND GRASS SEEDS Clover, Timothy, Alsike, Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Soy Beans, Sudan Grass, Dwarf Essex Rape, MISCELLANEOUS GRASSES. PACKETS—GARDEN SEEDS—BULK You Make Satisfied Customers when you sell ‘““SUNSHINE”’ FLOUR Blended For Family Use The Quality is Standard and _ the Price ~ Reasonable Genuine Buckwheat Flour Graham and Corn Meal J. F. Eesley Milling Co. The Sunshine Mills PLAINWELL, MICHIGAN Watson-Higgins Milling Co. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. NEW PERFECTION The best all purpose flour. RED ARROW The best bread flour. Look for the Perfection label on Pancake flour, Graham flour, Gran- ulated meal, Buckwheat flour and Poultry feeds. Western Michigan’s Largest Feed Distributors. FUL FINE CHICK STEEL POULTRY FEEDS SCRATCH GRAINS CHICK STARTER CUT OATS ry PE GROWING MASH COARSE CHICK DRY MASH SUPTELETET ETE 2 é grades of storage for fresh. it is NOT A. : : We can look for no cheap prices in HOUSEHOLD AMMONIA ROLLED OATS the spring as long as this condition ee OYSTER SHELLS oe PARSONS AMMONIA Che public is prejudiced against the COMPANY, Inc. GET OUR PRICES storage egg and will be so long as a NEW YORK dealer will give them the poorest grade of cheap storage seconds and oe ou eo ee a KENT STORAGE COMPANY say, “Why, what do you expect for RB GOLD GRAND RAPIDS_~ LANSING ~ BATTLE CREEK cold storage eggs? Why don’t you holesale Grocers | . buy fresh?” then he gives the con- MEDAL General Warehousing 2 Distributing sumer good storage at fresh prices and MAYONNAISE OUUEUERERUQUQUUEUEUUQGGGUCGGRERUEEERERDEEECEEE TEER COTE EAE E ERA EOREE TERETE TEETER EET TUAUUUE CU UERUUOUEUCUUUEQQQUGUUQUCUEDEDEE SCE EECUEUEEEE CEE EER ORE OD CREE OEE EEE EEE Nature’s Spring Tonic Eat Plenty of Fresh Fruit and Green Vegetables Every Day hie: ‘Viakesides Company GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN won WAT Polar Bear Flour Quality and Service Counts . The season being backward it is most essential to render quick “ Ss A MONEY MAKER service and deliver the best : ay. We do both. Write for our SS ene quotations. eo on Can Always be sold at a profit. ( ‘ ALFRED J -BROWN SEED CO. FOLAR BEA Quality in the Bag Brings Repeat orders. alt - 25-35 Campau Ave., N. W. Grand Rapids, Mich. Te NEW ERA MILLING oe daecce Marion, ind. icy ARKANSAS CITY, KAN?: Os i eee Sa Ga a i ee ee a Ble poxan oeant tt 2 awe ee 22 MICHIGAN i oy Sl rey aur} aw | Pn S77 WY Michigan Retail Hardware Association. President—A. J. Rankin, Shelby. Vice President—Scott Kendrick, Flint. Secretary—A. J. Scott, Marine City. Treasurer—William Moore, Detroit. Getting Into Closer Touch With Your Community. Written for the Tradesman. The shrewd merchant loses no op- portunity to get into closer personal touch with his community. By this time, the business-like hard- ware dealer will have long since com- pleted his annual inventory. A great deal of valuable work will also have been done during the winter months in preparation for the spring trade. In your preparations, take the mem- bers of your staff into your confidence. Thus, when the prospect lists have been revised, or when you go over these lists if you have not already done so, take time to discuss your stove and paint and builders’ hard- ware prospects with your salespeople. Get them interested in whether or not the store can sell to this or that in- dividual customer. One hardware dealer makes it a practice to go over these lists early in March. He talks them over with his staff. He finds out which individual member of the staff is best able to ap- proach this or that particular customer. “See him the first chance you get, and get him interested as quick as you can,’ form the hardware dealer’s standing instructions. Some salespeople of course take the view that their duties end the minute they step outside the store; and that it is beneath their dignity to “talk shop” outside their working time. But I have found that most hardware salesmen—given a little encouragement from the boss—are perfectly willing to do what they can outside the store to stimulate business. It is not necessary for the salesman to carry his business with him night and day and keep it always in the thoughts. That doesn’t pay, either the salesman or the proprietor. It pays outside working hours, to take a healthy interest in other topics—that is, so long as the other topics them- selves are healthy. But every now and then the sales- man when off duty is quite likely to run into some promising prospect. And it is quite easy to interject, into an ordinary conversation, the casual suggestion or the more earnest invita- tion that will lead that prospect, later, to drop into the store and see the stove in which he ought to be inter- ested, or get estimates on the paint job he ought to have done. Such suggestions, when made tact- fully, will do a lot to stimulate busi- ness. Even in business hours, however, a great deal of valuable missionary work can be done outside the store, in this month of March. The hardware deal- er and his selling staff are not so busy with customers that time cannot be spared for outside canvassing. And there are people who, in this slack time, ought to be interviewed. There are builders, architects, athletic enthusiasts, farmers and many others with whom it pays to get in touch early in the season. Getting in touch with country cus- tomers depends on the state of the roads, very largely. If the winter roads are still passable, it is a good stunt to get out once or twice a week and interview country customers at their homes. The farmer just now isn’t too busy to talk; a little later it will be far more difficult for him to spare the time to listen to you. If you can’t get out personally, send one of your best salesmen. Select a tactful man on whose intelligence you can rely. An absolutely inexperienced man may do damage, but a salesman with some experience will not merely bring in business for the store but develop his own selling capacity as a result of this outside canvassing. He gets the human aspect of the cus- tomer in this way; which is something he doesn’t always get when he re- gards the customer from behind the counter. This country canvass, if you under- take such a thing, should be system- atically mapped out, with a view to saving time. Plan the salesman’s route, list the customers or prospective cus- tomers on whom he is to call, and make note of the lines in which each individual is most likely to be interest- ed. Give your salesman all the pointers possible. His time will be much better spent in such a canvassing trip than inside the store doing only routine work. If a personal canvass of country customers is impossible, there are two other ways of reaching a good share of the country customers. The weekly market day in most communities brings to town a good proportion of country people. If you can spare the time, get out on the market and on the street and meet these people. This isn’t always easy, for Saturday is a busy day in the hardware store; but in my experience of markets the farmers do their sell- ing in the morning.and their buying later in the day. Go out on the mar- ket early and meet them, before busi- ness in the store gets heavy. Many customers can also be reached by the rural telephone. Most farmers will be glad to have you call them up and question them regarding their TRADESMAN prospective needs. Don’t make your talk a purely business one. Show a personal interest in what the farmer harvested last year, what sort of prices he got, what he intends to plant this year, what his boys and girls are do- April 2, 1924 ing. If a member of the family is ill or away, ask about him. Intelligen: interest in the individual will help you get and hold his trade; and if this in- terest is a real, sympathetic interest, so much the better. Foster, Stevens & Co. WHOLESALE HARDWARE 1c GRAND - 157-159 Monroe Ave. - 151-161 Louis Ave., N. W. RAPIDS - MICHIGAN FISHING Michigan Hardware Company 100-108 Ellsworth Ave., Corner Oakes GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Exclusive Jobbers of Shelf Hardware, Sporting Goods and TACKLE 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 . Install , Citz. Telephone 51-916 Decorations losing freshness Keep the Cold, Soot and Dust Out “AMERICAN WINDUSTITE” | Weather Strips and save on your coal bills, make your house-cleaning easier, from your furnishings and draperies from the outside dirt, * soot and dust. Storm-proof, Dirt-proof, Leak-proof all-metal get more comfort heating plant and protect your and Rattle-proof Made and Installed Only by AMERICAN METAL WEATHER STRIP CO. 144 Division Ave., North Grand Rapids, Mich. A SIZE AND STYLE nite To Fit Your Business . SALES SERVICE ECKBERG AUTO COMPANY 310 IONIA AVE., NW. Motor Trucks o — “e « April 2, 1924 Merchants do not always give as much attention as they should to new arrivals in the community. If a new resident arrives, the hardware dealer is apt to think: “He’s got to buy hardware somewhere. I sell hardware, and between good window trims and aggressive advertising I guess I will get my share of his trade.” This is all well enough if, among your competitors, there is no one who takes a more aggressive attitude. But if among half a dozen hardware deal- ers one takes the time to call person- ally on the newcomer and welcome him to the community—then the situation is materially altered. The average man, under such cir- cumstances, will give a good share of his trade, if not all, to the merchant who shows a friendly interest in him. So, even from a crude dollars-and- cents standpoint, it pays to take a friendly interest in the new arrival. In the long run this personal work in the weeks preceding the opening of the spring trade will pay well. The results may not show in immediate sales; but they are sure to come. An energetic canvass of customers and prospects during March will lay the foundations for a splendid trade in April, May and June. Then, making it a regular practice to get in touch will give you a lot of additions to your prospect list, and ultimately to your list of steady cus- tomers. Don’t make such a canvass per- functory; or limit your interest to the dollars and cents aspects of what you are doing. Cultivate a friendly in- terest in people; a real interest. A friendly attitude, a knack ~of sym- pathetic interest in the individual, a capacity for remembering the salient facts about that individual, are all im- mensely helpful to the salesman. Then, know your goods. That is essential if you are to give these peo- ple the sort of service that will win and hold their trade. Whatever work you are doing along these lines should be talked over be- forehand with your staff. Get them interested, and train them along the lines suggested, to co-operate with you in boosting business and securing new customers for the store. Victor Lauriston. —_—_o- + ____ Oil and Business. In the opinion of many men too much is being said in the public prints about the Congressional investigations “hurting business.” No one can point to a single order for materials that has been canceled be- cause of the investigations or of a single curtailment of building opera- tions that can be ascribed to the polit- ical muckraking now in progress. The public has read the reports of the committee hearings until it is weary of them, but it has gone about its business affairs without being disturb- ed in the least by the so-called “dis- closures.” The most that can have resulted is perhaps some little uncer- tainty in the speculative markets. But husiness in general is on too sound a basis to be troubled by whatever may business have happened in oil back in 1921 or 1922, and business is not on trial. Ac- tion on the bonus and the delay in MICHIGAN TRADESMAN tax legislation have been of much greater influence. If the oil investi- gation delays tax revision it will hurt business, but in that way and _ no other. —_—_2+-.—_—_ Sorry. An important looking gentleman in uniform rushed into the paper office exclaiming: “That notice of my death is false, sir. I will horsewhip you within an inch of your life, if you don’t apologize in your next issue.” The apology next day read: “We regret to announce that the paragraph which stated that Col. Joe Blazer was dead, is without foundation. 9-2 Let George Do It. “Mother, shall I run out and post this letter?” asked a little girl of six years. “No child, certainly not,’ was the reply. “It’s pouring in torrents, and not fit to turn a dog out of doors. Let your father go.” Our biggest business America is boastfulness. COUNTER SALES BOOKS Size of slip torn out s : 334x5% inches to fit Account Registers. 25000 White Originals carbonized back. 25000 Yel. Duplicates. Your business card printed on face of original and publicate and advertisement on back of duplicate as may be desired, for eet! $17 f.o.b. our factory. We specializeon Dup- licate and Triplicate 300ks of all kinds. Let us quote you. BATTLE CREEK SALES BOOK CO. R-4 Moon Journal Bi. Battle Creek, Mich. mistake in £ Oe s ORNERAL MERCHANDISE ~ OS SRD ARDS ABE Beeson, 5. TS SCHOOL SUPPLIES Pencils Tablets Paints Ruled Papers, etc. WRITE US FOR SAMPLES The Dudley Paper Co. LANSING, MICH. 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 Rapids Saginaw Brick Co., Saginaw Jackson-Lansing Brick Co., Rives Junction. Brick Co. Grand Henry Smith Floral Co., Inc. 52 Monroe Ave. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN PHONES: Citizens 65173 Bell Main 173 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. 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 The Old Reliable 2-20. ru. 23 BOND SIX SNAPPY COLORS and WHITE MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE HOUR alamazoo Vegetable Parchment Co. alamazoo, Mich. INDIA TIRES HUDSON TIRE COMPANY Distributors 16 North Commerce Avenue Phone 67751 GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. NG " BARLOW BROS. Grand Raplds, Mich. Ask about our way West Michige and economy. New System Dentists We've taken pain and high price out of Dentistry and substituted comfort After all, there’s no place like the New System. : : Just a Step South of Monroe Ave. Al Tonia Ave. in G. R. One Flight Up; Write for Information. REFRIGERATORS for ALL PURPOSES Send for Catalogue No. 95 for Residences No. 53 for Hotels, Clubs, Hospitals, Etc. No. 72 for Grocery Stores No. 64 for Meat Markets No. 75 for Florist Shops McCKAY REFRIGERATOR CO. 2444 Lake St., Kendaliville, ina. Because We Like To Sell GIBSON REFRIGERATORS They are built in a Michigan town, by Michigan men, with Michigan lumber, and last but not least—they give complete satisfaction to the user. See Them On Our Floor Grand Rapids Store Fixture Co. Jobbers for Western Michigan Ee 24 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN April 2, 1994 POO ETETeTe Teo) Precaution Against Bad Checks By Hotel Landlords. Battle Creek, April 1—At the recent meeting of the Michigan State Hotel Association, at St. Joseph, one of the topics handled and very thoroughly discussed was that of bad checks and the various methods by which hotels are victimized. I have made a digest of the facts brought out in this dis- cussion and I believe it will prove of great interest not only to hotel oper- ators, but to business men in general, many of whom, in the ordinary course of business, have been stung by this class of swindlers. It is estimated that the yearly per Capita loss by theft and other forms of crimes against property is in excess of $300, or rather more than the Fed- eral increase for the same period. Whether this estimate is correct or not, certain it is we pay a very high toll yearly for theft and forgery—a crime particularly aimed at business and hotel men. The spread of modern banking methods offers the forger a vast field, and while he much prefers to handle a check or draft which bears a genuine signature, which he can treat more satisfactorily by altering the body of same, he has more latterly arrived at a stage where he manufactures from blank paper, by a series of manipula- tions, checks and drafts which bear an appearance of genuineness. The bad check man is hardly less dangerous. He either capitalizes his acquaintance with the hotel man or his employes by offering a personal check, which check quite frequently comes back stamped, “Unpaid;” “insufficient funds” or “no account with us.” The greatest depredations, however, have been committed by the forger. He comes to you with an engraved check of the Glory Manufacturing Co., which has an appropriate place for the signature of the president, and the counter signature of some other office; has the payee’s name typewritten, the number printed in red ink, and the amount put in by some sort of altera- tion proof device, added to all of which is a typewritten form showing for what purpose the check was issued and declaring that once endorsed it be- comes a receipt for that amount and for that purpose. This class of forg- ing has latterly been more easily ex- changeable for money than any of the older forms. Just recently there have been scat- tered all over the country by this class of criminals checks bearing the name of the “United States Geological Bu- reau.” There is no Geological Bureau in the Federal Government, nor does the Geological Survey (its right name) issue its own checks. Its payments are made by drafts of the U. S. Treasury. Within the past few weeks many Michigan hotels have been defrauded on checks, purporting to have been is- sued by the Hedstrom-Barry Co., of Chicago. Others lost on checks pur- porting to have been issued by the Sullivan Co., of Saginaw, and the Catholic Order of Women Foresters. It is by no means difficult fcr forgers to get checks engraved or printed in any fashion that pleases them. Another help for securing cash on bad checks is the certification stamp. The customary uses for the certified check are not large, usually to ac- company bids or the purchase of se- Curities, but for all that the certifica- tion stamp makes a strong appeal to the man who is asked to cash the check. Now the impression of the certified check is procured at the slightest expense. All that is needed is a rubber stamp, and not an expensive one at that. A dollar will buy a per- fectly satisfactory one, provided a rub- ber stamp maker can be found who does not ask too many questions. Of course, reliable rubber stamp manu- facturers will not supply them, but even at that checks have been cashed where the stamp showing that the drawee had money sufficient to pay the check had been made with a movable type outfit, purchasable almost any- where for fifty cents. No hotel ought to accept any check without bearing in mind these things: 1. That a check that looks busi- ness like is not necessarily a good one. Much time and care may have been spent to give just that impression. 2. That a check which appears to be certified is no more apt to be good than one without the stamp. 3. That the fact that a man who is prepared to pay his hotel bill does not guarantee the genuineness of the check which he gives you. It is also well to bear in mind that, although the forger and check passer are adroit and skillful criminals, the most of them come from the so-called “white collar” class of society. Usual- ly they are familiar with business, banking and hotel methods. They know the way in which the enormous amount of money in this country is handled by checks. They can invent plausible tales to account ior the checks they are going to pass. One may specialize in only one side of the work; that is, to the production of the forged document, or he may devote all of nis intelligence to the passing of same, but in either case he is bound to be skillful. No precaution in guarding or writ- ing checks can prevent forgers of the endorsement. Cases of forged en- dorsements make up fully one-half of the forged check losses. This is more common with checks stolen from the mails, since the signature of the drawer of the check, being genuine, the chances for passing are easier. Nor are these- forgeries limited to checks alone. There are travelers checks or money orders issued by the banks and express companies which are frequently reported as stolen or counterfeited. These are issued w:th the understanding that the individual buying them can go to any bank or hotel and have them cashed by simply re-endorsing. The Statler Hotel, at Detroit, was recently victimized when it cashed a number of these which had been stolen. Fortunately, Mr. Klare, the manager of that institution, was able to convince the American Bank- ing Association which ‘had originally issued them, that they were responsible and recovered the amounts lost, the Association realizing that in order to make this form of exchange popular they must protect parties cashing them. However, this applied to trav- elers checks genuinely issued.and not to counterfeits, many forms of which New Hotel Mertens GRAND RAPIDS Rooms $1.50 and $2.00 Bath, Tub or Shower Club Breakfast 20c Union and up. Luncheon 50c. Stati on Dinner 75c. -~\ re gee a } 4 “ Al inte ‘Saeed EE a a oo en TOM LUCE Ts OY 9 rar lee Se Woke: Oy ef a eel ae Fr r r , od 00 Aya po ck i Me ECT Minima a 116 B1P Bay e's = IN THE HEART OF THE CITY Division and Fulton RATES | $1.50 up without bath $2.50 up with bath CODY CAFETERIA IN CONNECTION The Pantlind Hotel The center of Social and Business Activities. Strictly modern and _fire- Dining, Cafeteria Lunch Rooms proof. and Buffet in connection. 550 rooms——-Rates $2.50 and up with bath. Morton Hotel ;— +o are cordially invited to visit the Beautiful New Hotel at the old location made famous by Eighty Years of Hostelry Service. 400 Rooms—400 Baths Menus in English WILLIAM C. KEELEY, Managing Director. Ahemninsesiemtnai ‘ April 2, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 25 are floating around the country. Mr. McLean, Manager of the Park- American Hotel, at Kalamazoo, in speaking on the subject said: “My ideas along the check line are prob- ably a little different from what some of you hold. I look upon the cashing of checks as being somewhat along the lines of a credit proposition. The practice has been established so long that I think any man of good moral standing and character. is really en- titled and well within his rights when he asks a hotel to cash a check. It is not a new thing; it has been done for hundreds of years. Our clerks cash checks, but they are not supposed to do so except for men who are well known. “When a stranger, however, comes in and wants a check cashed, we don’t question him in public. He is invited into the private office and I find as soon as we get ‘him in there his attitude changes entirely. He is usually more agreeable and more willing to give up the information you may require: If the information is unconvincing, I do not refuse the request, but offer to wire the bank at his expense. If he objects to this procedure, the incident closes.” Some banks refuse to certify checks by wire, but this can be overcome by > requiring the drawer of the check to wire his bank to instruct the hotel to honor the check. If the check is good, the bank wires the hotel; otherwise the drawer of the check. Many hotels use a card system upon which the credit of the hotel guest is shown. If he is rated as O. K., this credit applies to the cashing of checks . as well as the contracting of a hotel bill. Such a system is excellent, pro- vided the cards are kept up to date and continually revised, but even in a case like that a customer who is gilt-edged to-day may be in the discard to-mor- row so far as his responsibility is con- cerned. Mr. Reul, assistant manager of the Hotel Sherman, Chicago, who took an active part in this discussion, formed the card system of reports on guests. It is rather expensive in operation, re- quiring much clerical work, but this hotel uses many millions of dollars in paper yearly, and their losses are very small. There is, however, a form of forgery insurance supplied by several reliable insurance companies, which protects the hotel man against a certain per- centage of losses. These are available for the hote Iman, and not only pro- tects him against forged or altered checks which they may cash, but also against loss by the forgery of their own paper. But the indemnity is only partial, the hotel man, being interested sufficiently so that he will exercise care in cashing this paper. One thing developed in the discus- sion was that a bank is not responsible for the loss of negotiable paper passing through their hands. It is handled only at the risk of the depositor until te bank itself receives final returns. Tor this reason every hotel man cash- i-g checks, drafts or money orders should keep a list of such before turn- ing them over to the bank, so that in case of loss by mail, robbery or destruction of mail in transit, they may be of record in order to have them duplicated. Edward R. Swett, '., son of the well-known manager of the Occidental Hotel, Muskegon, who has been mail clerk at the San Juan Hotel, at Or- lando, Florida, this winter, has just ac- cepted a similar position with the new Hotel Biltmore, Atlanta, Georgia. This interesting and delightful young man, who is only 19 years old, is almost as gigantic as his father, and he is made of the right material throughout. He desires to be a hotel man in every sense of the word and for that reason is making a study of every detail of hotel operation and acquiring this knowledge away from home, so that when he comes into his own in his own home town, he will have estab- lished himself in the hotel field. He will arrive in due time, according to my predictions. The Hotel ‘Clintonian, at Clinton, was re-opened last Sunday by the new proprietor, R. E. Lawless, after having been completely renovated. The local newspaper, in speaking of the coming event, mentioned the fact of the Tradesman having admonished the business men of that city to give Mr. Lawless their support and show that they deserve such an institution as he is bound to correctly conduct. The ‘help problem continues to dis- tract hotel restaurant operators every- where. Not that such help is scarce, but it is largely inefficient. One of the largest catering establishments in Chi- cago has supplanted union labor with colored female cooks from the South, with wonderful success» Women, as a rule, make the most efficient cooks and ought to be more generally em- ployed. Frank S. Verbeck. 2-2. Items From the Cloverland of Michi- gan. Sault Ste. Marie, April 1—Frank Atkins, for the past eleven years man- ager for the ‘Chesbrough Co. at Thompson, has resigned to accept a position as traveling salesman for the Cornwell Co. on the D., S. S. and A. division, succeeding F. Newton, who left for Detroit, where he expects to locate. Charles Rahl, the well-known phar- macist of Manistique, left Friday for Chicago and will proceed to Los Angeles via the Santa Fe road and join his family, who went there a number of years ago. Mr. Rahl has been a resident of Manistique for the past twenty-eight years, during which time he has been identified with the Orr drug store and the Central phar- macy. With his departure Manistique loses one of its ablest pharmacists. He has made many friends who regret his departure, but wish him every success in his new location. A man with a chicken heart can’t very well talk turkey. The Canadians Soo Greyhounds are the undisputed amateur champions of Canada and the holders of the Allen cup for the year 1924, defeating the Selkirks, of Winnipeg, on Thursday night by a score 6 to 2. The Can- adian Soo hockey fans will turn out en masse Monday to meet the Grey- hounds on their arrival from Toronto at noon, Mayor Dawson having pro- claimed a civic holiday for two hours from 12 o’clock until 2 p. m. It is not enough to see through things—you must also see _ things through. The T. L. Durocher Co., a corpora- tion at DeTour, will be dissolved and will hereafter be conducted by T. L. Durocher, W. W. Durocher and Ray- mond C. Durocher under the name of T. L. Durocher Co. The Wolverine Club, devoted to winter sports, backed by the business men, has been very successful in pro- moting winter sports and is now ap- pointed a base ball committee to look after the summer sports. Good painting may hide the scars of time, dear lady, but it doesn’t change the chassis. Requests for information regarding the beauty spots of ‘Chippewa county from prospective tourists are already being received, it was reported from the Civic and Commercial Association this week. Many tourists remember the welcome extended them at the Soo’s tourist camp last year and are eager to return, communications in- dicate. Others of the early correspond- ents speak of having heard of the at- tractiveness of the woods and fields and streams of this section. The city anticipates a record tourist season in 1924. William G. Tapert. Says the Tradesman Points the Way. Walloon Lake, April 1—Your very conscientious action and _ sentiments regarding certain manufacturers fav- oring the chain stores surely should appeal to the thinking independent grocers. I have been in the retail gro- cery business for several years and I have been compelled to admit that this unfairness has existed. I have quietly made all the changes I could, but have not known just whom to put up the bars against. Your list in the Tradesman of March 26 points the way and will be a great advantage. There is one house which I have been combatting the longest time, and which does not appear in your list— the National Biscuit Co. We are so situated that a majority of our business is with the summer tourists who are from many different localities and are familiar with the National Biscuit Co. line, but we have experienced very little difficulty in re- placing the National brands with in- dependent goods. I sincerely thank you for the many benefits we are receiving from you, and your urgent convictions, imparted to us through the lines of your valuable trade journal. W. H. Ransom. ——__---____- Grand Rapids—The Riverside Brass Foundry, 449 Market street, S. W., has merged its business into a stock company under the style of the River- side Brass & Aluminum Foundry Co., with an authorized capital stock of $15,000, of which amount $10,500 has been subscribed and paid in, $2,949 in cash and $7,551 in property. The Durant Hotel Flint’s New Million and Half Dollar Hotel. 300 Rooms 300 Baths Under the direction of the United Hotels Company HARRY R. PRICE, Manager Hotel Whitcomb = See 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 HOTEL KERNS Largest Hotel in Lansing 300 Rooms With or Without Bath Popular Priced Cafteria in Connection Rates $1.50 up E. S. RICHARDSON, Proprietor 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. 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. Rates reason- able. WILL F. JENKINS, Manager. LIVINGSTON Rooms in Grand Rapids Centrally Located Bell Phone 596 Citz. Phone 61366 JOHN L. LYNCH SALES CO. SPECIAL SALE EXPERTS Expert Advertising Expert Merchandising 209-210-211 Murray Bldg. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN Columbia Hotel KALAMAZOO Good Place To Tie To = OCCIDENTAL HOTEL FIRE PROOF CENTRALLY LOCATED Rates $1:50 and up EDWART R. SWETT, Mgr. Muskegon ==5 Michigan Turkish Baths WHEN IN 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. KALAMAZOO Stop at the Headquarters for all Civic Clubs Excellent Cuisine Luxurious Rooms ERNEST McLEAN, Mgr. Corner Sheldon and Oakes; Facing Union Depot; Three Blocks Away HOTEL BROWNING GRAND RAPIDS 150 Fireproof Rooms ' | Rooms, duplex bath, $2 Private Bath, $2.50, $3 Never higher MICHIGAN TRADESMAN ool a) Ny 7) rv NDRIES - ee = eee ONY p fi row : VAAN ASS Si et Ge if Mich. State Pharmaceutical Ass’n. President—D. D. Alton, Fremont. Secretary—L. V. Middleton, Grand 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. 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. Gorenfio, Detroit. Claude C. Jones, Battle Creek. Director of Drugs and Drug Stores— H. H. Hoffman, Lansing. Sale of Foot Comfort Accessories Offers Profit. The growth of hygienic measures for the care of the body in recent years has been accompanied by the sale of various articles and accessories to promote bodily comfort and to aid in hygienic practices. Everyone is familiar with the rapid development of eye and tooth hygiene. It has been greatly promoted by boards of health in large as well as smaller cities. School children are fitted for eye glasses when needed, usually with a corresponding improvement in general health. The widespread development for hygienic observance in the case of the teeth has resulted in the greatly increased sale of tooth brushes for example. The development of foot hygiene is now beginning to occupy the public attention, particularly since the great war when rejections from army service due to deficient feet led all other de- fects for rejections. For the first time many persons are beginning to -think of their feet in terms of health, and to devote care and attention to these most neglected members of the human body. Consequently there is to-day a greater demand for articles and accessories that promote foot comfort and health than ever before. Everyone recognizes that in the past | twenty years or more the modern, well- regulated drug store has come to be far more than a mere purveyor of drugs, though its aid to humanity in the sale of drugs alone is ample justi- fication for its existence: but the drug store caters to humanity in numberless As the extent and variety of its service has increased, its patronage has shown a corresponding growth. Pa- trons of drug stores where ‘bodily hy- giene is so prominently brought to the fore will be glad to avail themselves of the opportunity to purchase and take to their homes some of the various soaps, powders and lotions especially prepared to promote foot health and comfort, when these are prominently featured and brought, to the customer’s attention. The sale of alleviants for corns is only one of the many foot ways. commodities that shouid meet a brisk sale in performing a real service to the public. The public is beginning to think more of its feet and to take bet- ter care of its feet. While people are moved to buy alleviants for corns through the urge of pain or discom- fiture, there are many other foot helps, that often make a less urgent appeal but that are no less urgently needed. Antiseptic balms and powders that will keep the feet sweet and whole- some, lotions for chilblains, corn pads, and other well-tried accessories for foot comfort have a real place in daily sales. The manufacture of these items has developed to a point where the sale of well-known and_ recognized brands can be recommended with the same degree of assurance that prevails in the case of many other trade-marked articles that promote human health and comfort. But unlike many _ other specialties, those that promote foot ease and hygiene are not to be found on every corner. The salesman who invites his customer to purchase these articles will find himself richly repadi. And if he should devote time to study of the anatomy and functioning of the foot and its care so that the can the more intelligently advise his patrons his rewards will be correspondingly greater. William M. Scholl, M. D. —_>-->___ Is the Pharmacist Entitled To the Phar. D.? Let me also add a few words to the question of the doctorate degree for the pharmacist. I have read carefully all the ar- ticles about this matter and must say that although the arguments in favor are true—nevertheless they do not en- title the pharmacist, especially the present day one, to a higher degree. Everybody must admit that phar- macy is now at a very low level, not on account of outside circumstances, but only and exclusively as a conse- quence of the low morality of the pharmacist as a professional. It is a fact that the average phar- macist now-a-days looks upon the pre- scription trade as an annoying and hardly paying side line. He would rather sell anything but drugs. Not to talk about the chain stores which are 99 per cent. department stores. _ The argument that the pharmacist deserves the doctorate degree more than the chiropodist, optometrist and the rest along the line, does not say anything in his favor at all. Does it mean that because all these quasi professionals get the doctorate degree undeservedly he should get it also? Let him first deserve it, and he will positively get it even without any ef- fort on his side. We must not forget that the word “Doctor’ means “a learned one,” and the pharmacist as we know him, does not belong to this class as yet. I personally know (and most of the readers know) pharmacists who sign their names (in English) with diffi- culty. About their English writing ask any wholesale druggist, and how high their general education is any college teacher can tell you. Only now, when the preliminary require- ments are raised, we are beginning to get more educated people in our lines. In time, if the proposed extension of the pharmacy course from two to three or more years is realized they might be eligible to the learned class. Then the pharmacy colleges will be the first ones to see that he should get the doctorate degree. Our colleges will do it plainly and purely for the sake of business the same way as they saw fit to create the “Junior Pharma- cist” degree in order to attract more students. At present there is another lure for young men to enter our pro- fession—everybody knows it and there- fore, it is not necessary for me to men- tion it by the name. But this attrac- tion will probably be soon a thing of the past (read “pest’) and then the doctorate degree will play in the hands of our colleges as the best lure to get in new “victims.” Therefore I say and reiterate that the whole discussion is first, untimely, and second, practically useless. Time will settle all other questions and this one also. ‘‘Tempora nuctan- tur et nos untanum in illis. Joseph Lachs. Se Pharmacy Neatness. A friend of mine entered a_phar- macy and called for paris green. Here is her report: “That young fellow handled paris green as if it were so much flour! He distributed it impar- tially on the scales and on his fingers, then he wiped his fingers on his vest. Never again for me! Why, that clerk would not know mushrooms from toadstools!” Keen-eyed customers have multi- plied in these latter business days. That customer was lost by the phar- macy simply because of the clerk’s careless handling of poison and _ his slovenly ways. Is not the handwrit- ing on the wall—either “loss,” or “gain’”—every time we wait on a cus- tomer? Neatness is pharmacy-vantage ground; neatness in window dressing, in arrangement of stock, in person. What a difference in a window that is a restful vision to the eye, and a win- dow that reminds us of an eagle’s nest after the old eagle has stirred it up. True, we are not all artists in window trimming but we can at least be on familiar terms with neatness. Neatness feathers the sales arrows until they reach the customer-bulls- eye. Lack of neatness is like lack of feathers in an arrow, it may cause the entire target to be missed. Customers once scattered are as hard to gather up again as is water spilled upon the ground. Customers who have “per- manency” written all over them make our pharmacy profitable. Then we get acquainted with people and get a line, not only on their likings, but on April 2, 1924 their pet dislikes and aversions. The very words, “proprietary medicines,” seem like honey in the honeycomb to some folks; to others any reference to them has the same effect as does a red rag on a certain animal. Neatness is a weather breeder, a sign that the trade winds will blow and waft the good ship of pharmacy- business to its goal. The pharmacist who keeps neatness, tact and courtesy to the fore is usually spoken of as lucky, “Yes, Smith always was lucky!” says his unsuccessful competitor. Neat pharmacies are certainly much in evidence, but there are still a few pharmacy misfits—just enough for variety. It is a long lane that has no turning, and when the lane of care- lessness turns into the neatness road the business scenery is wonderfully at- tractive. George W. Tuttle. —_>+ Pertinent Questions By Hard Headed Traveler. Grand Rapids, March 27—Reading this week’s Tradesman, two items at- tracted my attention more than ordin- ary: First, the Harbor Beach article reminds me of a retailer who allowed his account with his candy company to lag 90 days past due and gave no heed to letters or to statements from the company. When on my regular call, before a bunch of sitters, he gave me to understand that if I ever went with any other house I could have his candy orders; but not while with such a concern, etc. He then paid me in money. I thanked him, said I was sorry to find him angry, as I had a good story I wanted to tell. “Gosh,” he said, “tell the story.” It was about the brakeman who quit the railroad. “Yes, yes, go on and tell it.” “But that is all—cars still running.” On my next visit to the town the merchant was out of business and had a job in the shipping room of the Worden Grocer Company, but not for long. The second question I would like additional light on is as follows: Why does the Tradesman flail Colfax Gibbs and say nothing concerning the organ- izations which sent such a scoundrel out to sell rotten stocks on 15 per cent. commission? Also regarding the bankers in the territory covered by Gibbs who gave him lists of prospec- tive victims and accepted 5 per cent. blood money from ‘Gibbs? Now Grand Rapids men are out around buying back at $60 per share the stock Colfax Gibbs sold at $100 and $150. John H. Millar. The concerns referred to by Mr. Millar are eating the bread of bitter- ness because of their unfortunate as- sociation with the notorious Gibbs. None of them have recovered from the bad reputation he gave them. The un- savory record made will not be obliter- ated for generations to come. —_++>—___ Department Store Special. Why, hello Pat, I hear you lost your job in the department store. Oh yes, I got fired. You got fired? How did that hap- pen? Oh, I just took a sign from a lady’s shirt waist and put it on a bath tub. And you got fired for that? Well, tell me what the sign read. It said, “How would you like to see your best girl in this for $2.75? —_+-.—_____ It is easiest to be the kind of a boss who lets clerks deficiencies and mistakes go unremarked, but the easy boss does not improve his employes or his dusiness. April 2, 1924 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN al . TT H I N K Prices quoted are nominal, based on market the day of issue. eee eee0e : Acids Lavendar Flow-_- 6 50@6 75 Cinchona _...___ @2 10 If you were Lousy, what would you do? Borie (Powd.) 15 @ 26 [avendar Gar'n | $0120 Colchicum — @1 30 Carbolic _....... 47 @ 64 Linseed bid, less @ 9g Cubebs -.-.-.____ @3 00 Gitrie 2: 62 @ 7% linseed bid, less 1 05@1 18 Digitalis —.._.___ @1 80 Muriatic ________ 3%@ 8 Linseed, raw, bbl. @ 9% Gentian __ @1 35 Nitric 0 0 9 @ 15 Linseed, ra. less 1 03@1 16 ee ee Gxalie 20%@ 30 Mustard, artifil. oz. @ 60 Gmeee, PS @1 80 Sulphuric 22.0 - 3%@ 8 Nestnteat Se : an . Guaiae @2 20 " ive. pure _ i Martarie — 2.003 40 @ 50 Gling Maleaa Guaiac, Ammon. @2 00 Amocia youow 2 75@3 00 lodine ----------- @ 9% Water, 26 deg. 10 @ 18 Olive, Malaga, Jodine, Colorless = @1 50 Water, 18 deg. -- 8%4@ 13 ofinec, Swoot., 4 gd Ty WOR, Clo. @1 35 Water, 14 deg. aq ae a Origanum, pure @250 Kimo _-___ @1 40 Gea te eee 10 g 99 QOriganum, com’l 1 00@1 20 Myrrh --_-______. 2 50 oride (Gran.) Pennyroyal ---. 3 00@3 25 Nux Vomica ___ @1 53 \ Peppermint _.. 5 50@5 75 Opi Balsams Rose, pure ._..10 50@10 99 UPlum ----______ @3 50 @onaiba 2... pe a poenery eee 1 25@1 50 Opium, Camp. __ @ 85 Fir (Canada) -- 2 55 Sandalwoo Opi ’ wa (ecesl > Gale Fi. heus UCU oe esa 3 00@3 25 Sassafras, true 2 75@3 00 ubarb ~__-_____ @1 70 TONE 222 6 3 00@3 25 Sassafras, arti’l 80@1 20 Spearmint __..__ 4 00@4 25 - Barks a ee , Pe . Paints. : . SnSy 200-0. S : oe oa ne @ Tar, USP B0@ 65 ead, red dry __ 15@15% Kills Lice on Stock and Poultry Sassafras (pw. 50c) @ 45 Turpentine, bbl. -- aan 1 13 Lead, white dry 15@15% Soap Cut See) Bh pala less 1 20@1 33 ead, white oil __ 15@15% No Dip No Dust No Fuss No Muss se 25 leaf --_--.---- 6 00@6 25 Ochre, yellow bbl. @ 2 Berries Wintergreen, sweet Ochre, yellow less 24%@ 6 “*JUST _SPRAY’’ Cue @1 25 wise a 500; a Red Venet’n Am. 3%@ 7 Juntps? ---------- 1@ is Wormseed -_-- "3 aoge ap Rea Venet'n Eng. 4@ i i : Prickly Ash __---- 30 fOrmwood .___ eC 5@ 8 Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co. Odessa Chemical Co. oe Whiting, bbl. ___ @ 4% Distributors Manufacturers Extracts Gceseuien Whithe 5%@ 10 : . ° Hicoriee 22.22 65 L. H. P. Prep... 2 80@3 00 Grand Rapids, Mich. Lake Odessa, Mich. Licorice powd. ___ eG Se 35@ 40 Rogers Prep. -. 2 80@3 00 Bichromate ___.._ 25 Write for prices. Please mention the Tradesman. : Piwers ,, Bromide --~- 65 Arnica _______-___- 25@ 3 Carbonate _-: 35 Miscellaneous Chamomile (Ger.) 385@ 40 Chlorate, gran’d 23@ 30 Chamomile Rom. --. 175 Chlorate, powd. Acetanalid _____ 42%@ 50 Ob tal 1G@. 22 Alun 08 12 G Cyanide --------- 30@ 50 Alum. powd. and Acacia, 1st __---- 0@ 55 Iodide -- -___-- 4 46@4 62 eround — 9@ 15 Acacia, 2nd _-__--- 45@ 50 Permanganate -- 30@ 40 Bismuth, Subni- g Acacia, Sorts _.. 22@ 30 Prussiate, yellow 65@ 75 trate ______ 3 92@4 12 Acacia, Powdered 35@ 40 Prussiate, red -- @190 Borax xtal or Aloes (Barb Pow) 25@ 35 Sulphate -------- a 6 loedered =o 4 STILL SMILING Aloes (Cape Pow) 2@ 35 cantharades, po: 2 0003 00 S atl Aloes (Soc. Pow.) 63@ 70 Calonier 59@1 79 —_ Asafoetida __---- 65@:. 75 Roots Capsicum, pow'd 48@ 55 E7 fe 1 00@1 25 Carming 00@6 60 AND WHY NOT? camphor 1 20@1 3) Alkanet nen Se “Meee ° Gaia: 2 @ 60 Blood, powdered~ 385@ 40 Cloves _______ 50@ 55 Guaiac, powd -__ @ 75 Jalamus -------. 39@ 60 Chalk Prepared. 14@ 16 [oe . . @ 85 WHlecampane, pwd 25@ 30 Choloroform ______ 57 @67 h Kino, powdered_- @ 90 Gentian, powd..- 20@ 30 Chloral Hydrate 1 35@1 85 You would too, for all our customers are that have bought Myrrh ____- @ 80 Ginger, African, __ Cocaine 10 60@11 25 A : Myrrh, powdered @ 90 powdered ----- 25@ 30 Cocoa Butter ____ 55@ New Fixtures. They bring them new and increased sales. Opium, powd. 15 15@15 42 Ginger, Jamaica 60@ 65 Corks, list, less 40@50% oe ; : (nn, wets. 1G & Cie. tamale, .. ., Copperas 4@ 10 It would also keep you smiling to see the beautiful line of Siete 90@1 00 powdered --- 42@ 50 Copperas, Powd. 4@ 10 Shellac Bleached 1 00@1 10 Goldenseal, now 5 we 00 Corrosive Sublm 1 28@1 49 WILMARTH FIXTURES—the Real Fixtures—up-to-date Tragacanth, pow. _@175 Ipecac, powd. -- ,@% 75 Cream Tartar ---. 33@ 40 Tragacanth --.- 1 75@2 25 pacace a ag PERTARASDO 37 Casamain 39 Java and Mocha ____ 41 Bereta - oe 41 Penperry oo 83% McLaughlin’s Kept-Fresh Vacuum packed. Always fresh. Complete line of bulk coffees. high-grade W. F. McLaughlin & Co., hicago Coffee Extracts Mm. YY. per: 100 12 Frank’s 50 pkgs. ____ 4 25 Hummel’s 50 1 Ib. __ 10% CONDENSED MILK eacie: 4 doz. 9 00 Leader, 4 doz. _______ 7 00 MILK COMPOUND Hebe, Tail, 4 doz. _. 4 60 Hebe, Baby, 8 doz. __ 4 40 Carolene, Tall, 4 doz. 4 00 Carolene, Baby —._ _- 3 50 EVAPORATED MILK Quaker, Tall, 4 doz. __ 4 65 Quaker, Baby, 8 doz. 55 Quaker Galion, % doz. 4 50 Blue Grass, Tall, 48 00 Blue Grass, Baby, 72 75 Carnation, Tall, 4 doz. Carnation, Baby, 8 dz. 80 Every Day, Tall _.._ 90 Every Day, Baby ____ 75 Goshen: Tau 50 Pet. ae 2 00 Pet, Gany, 8 of. 90 Bordends, Wan Camp, “cali... 4 99 Van Camp, Baby 3 75 CIGARS Lewellyn & Co. Brands Garcia Master Cate, 100 37 50 Swift Wolverine, 50s ____ 130 00 Supreme, 50s cee ee 110 090 Bostonian, 50s _____ 95 00 Pertecto, 50s 95 00 Blunts, Bie. 75 00 Cabinet: fis 2 32 oo 73 00 Tilford Cigars Clubhouse, 50s -_..__ 110 00 Perfecto, 50s _______ 95 00 Tuxedo, 50s ________ 75 00 Tilcrest, 50s -....... 35 00 Worden Grocer Co. Brands Henry George 50 Harvester Kiddies ~~ 37 50 Harvester Record B.--75 00 Harvester Delmonico 75 00 Harvester Perfecto_. 95 00 Websteretts —__-=—- 37 50 Webster Savoy ---- 75 00 Webster Plaza —.-.-— 95 00 Webster Belmont___-110 00 Webster St. Reges_-125 00 Starlight Rouse —-_-- 90 00 Starlight P-Club -- 150 00 La Azora Agreement 58 00 La Azora Washington 75 00 Little Valentine -._. 37 h0 Valentine Victory -~. 75 00 Valentine DeLuk -- 95 00 Valentine Imperial _. 95 00 Tops 2 30.00 Clint Mord 35 00 Picadura Pais: 2 25 00 Qualitiy First Stogie 18 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 Pails plandara oo Jumbo Wrapped Pure Sugar Stick 600s 4 25 Big Stick, 20 lb. case 21 Mixed Candy Kindergarten .....-._. 19 Tee 2 18 ee Oe 15 French Creams ---.-- 20 Cameo 3) ee 22 GPGCRTEH. 20 13 Fancy Chocolates 5 lb. Boxes Bittersweets, Ass’ted 1 75 Choc Marshmallow Dp 1 75 Milk Chocolate A A... 2 00 Nibble Sticks Primrose Choc. No. 12 Choc., Dark . 1 76 No. 12 Choc., Light . 1 85 Chocolate Nut Rolls — 1 90 Gum Drops Pails Anise 20 a Orange Gums —_----.. 17 Challenge Gums ~__---- 14 MavOrite 2 20 Superior. 2... 21 Lozenges. Pails A. A. Pep. Lozenges 20 A. A. Pink Lozenges 20 A. A. Choc. Lozenges - Motto Hearts Malted Milk Lozenges a2 Hard Goods. Pails Lemon Drops 22. 20 O. F. Horehound dps. 20 Anise Squares _...... 20 Peanut Squares _.._ 22 Horehound Tablets -. 20 Cough Drops Bxs. Putna 8 30 Smith Bros, 2 2 Package Goods Creamery Marshmallows 4 oz. pkg., 12s, cart. 1 05 4 oz. pkg., 48s, case 4 00 Specialities. Wainut. tudse —.. 34 Pineapple Fudge ______ 22 Italian Bon Bons ____ 20 Atlantic Cream Mints 32 Silver King M. Mallows 32 Hello, Hiram, 24s _... 1 50 Walnut Sundae, 24, 5c 85 Neapolitan, 24, 5e 1. &5 Yankee Jack, 24, 5c __ 85 Gladiator, 24, 10c ____ 1 60 Mich. Sugar ‘Ca., 24, 5c 85 Pal O Mine, 24, ‘Be ee Scaramouche, 24-10c 1 60 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. CREAM OF TARTAR 6 TD. boxes 2 a DRIED FRUITS Apples Evap. Choice, bulk =... 13 Apricots Evaporated, Choice ____ 18 ISvaporated, Fancy ____ 22 Evaporated Slabs __.__ 15 Citron 0-1). bowet so os 48 ‘Currants PRCROLS 40 OS 19 Boxes, Bulk, per Ib. __ 18 Greek, Bulk, Ib. _... 15% Peaches Evap. Choice, unp. ____ 12 fivap., Bix. Fancy, P. P. 17 Peel Lemon, American _.._ 25 Orange, American —____ 26 Raisins Seeded, Bulk 10% Seeded, bulk Calif... 09% Seedless, 15 ez. pkg. 12 Seedless, Thompson __ 11 Seeded, 15 oz. pkg. __ 12 California Sulanas __ 09% California Prunes 90-100, 25 Ib. boxes __@05S 80-90, 25 lb. boxes _.@09 70@80, 25 lb. boxes __.@10% 60@70, 25 lb. boxes __@liy, 50-60, 25 lb. boxes _.@12% 40-50, 25 lb. boxes __@15 30-40, 25 lb. boxes - --@171%4 FARINACEOUS GOODS Beans Med. Hand Picked __ 06% Cai timas 2 14 Brown, Swedish -___ 08% Red Midney 0c Farina 24 packapos <9 2 as Buik, per 100 libs. __ 053 Hominy Pearl, 100 Ib: sack —_ 2 75 Macaroni —- Domestic, 20 lb. box 0s Armours, 2 doz., 8 oz. 1 80 Fould’s, 2 doz., 8 oz. 1 su Quaker, 2 doz. ..._ 18 Pearl Barley Chester 00 and 0000 Barley Grits Peas Scotch, Ib. Split, ‘lb. yellow SPU, Precn 10 Sago East India Tapioca Pearl, 100 lb. sacks __ 11 Minute, 8 oz., 3 doz. 4 05 Dromedary Instant __ 3 50 FLAVORING EXTRACTS 1:20: 22 % ounce: 1 65 136624, ounee _. 2 20 2.18 ...24% ounce __ 3 60 2 40°. 2 ounce .. 3 30 4:50 2 4 ounce .. 6 00 % 10. 2-8 ounce __ 10 $0 15 00 -__16 ounce __ 20 00 2a DO 2 32> Oumee =. 38 00 Arctic Flavorings Vanilla or Lemon 1 oz. Parnel, doz. ...- 1 «0 2.02. Plat, Gog 2 00 3 oz. Taper, 40 bot. for 6 75 Smith’s Flavorings 2 On. Vania 2 00 2.0m. emon: 2. 2 40 202. Vania 38 50 Jiffy Punch os doz. Carton 2 3 2 25 Assorted flavors. FRUIT JARS Mason, pts., per gross 7 35 Mason, qts., per gross 8 65 Mason, % gal., gross 11 70 Ideal, Glass Top, pts. 8 9 Ideal Glass Top; qts. 10 76 Ideal Glass Top, PaNon 3 Ss 14 95 GELATINE Jello-O, 3. doz. _ 3 45 Knox’s Sparkling, doz. 2 25 Iknox’s Acidu’d, doz. 2 2é Biigute, (5 Got 2 4 05 Plymouth, Witte 5... 1 5b Outer. 3: doz.) 25... 2 70 HORSE RADISH Per. do0z., ) Om 3.2... 1 15 JELLY AND PRESERVES Pure, 30 Ib. pails ... 3 80 Imitation, 30 Ib. pails 1 90 Pure 7 oz. Asst., doz. 1 20 Buckeye, 22 oz., doz. 2 10 i April 2, 1924 JELLY @L - MICHIGAN 8 oz., per doz. —— Gel Car-Mo Srand TRADESMAN ao Oz, 2°46 : s OLEOMARGA Cy oz. in case moked Meats b. H Kent St Pine 12 2 Ib pails .—.--——~ fee 14-16, Ib. --21@ 24 Worcester 7 : 29 Good tack ee Brands. ih a ee ee ee Ib. _.21@ 26 _ No More, 18 Lg. 4 25 ~ ’ a c j Pp , . oO ia Luck, 2 = ---- 2b x Ib. oe in crate eats nee beef a Cal nouers Cleanser, 48, ae 7000 Luck aoa: He pale oe California Hams i —4 Sanit Wish 1 don __ 385 Medi pan 3 : core Pals ------<--- Ss 2. . = ; > lush, Medium -__- Gilt Bdge, 91 Ib. --- oe. Picnic Boiled 2@ 13 Peal Sapolio, 3 “ad, d08. <= 238 Chole 30@35 oes poe De ~ 95 PE o fans if yyQBSTERY Soapine, 100, 12 oz. — nee 11@5i moe a te oe TROLEUM propucts Eolled, Hams -- 34 @3t pree| eqeney. 16, 10° os €@ No. i Nite ae cia, 2 1D. 2320 42 21% Perfectio Iron Barrels Minced Hams __ 14 @15 ie SH Snowboy, 24 ta mz 400 1 Ib. pke. Sif eee 62 G Swift Brands. Red Gaui Gamal ef eee 18 @30 | Sab : Speedee, 3 doz ae - = iftings 16@17 em Nut ----- : Tank V oe ef ee Sunbrite, 72 doz. -——- ~alsiage Country roll__ 27 Gas Machine Geadliae ol! fo tea 00@24 00 ae Wyandotte, 48 Later 4 7 Choice Gunpowder a -- ; xé 9 , we — 5 ———— n_ Westenbrugge Brands C SP. Napntha 236 deg A id SF SPICES. ioe Carload s Capitol C 5 Meat Ww oes a ad Distributor Atlantic oo tna 39.9 Condensed No. 1 car. 2 00 ‘Alisoics, hole Spices. _. 38@40 Winter ed Engine_ 21.2 Condensed Bakers brick Bbls. 30-10 sk ie e, Jamaica -_-_ @13 Pek Ceylon Blade 12.2 Molst in glass = mee ee a a ——- Gag Fekoe, medium 59 ¢ > Pig’s Feet 3bls. 120-214 sks. __ 5 bb eacsia. Canton -____- @25 -------- 94 Hig. 100-3 lb. sl 2 sks. -_ 6 05 soe 9S pkg., doz. @ Enali olarine \% bbis., 35 a. 15 Bbis. 280 ee oes 6 05 oo Atrican 2 pee Gonsa e Breakfast 4 SLE ie 400 A-Butter bale: Si a Cochin -_-- @20 Congou, Medium -__.__ 28 hel ee 00 AA-B ee a 4 20 Mace, Penang ______- o ror = u, Choice ss “ Ir = utter M __---_-_@iG yngou, F @36 fac 0 1415 Plain 50-Ib. blks. __- ©20 ised be ph a eeu, Faney .-_. Oe Madium 0 2 ee 59.2 Kits, 15 Ibs. —--- $0 No. 1 Medium bbl. eee 52 Nut : Se pkgs., doz. @45 h Oolong Nucoa, 1 Ib. oo ao % hele, 2 ine. 16 Tecumseh 70-lb. farn 2 75 biaiinapiiectg 70-80 * ose oem -— Nucoa, 2 and 5 Ib._- 25 Special heavy _..... ao G tele. & ihe. a a Sk arm Pe megs, 105-110 -__- @45 Ghice 9 36 ae a a te 66.2 Toss, per ._ @42 Bae Weary. 94-9 cart 2 . ae pth ---- GI Fancy —_______ a < Rae as a Bee Soo ee Bags 25 : 2 35 C6 2. 5 cromtATEME® ag HaNVer"ogn Gee fg Se te ee ee, Gee oer — 9 eres Diamond, 144 box ____ o @ oz. cans, doz. 1.40 Sheep, a a Bags 01 airy 40 Cloves, Zanzi ee Coton,t 3 ply Searchlight, ae i : 00 Finol, § oz. cans, doz. 1.90 skein 1 75@2 00 20ck “ae dairy 76 Cassia, porate __. @45 Cotton, 3 Lene ree a ted Stick, 720 1c bx © 00 partow a 100: Ib 2 2 29 : : | paces 76. Ginger, African _____ @25 Wool, 6 ply palis __ §2 Red Diamond, 144 ro es So a : = Le F aDCY Mos 0 Seo Meotand a @33 eee 96 : oe Db. = 8. Nose $ar Mace Ponane @28 vi eine. $3 perce, 2 ono; a ee Sate @80 a r, 40 aon 22 : - case 4 75 ROLLED OATS | SOAP Peppe ee @ 42 ite Win [eS ~ M OAT: = per, Black .. soe ‘ine, 80 er 96 None ates MEAT Sc Cut, 100 Ib. _ 475 Pepper, White --— @18 White Wine, 40 ahs 2 Quaker, 3 d doz. -_ 4 85 Silver Flake, 12 Fam. 2 30 Am. es 10 Pepper, Cayenne —_-. oe : Libby 2 a coe = 3 50 quaker: 18 Hoe 7° Export, 196 oo box 8 99 Paprika, Spanish ___ Ss — ees : ae eb, 1D. 22 aker. 12s Family N 2 ‘lake White 0 oo Yo. 0, per gross —— MOLASSES. Mothers, 12s, aie : 75 Fels moa 100 box 4 40 Chili Po Sones ag 1, per gross oes 76 Silver Flake, 1 25 Grdm th 700 box 550 C weer the .. 136 3 o. 2, per aes Sacks 90 Ib.” — : 45 Rub No a Na. 100s 4 50 oe ae 1a. = No. 3, per eae ae 50 Senn pas Bouin pearal Gna 2 X Pe ore Wh s , da Peerle: gross ____ 2 00 Sacks, 90 lb. Cotton __ 2 ‘5 - Naptha, 100 — 5 Gnion Salt 2 90 Sp eo Rolls, per doz. s SALERATUS Swift Classic, 100 box (0 Geechee 135 R er, No. 2, doz Arm and Ram 20 Mul 400 fox 4 40 Penelty 314 of. 1 35 Rochester, No. 3 - 50 . Seees in ee wea ie ae ot Ee aoe. ee Granulated SODA Fairy, 100 on... 68) Law ee ee 80 ( ted, bbis. —. 2 00 Jap R box ... 5 60 rel Leaves WOODE shag d. 100 ibs. es 2 25 Pa ye 100 box _... 7 &5 Marjoram, 1 oz. ___-_- 20 NWARE ranulated, 36 2% Ib. Lav live, 144 box ML ec ho aan Baskets packages __ oe Po te a 4 90 qo 1 oz — be age narrow band 25 Digg ag Sow : Poe ta : s : COD FISH Rwaceicant, i. Oe ee 99 Bushels ae —— 1 75 Semdac, 12 pt. cans 2 Middles —____ Grand , 100 box . & 70 wea arrow band Semdac, 12 qt. cans 4 = Tablets, 1 Ib. Pure _-__ 16 Grandpa Tar, 50 sm. 2 00 STARCH a on 1 N Gold Brer Rabbit PICKLES : io % Ib. Pure, — 20 Quaker ike 345 Kingsford ie 111 Market, aon hana “2 ee ees aed . fe > ee ’ ea cee, Marke A andle No. Sue ae ie case 5 55 Biol te ee 49 00 eee boxes, Pure __. a Fairbank mee Le 2 0 ee aa” oe a 03% tee se handle 95 Sia 236 26 cane ie §0 Half bbls., 600 count wa oa CT Se r, 106 bx 4.00 Cream, 4 S oe ae a, ee 1 50 J : 5 es £1050 + Holland Herring | 1 xy Soap, It e mm 43-1 splint, lar D No. 1%, 36 cans id . : . 10 gallon kegs ____- : es wicca ee Herring wn cakes ee 10e, ay Giuamer. 46-1 4 * Splint, ana Seas 8 60 Ne tae ie gai S™ ae Gee ane Havin |, was aber Ba se Argo a cP Shunt, Small” Soon 8 8 No. 5, 12 ouee ce 20 30 por ie mid 88 Se TS ee ; fe Ge iia, per dos: 46 Avge, —. oe se Cha : No. 2%, 24 oe 445 5 gallon, a 43 68 Milkers, kegs __------ 1 25 Acea, & & Ib. pkgs. __ 2 74 Barrel, 5 gal : oat cs. 4 70 on; 500 ¥. MK ee oe Pro eee on Ib. pEgs. ___ 3 Barr + each. 2 40 No pes pias io can 4 00 ae Dill Pickles. = = M, half bbis. 9 00 ‘as Caren Sl gat Ph 1s on 3 to Ve geo sah 2 55 | inah Brand 300 Size, 15 gal 10 Y. M. Bbis ceo a ob ose pkes. 5 35 . - 2. Ie : ‘ pee 00 ee ox lots, Tiger, 48- 5 35 No. city . cans to case 3 00 Cob I PES K _ __ Herring 17 50 Ivory, 100, 6 Pea Tiger, 0 Ibs oe 50 No. 1 Sad Cases. Ne Seo ee an ee Ivory, 100,10 02° ----10 88 7" Ma Aas eee ee ae No. lip: eee ei PLAYING CARDS Rg | no enema - a a ee [eo eo CORN SYRUP ve) (Carrier. 10 S ; ns oe cs. 3 00 sroadway, per d ae much oe es vory Soa Fiks.. 100s . No a a agg Trays 4 5 Fancy One rai aro Bley a LET a aoe oe boxes —- = Ivory Soap FIks. 50s : +P 6. 4, Se Nea Sear? 00 ; pen Kettle 68 beck. Lake Herring _ vs Choice: 2. SOEPGR ke Gee eee 450 % bbl. 10 9 i Mop Stick oe 2 x. ROTASM oe 6 50 Trojan spring s iigit baaeols be cht 32 Babbitt’s 2 doz 2 75 Tubs, 100 —— el Eclipse pat .. oo 2 00 barrels 5c extra es 2 eo 1 eee b. fn TO ent sprin Molasses fe ee FRESH MEATS Tubs, 60 oo - - CLEANSERS. Tdeal” _ brush hold 3 a Dove, 36, 2. lb. Wh. L. 560 Top_S — White Fish _ A 12 ¢ 0. 7 --------- 1 25 Dove, 24, 2% lb Wh. L 5 20 a ee & Heif. 18@19 Med. Fancy, 100 Ib. 13 00 WS, IC 7c Cot. Mop Heads 2 55 Loye: 36, 2 lb. Black 4 ; 390 Med aoe & Heif. 16@17 cies aa. : Penic Syru z. Ct. Mop Heads 3 00 bere. 24, 2% Ib. Biack 3 90 Com. Steers & Heif. 12@13 2 in 1, oa eT p Pai Palmett 10 Ib. Blue L 4 45 oe € Hei, 1012 3B. Z. Combination, dz. 1 35 eo 10 qt. Galvanized i 6. 24) 26 1b 4 6b ows. Dri-Foot z. 1 35 P ob Gu 2 50 ‘ ' ° +: GOR. enick G it. Galvanize a oe Good roo # aa Des. 1 2° S 10 Ib. oo sxe > 90 . at. Sonat me Whole cs. — fa on, om cane co. a 2 qt. Flaring Gal. Ir. 5 Almonds, Terregona- 20 Cuan, mannan ee 90 94, 236 ih. oe ee 310 10 qt. Tin ~ oe. Ir. 5 00 Brazil, Large -------- 99 No --------------- 06 BI STOVE POLISH. a4. 1% Ib. cans ______ 3 20 12 Gt. Tim Date ---- 4 50 Lael weed 18 20 Top eal. Bleck Silk’ 1 doz. __ 1:35 Coun a --=--- 2 20 y 5 Filberts, Sicily ------ 5 a 12 = iquid, dz. 14 ystal White Syru Tra Hace Virginia, raw 0 09% went or ees 30 a Paste, doz. 1 po ee 410 Ib. cans ___._ wiley 40 Mouse, wood, ie Presb i Vir. roasted 11 7 ~---------- 08 Ena Mae Paste, doz. 1 35 24. 2 5 Ib. cans ------~-- 3 60 Mouse, wood, 6 holes ~~ < hapa Jumbo, raw 12 Good — E e Tian Liquid, dz. 1 35 24. 2% |b. cans --_--- 3 75 Mouse, tin, 5 holes __-_ be Peanuts, Jumbo, fae 24 Too ee ie ~ 1% Ib. cans —--. i ee oh 0 -ecans, star ------ 23 Pe we ee 2 j % fF doz. —___ 1 85 enick Maple- Rat, aa. Ul : pecan. Jumbo —----- - Or =--—< 16 ane per doz. 1 35 6, 10 Ib. pst Like Syrup ue a 1 o¢ Valnuts, Naples ---. 22 Good utton. Vulea mee Enamel, dz. 2 80 1. 6 cans -2 — Fane Salted Peanuts. A aa ee ea waar No. 5, doz. 95 24. 2% Ib. cans ___-. ~ : 85 Tubs ancy, No. 1 2 it ee 10 gtae nol, No. 10, doz. 1 35 o4 1% ib cans _____ 2 50 Large Galvanized Jumbo: 2... --_-_-_-_-—_— 23 De ey --==------- 06 ovoll, per doz. .._- 2 00 a. 3 05 Medium ee ed = 8 50 \Imonds ee Modi hogs. 08 Colo ial ana Blue Baro, No. 1%. Small Galvanized __. 6 b0 ue S$ ------------- 48 aiivii Nese 2 ‘olonial, 24, 2 Ib. . : 9 doz . ae ident hogs -------—- 09% Tog Cabin 24-2 Ib. case 1 gs 80 can cases, $4.80 per case Blue Maro, Nor 61 da 318 Be Washboards 125 Ib. bags 5--- 16 cs 09 Med. No. 1, Bbl 90 Hina aro. No. z.315 Banner, Globe oe bers ——— oe ee i Med. No. 1,100 Ib. bet > ao Mm as se a ee ‘cca t SVerldans —— Farmer S 2 Red K: oo ra aT 5 Glass, single ____-—- ) W alnuts ee eC. eS Pausacniatel oo nes 10 Packers 5 ar a o - WASHING POWDERS doz. ge - ah > CF Poot’ Peerless Se ; = * OLIVES. Sonreriie « ay s as for ice cream : 7 eee ee Mo 6 1 da 2 vo Se Peerless ___--. 7 50 nue pee PEE oe al oan On hose se ee a, Cee eS ee ooo co” oe : et: ceeuieone : Sa : - i f ‘ee . enh = as Be ee ee PROVISIONS Butter Salt, Tb, ——- #1 Glimaline, 4doz. <4 20 Orange, 9 eee ue Gie.Sads dozen -- § 30 Cuan Back 2°56 Bate REL games 0 18 omnes. Ne E a ee Jars, dozen -__ 3 25 lear Back __ 23 00@24 60 ere ; eee 6 07 srandma, 24 La aoe range, No. 5 S| d aa 14 ~--------------- 1 65 4 oz. Jar, plain, doz. ae Creer ce Clear 22 oo 60. 5 Ib. Table 7 Gold Dust sarge _ 4 00 , min Mim 5 5% ; ; ae ae. i] 00@23 00 39. 10 Ib. ------ 5 57 st, 100s 2. 4 3 Maple. i ee ae 1 85 bi Ot ea a ae | 00@28 00 28 Ib. ee ° Ss Gold Dust, 12 Large 3 0 Green Label Karo, 5 1, Wood Gowls 2 30 16% , Plain. doz. 235 ¢« ¥ ry Salt Meats ee tolden Rod. 24 _- oz. 2 doz. ———-- Ww 4 oy 6 a : se © P Bellies -_ 16 00@13 00 Sing, 4 doe ; TS abel Karo, _ 1 13 tn. Butter a 6 oz. Jar, ciatea dc tn #* bt Lard La France Laun, 4 dz. 3 60 “ i én _.. 8 40 - in, ater 8 S 9 oz. Jar, Stuffed. doz. 3 60 Ture f ubs -.--advance % Luster Box, 54 375 K aple and Cane mn Butter -----.--18 00 12 oz. Jar, Stuffed oh . in tierces _____- a ——) 5 canuck, per gal. ---- 1 65 Sin. Botter oo 95 00 20x Jar, atulfed 50@4 75 80 Ib. oo . wR ae ar, stuffed dz. 700 2° 1h as ----advance ¥ wm «= Sucar Bird, 8 oz, 4 9 00 APPING P " | Pais 2 , F pees iret Sugar Bird, 8 = APER PEANUT BUTTER. ee pails a + eet Tele : eer doz. et 12 00 -. ao white_ 05% % & Ih. pails ----advance 1 i i Maple : Bute elgg ee rca Pets _.--advance 1 ALT: pe a nor nai 2 ove Manila -—- 06 . rare RON elchs, per gal. —---- oe Kran Stipe 094 res a eee ice aa eT OE p Rologna ------—--- 12 Gass) TABLE SAUCES. ' ee ge —--— 7 Pant Miracl Lea & Perrin, large-- 6 00 M Yeas? CARE 0 ogee aan 3 firac sea, 2 i tees are 16 ee sae = oz.,1dz2 25 Pep Perrin, small-. 3 35 ti hy og -———-———= 270 Veal a — 18020 Gusen Aur 7s 2 40 Royal Mint ---------- 180 Sunlight, a 7 ie Sirien. 106 c z.... 240 ‘Tobasco, Zor... Yeast foa Sm SS Headcheese ae 11 Per case, 24 2 lbs a. O25 5 25 Sho You, 9 oz., da Saas 425 Yeast wise . dos. .. 2 16 ee 14 ‘Five case lots -____- 5 20 ub No More, 100 ,10 A-1, large oo o » 1% doz. 1 35 on ‘a. at a oe 8G Capers, 2 a. Bees = oe eens eischman, per doz. 30 30 Michigan Good Roads Program For 1924. A total of 733.47 miles of new State trunk line construction is contained in the 1924 program now authorized by the State Highway Department. Of this total, 525 miles will be pavement, of which 374 miles will be newly au- thorized construction and 151 miles will be work started in 1923. This huge amount of paving will eclipse any other year. As the biggest paving year until 1924 saw the com- pletion by the State of 267 miles, this year’s program for hard-surfaced roads is almost double that mileage. The remainder of the 1924 program in- cludes gravel, grading and drainage. The program involves a total estimat- ed cost of about $15,000,000. While the 374 miles of proposed new paving would take about $12,000,- 000 at $30,000 a mile, labor and some other factors, including direct purchasing, by the State, are expected to keep expenditures within the estimated total. This 1924 program includes the most traveled trunk use of prison important and heavily lines in the State. The Grand River Road, M-16, from Detroit to Grand Rapids, will have seventy-one miles of paving, at an estimated cost of $2,228,- 000. Practically all the route between Lansing and Detroit will be paved after this year’s work has been completed. It will require about forty miles of concrete to close the present gaps. Be- tween Lansing and Grand Rapids, on this road, about twenty-nine miles of paving will be done in Clinton and counties. The across county remain due to the re- the county to meet its share of the cost on a new location of the Kent stretch Tonia probably will gravel for the present, fucal road in the Southern part of the county to shorten the distance between Lan- Grand Rapids by thirteen miles. Included in the program is $325,000 for the improvement of M-14 between Jackson and the Capital City, There will not be money enough to pave all this road, but some paving will be done and the remainder will be other- wise improved. Other large projects included in the program are 76.31 miles of paving and gravel on M-10 up to the East side of the State at an estimated cost of $1,- 990,750. Over on the West side of the State, M-11, known as the West Michigan Pike, will get seventy-one miles, mostly paving, at an estimated cost of $2,034,000. It is the purpose of this year’s pro- gram to bring as near to completion as time and money will permit the con- struction of all main trunk lines, North and South and East and West, between principal terminals for the benefit of business and touring traffic. In many instances, as shown on the detailed program, gaps will be filled. Of the total program for this year, the Upper Peninsula will get 127.85 miles of new roads at an estimated cost of $1,389,000. This part of the plan will also fill in many gaps in the trunk lines across that part of the State and includes a share of the pav- ing. The coming spring and summer will be the first time the State will use sing and about MICHIGAN TRADESMAN prison labor during an entire road- building season. During the past year 660 convicts were taken from the State prisons and reformatories and formed into crews to build the State’s roads. The State officials have claim- ed economies through the use of the prison labor. The convicts receive $1 per day, in addition to their meals and a place to stay. As a result of last year’s experience it is planned to use 800 convicts on highway construction this year. At present the largest prison camp is located at Meridian in Ingham county, close to M-16, the Detroit- Grand Rapids route. Men have been at work throughout the winter at this camp, which is permanent at least until M-16 1s completed. Another winter camp was maintain- NET WEtaeT ONE POUND ed near Brighton, also on M-16, and there is another near Augusta, where the men are now working on the pavement within the Camp Custer reservation, making the grade ready for straightening a right-angle curve. This piece of roadway has been turned over to the State by the Federal Gov- ernment. During the winter, been busy doing all the work prelim- inary to the laying of pavement when the season opens in the spring. Their activities have included grading, re- locations to avoid railroad crossings, preparing for grade separation and eliminating bad curves and_ right- angle turns. Elimination of bad shortening of mileage on the highways is illustrated near Okemos on M-16, prisoners have curves. and April 2, 1924 where a dangerous railroad crossing is to be done away with through the construction of separate grades. Sey- eral bad curves have already been eliminated from this road. > A Penn, grocer at 5686 14th street, Detroit and a_ subscriber to the Tradesman for the past three years, follows; “I have enjoyed reading the Tradesman for the past three years. You are doing a wonder- ful work for the welfare of Michigan business men and whenever I have a chance to recommend the Tradesman, I will surely do it gladly.” —_—_2->___ Old Jog-Trot may have managed to run a little shop and make a living in the old days, but to-day the proces- sion will leave him behind to starve. writes as soar ON pee cece ich) Sasha's April 2, 1924 Corporations Wound Up. The following Michigan corpora- tions have recently filed notices of dis- solution with the Secretary of State: Broadview Live Stock & Dairy Farming Co., Fremont. M. G. Soper Co., Detroit. Premier Amusement Co., Detroit. Community Motor Sales, Ltd., Detroit. Johnson Oil Refining Co., Chicago. Escanaba Land & Improvement Co., Es- canaba. Superior Silver Black Fox Co., Muskegon. Hlite Building Corporation, Detroit. ae Products Corporation, Grand Rap- ids. Runyen Manufacturing Rapids. Co., Grand —-—_>- The tragedy of the quitter is that he usually stops just as his second wind is rushing to the rescue. ceo er renee Hides, Pelts and Furs. . Hides. Green, No. Pe 06 Greon, NO 228 05 Cured: No. too 07 Cured; No. 200 06 Caltskim, Green, No. 1 2.000 13 Calfskin, Green, No. 2 0 Lt Calfskin, Cured,- No: 2 2.2). 13 Calfskin, Cured, No. 2 22). 002 11% Horse, NOO Eee 3 56 Horse; No. 2 2200 2 bo Pelts. Old Wool 222.00 1 00@2 00 Pamps 228 75@1 25 Shearlings: 2.220 2 50@1 v0 Tallow. Prime 06 No. 1 05 No. 2 04 Wool. Unwashed, medium ______________ @40 Unwashed, rejects 2... @30 Unwashed, fine ..:§.)0 Wu AGENTS: In MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS and WISCONSIN to handle the fastest selling AUTOMOBILE TROU- BLE LIGHT on the market. New Patented Suction Grip. Send for sample inclosing One _ Dollar. Money Back if not satisfied. EX- CLUSIVE TERRITORY to right arty. ee CENTRAL STATES SPECIALTY CO. (Not Inc.) 448 Henry Street. DETROIT, MICHIGAN. MICHIGAN T It Comes Home. When a bit of kindness hits you After passing of a cloud; When a fit of laughter gets you And your spine is feeling proud; Don’t forget to up and fling it At a soul that’s feeling blue; For the moment that you sling it It’s a boomerang to you. = 4 — 50 S28 | 4 \ On Oo / pi) pikes Page N Sets ~ Patent applied for CONKLIN BROOM DISPLAY RACK Made of % inch wire with Price Card Holders. Finished Green Enamel. Takes very little floor space. 33 in. High, 30 in. Long, 8 in. Wide. Price $5.50 F. O. B. Grand Rapids. LEE S. CONKLIN 2022 Francis Ave. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 1882 - am CHAS.A.COYE. ai 1 TENTS | TONS Z Mm i| FLAGS i u TO oie AWNINGS AND TENTS - 1924 We make a specialty of Rope Pull Up and Roller Awnings with Cog Gear Fixtures. Our stock of White and Khaki Duck and Awning Stripes is very complete. Quality of materials and workman- ship, not cheapness, has always been our motto. Ask for our blanks giving full in- structions how to take measurements. Don’t buy until you get our prices and samples. Grand Rapids, Mich. Chocolates Package Goods of Paramount Quality and Artistic Design THERE IS MONEY FOR YOU IN 5c. and 10c. Bars. TRY Mites ....__-...- 10c OF bal... 5c CHOC LOGS __-_-- 5c STRAUB CANDY COMPANY Traverse City, Mich. 1018 Clinton St., Saginaw, W.S., Mich. RADESMAN 31 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 Insertion. If set in capital letters, double price. No charge less than 50 cents. display advertisements in this department, $3 per inch. Small Payment with order is required, as amounts are too small to open accounts. For Sale—Small grocery stock and fix- tures. Must move out of building. Write for particulars. C. B. Tuger, St. Louis, Mich. 535 General Stores—Few good ones on sale at right price. Excellent trading centers. To buy a business or sell yours quickly for cash, write Sales Manager, Chicago Business Exchange, 327 S. LaSalle St., Chicago. 536 BUTCHER SHOP and GROCERY COM- BINED—I own a very fine, old establish- ed stand, with tools, fixtures, ete., the only meat market at the present time in an exceptionally good location in Mich- igan. I recently came in possession of this property and, living in Wisconsin, I cannot handle it. The banker or any- body in town will tell you what I have. $1,500 down, the balance in payments. O. H. Adams, 330 Caswell Block, Mil- waukee, Wisconsin. 537 For Sale—Sheet metal and_ furnace business, including house, lot, and shop in rear. Shop is large enough for plumb- ing in connection. Address F. G. Ober- lin, 214 South Larch St., Lansing, Mich- igan. 538 FOR SALE—Lease and fixtures consist- ing of three floor revolving clothing cab- inets 7 feet long, 4 feet 5 inches wide, 4 feet 3 inches high, just like new. Also two floor cases each 10 feet long, and one case 8 feet long electric wired. Will sell it at a big sacrifice. The best location in town. Has been a clothing, shoe and furnishing store for twenty-live years. A wonderful opportunity for somebody. Kinquire of A. M. Radin, Lakeview, Mich. 569 For Sale—7x8 ice box. First class condition. J. H. Shoemaker, Lyon, Mich. 540 SALESMAN WANTED — Acquainted with clothing, dry goods and general store trade to sell well known line of high grade overalls in Northern Michigan. Territory embracing everything north from Ludington and Bay City. ‘i'his line has been sold in this territory for over twenty-five years and trade is well estab- lished. Hither main or side line. THE IDEAL CLOTHING CO., Grand Rapids, Mich. o41 Wanted—Salesman for general store. One who is familiar with groceries and dry goods. Must furnish references as to honesty. R. J. Bolster, Climax, Mich. 542 Wanted—Saleslady who is familiar with dry goods business. Must come. well recommended as to honesty and char- acter. R. J. Bolster, Climax, Mich. 543 For Sale—Meat market in Southern Michigan. Fully equipped. Must sell, ill health. Address No. 544, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 544. COLLEGE TOWN WITHOUT LAUN- DRY—City laundry at Big Rapids, Mich- igan, for sale at a bargain. Ferris Insti- tute annual enrollment 2,000. Permanent population 5,000. No other laundry with- in forty miles. Terms. Write W. A. Stillwell, Secretary Board of Trade. 524 Wanted—Safe about 1200 pounds. G. A. Johnson, Carlshend, Mich. 525 For Sale—Restaurant and confectionery on M46. Lease on building three years. Only one in town. Address No. 526, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 526 For Sale—Ten-foot display rack. Dayton vegetable Been used:less than six months. For one-half price of new one. Ford Davis, 12 W. Chicago St., Cold- water, Mich. 527 For Sale—5 acres, good six-room house, gas, electricity, water, good garden spot, Grapes clear $250 per year. Four blocks to post office and car line. Cheap if sold in thirty days. Bessie Kunkel, Spring Lake, Mich. 532 Wanted—A customer who ean handle about 500 pounds or less of good butter each week. Fairview Creamery Co., Fairview, Mich. 534 Store Fixtures Wanted—What have you in cash registers, show cases, Scales, add- ing machines, etc. A. L. Redman, Olney, Tl. Sts For Sale—Restaurant and confectionery on M13, about forty miles trom Petoskey. Doing good business. Asthma reason for selling. No. 519, c/o Michigan Trades- man. 519 For Sale—General store, stock and fix- tures, $6,500. 3usiness well established. Annual sales $45,000. Location has won- derful future. Terms to reliable party. Al. Brown, 77 East Hancock St., gta oa For Sale—Modern store building an] residence, electric lighted, water systein. bath, furnace, garage, good. barn, etc., in small town. Good farming com nunity. Also general stock of groceries, dry goods and shoes. Well, established. growing business. Good reasons for selling. George H. Brown, Crystal Valley, og For Sale—Principal undertaking bus - ness and furniture stock in a live city. Old established trade. Will sell under- taking alone, or both; and either sell or rent building. Age and poor health co::- pel me to sell. Address No. i04, c/o Michigan Tradesman. 504 Pay spot cash for clothing and furnish - ing goods stocks. Li. . Silberman, 250 Burlingame Ave., Detroit, Mich. 566 feed and grocery For Sale—Flour, L business. Also business doing a fine buildings and real estate. Located on finest corner in the city. 87 feet on main street, 180 feet on side street. Store building 22x100. Hay barn, two small warehouses, large store shed, small store building on corner occupied as a millin- ery store. Good reason for selling. Ad- dress No. 208, c-o Michigan 7 CASH For Your Merchandise! Will buy your entire stock or part of stock of shoes, dry goods, clot'ing, fur- nishings, bazaar novelties, furniture, ect. LOUIS LEVINSOHN, Saginaw, Mich. or township clerk. is as follows: TITLE RETAINING Under a recent decision of the Michigan Supreme Court, title notes are not valid unless recorded with the city, village This means that they must embody affidavits setting forth the conditions under which the notes are uttered. We have had our attorney prepare proper drafts of notes covering this requirement and can furnish same in any quantity desired on short notice. me... tr. TRADESMAN COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS (nee Paes $6.75 eo ea $8.25 NOTES Our price for these notes e 32 ILLEGAL TRADE PRACTICES. Methods Forbidden By Federal Trades Commission. Discontinuance of the words “two- ply” or “three-ply” in connection with the advertisement and sale of roofing material composed of only one thick- ness or layer is required of a New York manufacturer of roofing material. In addition to branding certain of its prepared roofing as being more than one thickness, when such was not the fact, the commission also found, it says, that the public and the trade were deceived by the company’s desig- nation of certain of its smooth sur- face roofing material as Everlastic “Rubber” Roofing, when, as a matter of fact, the commission asserts, the material did not have any rubber in its composition. The found, according to its report, that the company used the words “(One-Ply) Light Weight,” ‘(Two-Ply) Medium Weight,’ and “(Three-Ply) Heavy Weight,” notwithstanding that the Prepared Roofing Association of which the company was at the time a mem- ber adopted a resolution that the trade should be educated “to use the terms ‘light,’ ‘medium,’ and ‘heavy’ in place of ‘one-ply,’ ‘two-ply,’ and ‘three-ply.’ ” Labeling an article with fictitious prices at which it is not intended that the article is to be sold is held by the commission to be an unfair business practice. In accordance with the rul- ing, a prohibitory order has been js- sued against a New York firm engaged in the manufacture of fountain pens. The firm, the commission explains, manufactured a certain style of foun- tain pen on which it placed labels bearing the price mark of $10, which was later changed to $6.50. The pens were then sold to jobbers who mar- keted them to retailers, and they were ultimately bought by the public at prices ranging from $2 to $3 for each pen. The findings further assert that the resale prices placed on the pens enable retail dealers to defraud the purchasing public by representing that such pens are of high grade, and reas- onably worth the false and fictitious prices placed on them; and that they also have the tendency to mislead and deceive the purchasing public by in- ducing buyers to purchase the pens in the erroneous belief that the marked prices are the usual selling prices. A New York concern engaged in the manufacture-of knitted scarfs and sweaters has been charged with simu- lation of a competitor’s company name and trademark. The use of the con- cérn’s corporate name and the adop- tion of a trademark depicting an In- dian’s head enclosed in two concentric circles is alleged to confuse and mis- lead the trade and the general public into the belief that it is identical with the Shawmut Woolen. Mills of Stough- ton, Mass., when as a matter of fact there is no affiliation between the two concerns, declares the Commission. How far may a concern legitimately go in annexing to its sales force per- sons who were formerly employed by a competing company with the effect of drawing to itself trade that had commission also- MICHIGAN TRADESMAN been held by the competitor through those sales agents? This question is now before the commission. A Chi- cago company engaged in the manu- facture of perfumes and toilet articles is cited in the complaint, and with it are named a number of distributors of the company’s products. The com- pany is said to have obtained the ser- vices of a woman who had formerly been employed by a competing com- pany, for the purpose of procuring state and local distributors. The em- ploye so obtained from the competing company, the complaint continues, thereupon secured about 90 per cent. of the total number of distributors formerly employed by the competing company, and with the connivance and consent of the company named in the complaint, passed off and sold to the public its products as those of. the ‘competing company. Further allega- tions are that the Chicago manufac- turer made false and misleading state- ments regarding the competing com- pany and its products, particularly that the Chicago company was manufactur- ing and offering through its agents the original products of the competing company. Co-operation to suppress and elim- inate competition in the sale and dis- tribution of drugs and druggists’ sup- plies is charged against two New York wholesalers of drugs and druggists’ supplies and a trade publication. Ac- cording to the complaint the following methods have been used to eliminate competition: Causing advertisements of competitors to be refused and re- jected by trade publications; prevent- ing and forestalling competitors from buying in commerce commodities dealt in by the two wholesalers; injuring and destroying the business reputation and credit of competitors. The using of false and misleading statements for the purpose of inducing the sale of its product is charged against an Indianapolis firm engaged in the manufacture of hosiery, which is marketed through salesmen who solicit orders direct from the public by house-to-house canvass. Both in advertisements and through the sell- ing talk of salesmen, the firm is alleg- ed to have made the erroneous state- ment that four thousand persons in Japan were working exclusively in the production of silk used by the firm. Further alleged misrepresentations outlined in the complaint are that the company’s hosiery is what is known as “tubular” woven hosiery, with a seam added in whole or in part un- necessarily to simulate fashioned hos- iery; and that the hosiery manufactur- ed. offered for sale by the firm is “real silk” or “‘silk,’ when as a matter of fact, the complaint contends, the hos- iery so represented is not wholly com- posed of silk, but the top, toe and heel are of cotton and the sole a mixture of cotton and silk. Questionable use of the words “Eng- lish Broadcloth” bobs up again in a. case against two shirt manufacturers of New York City. On investigating its complaint, the commission found, it says, that the two manufacturers bought cotton fabric termed “broad- cloth’ made by American mills, and isanufactured shirts from that mater- ial which they sold to retailers as “English Broadcloth.” Further find- ings are that the manufacturers also manufactured shirts from “Airplane Cloth” and other fabrics which were not of a broadcloth construction and did not have their origin in ‘England, and labeled them “English Broad- cloth.” The term “English Broad- cloth,” the findings explain, is under- stood by the purchasing public to signify and represent material import- ed from England. The use of labels bearing the words “English Broad- cloth“ as used by the firm, the findings continue, are literally false, the cloth of which the garments were made not being made in England, and therefore deceived not only the retailers but a substantial portion of the purchasing public into the belief that the shirts so labeled are made of material imported from England. That deception was due primarily to the words of the la- bel, the commission found. A tendency to mislead the public is discovered by the Commission in the application of the word “engraving“ to stationery printed from type in a manner to simulate printing from cop- per plates. In this case, according to the complaint, a New York printer prints invitations, announcements, call- ing cards, letterheads, envelopes and similar social and business stationery by a process which he designates as “plateless engraving.” This printing, the complaint contends, is produced by the use of a chemical in powdered form which is applied to type print while ink is still wet. The chemical ad- heres to the wet ink and in passing through a baking process the heat causes it to fuse and present a raised letter effect so as to resemble in ap- pearance or simulate the impression made from engraved plates known as “engraving.” The printer, the complaint charges, uses in his advertising matter the fol- lowing legends: “Exactly Duplicating Copper Plate Work,” Engraved and Embossed Effect.” ——_+--.———_ Gabby Gleanings From Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids, April 1—Mrs. E. L. Swaverly writes Gabbv that the Hotel Sieting, at Kalkaska, is now open and aay to take care of the traveling pub- ic, The Ideal Clothing Co. has been or- ganized with an authorized capital stock of $15,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in. The officers are as follows: President, Claude C. Robinson; Vice-President, J. E. Robinson; Secretary, Arthur D. Carrell; Treasurer, M. V. Carrel. The new company has absorbed all the assets of the old company which did business under the same name. Roy L. Mills has been employed to cover the trade of the near-by towns. Other travelers will be aded to the force as fast as desirable alliances can be made. Joseph Winegarden has engaged in the confectionery and ice cream busi- ness at 1516 Plainfield avenue. The soda fountain and fixtures, including tables and chairs, were furnished by the Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co. The Wolverine Metal Specialties Co. has received an order for radiator caps from one house in Chicago which ag- gregates $102,000. It is a condition of April 2, 1924 the order that the goods be shipped complete before July 1. C. A. Robinson, who recently en- gaged in the drug business on Franklin street, has purchased a complete set of store fixtures of the Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Co. The Odessa Chemical Co. has re- moved its Cart-o-lene (lice specific) busineg ‘from Lake Odessa to Grand Rapids. A small boy wis sitting on the curb- stone in front of a West side grocery store in a disconsolate manner. The sympathetic proprietor went out to ask what was the matter. replied, “Grandfather's dead.’ Re- flecting a moment, the groceryman said, “Did he have insurance?” “No,” said the boy, “heart failure.” ——_+-~»—____ News and Gossip From Fair Onaway. Onaway, April 1—Angus Belding, who has been attending the Ferris in- stitute, has finished his course and is spending a few days at home before entering upon his duties as a clothing salesman. He expects to make De- troit his headquarters. Angus is en- ergetic and well experienced in the salesmanship art. We predict a bright future for him. For a number of years Ed. Davies conducted the Singer sewing machine agency in our city, later entering the employ of the American Wood Rim Co. He then moved with his family to Detroit and we were shocked to learn of his death last week. The re- mains were brought to Onaway and interred in the family lot at the South Allis cemetery. A large number of relatives and friends attended the fun- eral. Judging from the preparations that are being made, Onaway will have a base ball team this year which promises to attract some attention. The Onaway-Cheboygan Fair Associa- tion is sponsoring the proposition and the fans will have a feast. J. Frank Morford, Cashier of the Onaway State Savings Bank, has re- turned from his vacation in Florida. It is nice, perhaps, to escape the Michi- gan winters, but the escape was only partial; there is still an opportunity to enjoy a taste of real winter, for March has been only fooling us and_ her reputation for being an outlaw month ‘has been vindicated by a real honest- to-goodness blizzard and snow block- ade on the railroads and highways Saturday and Sunday. - The drifts are about as high as at any time during the winter and snowplows are the order of the day. Mayor William Haskin and ex- mayor Vet Verbeck, grocery mer- chants, are entering the race for city commissioner; two candidates only; all eyes centered upon the big race. Hugo Scholz, manager of the Silver Lake ranch, is confined to the house with rheumatism at his city residence in Onaway. Hugo has always bee: an active, husky fellow and capable of conducting this 25,000 acre ranch very successfully. It will require the ex- treme efforts of a new man to fill the position and attend to every detail. I: another month the visiting fishermen will begin to arrive. They will require guides and nobody can lead them to the favorite spots as well as Hugo. Then there are thousands of acres to be put into shape for crops. The sleek, smooth-coated work teams, driv- ing horses and saddlers will become impatient and cham their bits.* The deer and wild game which are being protected on this vast game reserve are fortunate, indeed, to be under the protection and care of one who loves and appreciates them. Squire Signal. A bore is a person who talks when you want to. —~-+._____ The man who bluffs is often on a precipice. The boy: “a Kee -