6 ) AS 4 ©) Sp) 5h ) ( 0} SRP OOS SO N(HhOS Ss TE3 WS R (SAS IG Ors <= £23 x We wre ea cane eole SORE ADIN SNE INS ARC CUES EN GVEA \ ar \ y ai x fy 2 (4 Z: aN wa Em x rN ) SO 2 S Cg 1G + oe EN bY a IN (5) Xo) eR) A] Se 7 Nv Se BZN Ns = ond S ; Eoatewery ee. Maes aC ae ee ew 3 Mes SINS 2 KLY (GC Z7¢ TRADESMAN COMPANY, PUBLISHERSR 53) eS LEST “18 a3. e ee Mey SSRI SSOU x rm EES OSI OIC PPO RUSE: Forty-seventh Year ‘ Number 2405 ONE DAY AT A TIME One day at a time, with its failures and fears, With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears, With its portion of pain and its burden of care; One day at a time we must meet and must bear. One day at a time to be patient and strong, To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong; Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrow shall cease: it shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace. One day at a time—but the day is so long, And the heart is not brave and the soul is not strong. O Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way; Give courage and patience and strength for the day. Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet; “Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet; I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve; I will not forsake thee; I never will leave.” Not yesterday's load we are called on to bear, Nor the morrow’s uncertain and shadowy care; Why should we look forward or back with dismay? Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day. One day at a time, and the day is His day; He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay. His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone: As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own. Annie Johnson Flint. a ee of fast selling items SEMDAC Furniture Dressing has proved its superior polishing qualities on all fine furni- ture —— pianos, radio cabinets, phonographs, bookcases and other highly finished surfaces. It gives a brilliant and durable lustre. It re- quires a minimum amount of rubbing. SEMDAC Auto Polish removes “smoke film,” grime and “rain spots” with least effort, and restores the maximum lustre to lacquered, enameled and varnished automobile surfaces. The improved formula put out this year gives an unexcelled finish and does it in less time than ever. The <3 Semdaes HE three Semdacs sell readily and repeat constantly. Widely advertised throughout the Middle West in newspapers and with street car and bus cards, Semdac Liquid Gloss, Semdac Furniture Dressing and Semdac Auto Polish offer to grocers quick sales and rapid turn- over at a handsome profit. Window displays, window strips, counter displays, and store hanger cards will help you tie up this gen- eral advertising with your store. Send for the above dealer helps if you stock any of the Semdac ~ polishes. If you do not stock them, ask or write for special discount offer to dealers. STANDARD OIL CO. (Indiana) General Offices: 910 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois SEMDAC Liquid Gloss should be recommended for cleaning and polishing all woodwork and .\ SUPERIOR floors. It is ideal for use on floor- 7 mops from which the original oil ; POLISH has partly dried out. Housewives aI rn like to use a few drops of it on im ery ty 13 the dusting cloth to prevent dust -! MY wT) from flying. ; a Vas Senet cesesteeenesseetllnesieesnene-conesesntenennensmesn.sctensosecnaremnecaenies ee tee ee a ND ac natn cctlacal Rie Forty-seventh Year GRAND RAPIDS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1929 Number 2405 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN E. A. Stowe, Editor PUBLISHED WEEKLY by Tradesman Company, from its office the Barnhart Building, Grand Rapids. UNLIKE ANY OTHER PAPER. Frank, free and fearless for the good that we can do. Each issue com- plete in itself. DEVOTED TO the best interests of business men, SUBSCRIPTION RATES areas follows: $3 per year, if paid strictly in advance. $4 per year if not paid in advance. Canadian subscription, $4.04 per year, payable invariably in advance. Sample copies 10 cents zach, Extra copies of current issues, 10 cents; issues a nonth or more old, 15 cents; issues a year or more rid, 25 cents; issues five years or more old 50 ce.ts. Entered September 23, 1883, at the Postoffice of Grand Rapids as second class matter under Act of March 3, 1879. JAMES M. GOLDING Detroit Representative 409 Jefferson, E. Sidelights on the Career of John Almy. The present generation, it is pre- sumed, possesses little. if any, knowl- edge of John Almy. Peter R. L. Pierce, who served the citizens of Grand Rapids in the offices of county clerk, State senator and postmaster years ago wrote a sketch of Mr. AI- my’s life, in which he stated that ‘few persons in Grand Rapids among either the dead or the living, did more in his way to give the now bright and grow- ing Valley City an enviable reputation than John Almy.” He was a native of Rhode Island. educated and trained as a civil engineer. Mr. Almy resided in his early manhood in Genesee, N. Y. In the year 1834 he was ap- pointed city engineer of Detroit and while so employed laid out and super- vised the construction of many sewers and streets. In 1835 he came to Grand Rapids and platted the village of Kent, now an important section of the city, for Lucius Lyon and N. O. Sargeant. Eventually, Charles H. Carroll, in whose honor Carroll F. Sweet was named, purchased the Lyon interest in Kent plat. Judge Almy then took charge of the property and built for himself an imposing stone house on a section of the lot now occupied by the Regent theater and became an ac- tive and zealous promotor of the wel- fare of the city. While en route to Grand Rapids from Detroit, Almy and wife suffered many hardships. Mrs. Almy recorded incidents of the jour- ney as follows: “At the Thornapple River, when the day was very dark, we decided not to proceed further for fear we should be upset in the stream. We saw near a campfire a group of Indians and walked toward them, but they fled. We camped out as best we could and spent the night without food. At daylight we resumed our march, crossed the river and met Rix Robin- son and the chiefs who came to learn the kind of people we were. Mr. Rob- inson explained to the Indians that we were friends and that our purpose was the building of a big town at the “Rapids.” We were furnished with pork, potatoes, bread, tea, wild honey, an extra dish with short cake, with which we refreshed ourselves. We re- newed our journey to Grand Rapids, arriving at night. We experienced dif- ficulty in crossing Plaster Creek and other streams en route. Richard God- frey and Louis Campau gave us shel- ter in their homes. Not much time was taken in getting settled, after which surveys were made for the ca- nal. Later it became necessary for us to return to Detroit, for which journey Mr. Godfrey furnished a lumber wagon and team with a Frenchman to drive it. We were ten days going. (The trip is now made, with present transportation facilities available, in less than five hours). Mr. Almy purchased a steamboat in De- troit and his friends named it “John Almy.” She was loaded with pork, flour, mill stones and other articles needed in the community. Very rough weather wrecked the boat soon after she sailed from Detroit.” Mr. Almy held several important places of trust while a resident of Grand Rapids—such as a member of the State Legislature, Judge of the County Court, Surveyor general, En- gineer of improvements of the Kala- mazoo river. Mr. Almy was a skilled draughtsman and in the application of water colors and India ink unexcelled. He was a devotee of the sciences, methodical and exact in the conduct of his business. He had studied law and was admitted to practice at the bar. He was a man of mark among his fel- lows. Arthur Scott White. —_—_>2 2 —___ Gabby Gleanings From Grand Rapids. The C. E. Long & Co. stock of men’s furnishing goods at 16 South Ionia avenue was sold this week to a Detroit auction house for $4,000. The stock was inventoried at $8,000. Sev- eral purchasers stood ready to pay $7,000 for the stock and one man would have paid as high as $7,500. On the face of things it looks as though the stock was _ needlessly slaughtered by the young man in charge who happened to have no knowledge of merchandise values. Sammy Evans, the elephantine tea salesman, has been confined to his home for the past two weeks with severe pains in his back, side and abdomen. He obtained no relief through his regular physicians—three in number—and finally stumbled on an osteopathist, who stopped the pain. He expects to be strong enough to resume his road work in about two weeks. Mrs. Richard D. Warner has been seriously ill with neuritis, but is on the mend. Little Dick says a better name for her ailment “newwrongus.” The Old Time Traveling Men’s sec- ond dinner party will be held at River- view Inn, Lowell, Oct. 27. will be served at 1:30 p. m., consisting of baked ham, pumpkin pie and all the fixins. Dinner About forty reservations have been made already. If you want to get in on this, phone George W. Mc- Kay, 4301, at Grand Rapids Trust Co.,.or his home, 86648. All reserva- tions must be in by Oct. 25. Frank E. Lewellen, formerly en- gaged in the bean business at Shelby, Grand Rapids and Owosso, is now located at Los Angeles, where he is reported to be building up a big busi- ness in the canning of ocean fish. He has an irrevocable franchise to fish for salmon along 800 miles of coast line in Mexico, which, it is claimed, is worth many millions dollars on ac- count of the growing scarcity of sal- mon on the Pacific Coast. ——_2-~.____ — Will Someone Please Answer? Just why is it that a merchant can spend ten or fifty dollars on a ball game, a bet or a trip without batting an eye; but when a number of mer- chants are debating a co-operative program of self-preservation and self- help, a five dollar bill looks like a half interest in the United States Mint? Is it not suggestive that the average independent merchant will often put himself out of the way of taking ad- vantage of a fine opportunity simply because opportunity demands an in- vestment which means an expenditure for the time being, kidding himself that he is saving himself money by so doing? Does this not remind one of the Scotchman who denied himself the luxury of a surgical operation on the ground that the undertaker’s prices were cheaper? Pondering which, I am reminded of the statement of a large chain store executive who recently told me that his company was constantly on the lookout for all the judicious expendi- tures it could possibly make. It was his declaration that his company couldn't find enough wise ways in which to spend its money; and the reason it was looking for more such places was that when it ceased to spend money, it would cease to make it. Can it be possible that this is one reason why some of our good mer- chants are not making the money they should be making? Apparently, a dol- lar is like the corn of wheat. Except it “die”, it must “abide alone.” W. H. Caslow. ee It’s what we learn after we think we know, that counts. —>--___ There is no failure except in no longer trying. Leaving Sweets Alone. There will be few mourners over the grave of the Lucky Strike anti-sweets advertising. No doubt it increased cigarette sales substantially. Appar- ently it did not prevent expansion of confectionery volume. But the criti- cism it evoked is not met by evidence of this character. “Knocking” the other fellow may be successful for a time. In the long run the results are pretty sure to be detrimental, either through reprisals of one kind or an- other, or a generally unfavorable pub- lic reaction. Besides, business as a body is against warfare, private or public. It expects and engages in the keenest competition. It has become familiar with rivalries among indus- tries. It tolerates, more perhaps than it should, extremes of enthusiasm in ad- vocacy. It draws the line, however, at invidious comparisons that are cal- culated to gain advantage at someone else’s expense. The American Tobac- co Co. shows good sense, we think, in returning to copy that deals only with the peculiar merits of its own product. It uses good strategy, also, in signal- izing the change by an increase in the space filled by its advertisements. It has learned that dominating advertis- ing pays and it is determined to make the most of a rising market for its cigarettes.. Whatever the reason for discontinuing its uncomplimentary al- lusions to sweets, the company has evi- dently found nothing in its experience to discourage liberal use of printer's ink as a means of expanding consumer good will. From the Diary of a Traveling Sales- man, Buyers are human and it is only human to be irritable occasionally. But let‘ us not take a buyer’s un- pleasantness in a personal way. Let it never ruffle our own good tempers. Let it never spoil our own good day. Let it never shake us from our own normal brightness, patience and good manners. It is just a part of our day’s work to be cheerful and patient with the irritable buyer. To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion: to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly: to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common—this is to be my symphony.—W. E. Channing. eco A frown has no cash value. 2 IN THE REALM OF RASCALITY. Questionable Schemes Which Are Under Suspicion. For some time an elderly gentleman has been calling on Michigan stock- holders of the Coca Cola Co. for the purpose of securing permission to represent them in an attack on the present management, with a view to securing the declaration of dividends on all classes of stock. The activities of this person have been suddenly ter- minated by the receipt of a warrant for his arrest, sworn to by a former client, who alleges embezzlement. or breach of trust. cently appealed to to pass judgment on the advisability of holding or dis- posing of this stock. The conclusions reached were as follows: The writer was re- The company owns all of Toledo, and Michigan except Detroit, Battle Creek and Muskegon. The Toledo plant is doing so well it could be sold outright for enough money to pay all the stockholders 100 per cent. Business in Grand Rapids during August was 350 per cent. ahead of August last year. Business in the entire territory was 98 per cent. better this August than last August. The capital stock of the company is as follows: $244,000 Preferred A 173,000 shares Preferred B 50,000 shares Common, no par The present plan is to begin paying dividends on the A stock in 1930, on the B stock in 1931 and on the com- mon stock in 1932. As the dividends on the A and B stock are cumulative holders will have a nice sum to their credit. Obviously in articles like these there can’t be a great deal of humor. There- fore I publish the following letter, not alone because it contains some humor, but also because it involves a real legal question which supplies a_ sufficient reason for discussing it: York, Neb. The following item appeared in our daily paper: Damage Suit is Filed Smith Co. Edith Burgess has filed suit against the Smith Co. and Paul Tobey. a sales- man for the Smith Co. at the time that business organization maintained an agency for the Maytag washing ma- chine. seeking to recover damages for an injury which she received on ac- count of the alleged carelessness of the agent in giving her instructions about preparing fuel for the motor on the machine. Mrs. Burgess alleges that Mr. Tobey told her to heat the fuel for the gaso- line motor before attempting to start it during cold weather and as the re- sult of her following the instructions of the salesman, she was seriously in- jured when the fuel exploded. Damages to the amount of $32.150, with interest from February 5, 1926, the date of the explosion, have been asked by Mrs. Burgess. who resides on a farm near Arborville. The facts of the case are that we were selling Maytag washing machines at that time and had resale men doing this work. Our resale man, Mr. Paul Tobey, furnished his own automobile and we furnished him with the wash- ing machine and it was agreed that he Against the MICHIGAN TRADESMAN was to be paid $25 on each machine he sold on his own account. He did sell these people a washing machine and they were foolish to put gasoline in a pan of some kind and put it on the stove to warm it, and in so doing it caught fire and she grabbed the pan and threw it out doors. got it on her- self and burned her hand and possibly burned her otherwise. Last year the same party filed the same suit against the Maytag Co. of Newton, Iowa, but it was thrown out of court before trial. Any information you can give us in regard to this claim will be apnreciaied. A. A. R. On the surface it appears a perfect- ly incredible thing that any salesman, clothed and in his right mind, should tell a woman she must heat her gas- oline before using it in a gasoline. mo- tor or that any woman should believe him if he did.. Yet here is a law suit for $32,150 growing out of such a situation, and this correspondent must meet it. You can laugh at it all you like, but you can't laugh a $32,000 law suit out of court. You must employ attorneys and go through with it, and plenty of juries have given verdicts in cases as ridiculous as this seems to be. So having enjoyed the humor in the incident—which doubtless appeals less to the correspondent than it does to us—let us proceed to consider the legal question in it. And that is this: If Tobey, who sold this washer, was this correspondent’s salesman, and if Tobey really did tell this woman she had to heat the gas- oline, and if she did no more than fol- low his instructions, is this correspond- ent, the employer, responsible for the damages which ensued? My answer to that hypothetical question is yes, he is, and I think no less so because the woman was a fool. But notice there are three “ifs” jn the question as stated. First, if Tobey If he was merely a sort of dealer, who bought machines from this correspondent and resold was an employe. them at a profit on his own account, he was neither an employe nor an agent of the correspondent and the latter is not responsible for his acts. The rule is that an employer is re- sponsible for the negligent acts of his employe because the latter is his agent. If no relation of employer and employe exists, there is no agency, and the rule doesn't apply. The correspondent doesn’t give enough facts to enable me to form an opinion as to whether Tobey was a salesman, in other words, an employe. From what he says he might be either. The second “if” is if the salesman told the woman to heat the gasoline. I am very sure he did not, but never- the less she may have plenty of wit- If the whole case depends on the evidence as to whether he did tell her, or didn’t, I should be apt to feel worried as to what a jury might do, if this case is presented in court, as I think it will be. The third “if” is as to whether the woman merely followed instructions as to heating the gas. I mean this: Assuming that Tobey did tell her to warm it, he may have given her some simple, safe way of doing it—if there nesses to the contrary. is a safe way—which she _ ignored, choosing her own way of heating it on the stoce. In that case she would have no claim against anybody. To sum up, this correspondent has these three strings to his bow of de- If any one of them succeeds, he is free. If all three fail him, I am bound to advise him that he may find himself saddled with a big damage verdict. Elton J. Buckley. [Copyrighted, 1929.] —_2~--____ Recent Mercantile Changes in Indiana. Ft. Wayne—The market of E. F. Hoover, 2728 South Calhoun street, was entered recently by bandits and looted of $56, Arcadia—J. H. Dawson has sold his meat market to Fred Allison. Brighton—Will Gay has sold his meat market to Willis Haskins. Michigan City — W. W. Schweize will open a meat market in the Star grocery at 729 Franklin street. Monon—Ray Ellis and Albert Solf have opened a grocery and meat mar- ket here. Shelbyville—Virgil Babb, proprietor of the grocery and meat market at 231 Colescott street, died at his home. Warsaw—Some improvements are being made to the grocery and meat market of Herbert Robinson on East Market street. Indianapolis—T. J. Heady has mov- ed his grocery and meat market from 4232 E. Michigan street to 5120 Bur- gess street. Jamestown—John Hedge has pur- chased the interest of his partner, Mr. Davis, in their Regal market and is now sole owner. Jamestown—Nathan Davis has taken over the Jamestown market and will remodel and install new equipment. Marion—Samuel Stout has opened a grocery and meat market at 223 North F street. Michigan City—Tittle Brothers will open a branch market at 727 Franklin street. Muncie—Wm. H. Hutchinson, pro- prietor of the grocery and meat mar- ket at 115% East 12th street, died at his home. New Castle—A meat market has beben opened by H. C. Johnson at 1341 South 14th street. Seymour—Julian H. Betz and Wal- ter J. Rebber, proprietors of the Sel- Rite meat market at Second and Ewing streets, will open a branch market on East Tipton street. Shelbyville—Carl A. Gartner has op- ened a delicatessen store at 213 South Harrison street. —_2+-___ Findlay’s Final Appearances in Mich- igan. Paul Findlay, merchandiser of the National League of Commission: Mer- chants, talked to a fine gathering of the business men of Kalamazoo in the Park-American Hotel on Wednesday night, Oct. 16. There were some 150 present and they remained in their seats, eagerly attentive, for nearly two hours. This gratifying meeting was the re- sult of splendid teamwork on the part of the Kalamazoo Chamber of Com- merce and the Taylor Produce Co. fense. October 23, 1929 “Whenever a Chamber of Commerce gets the right idea of my work,” said Findlay to the Tradesman in reporting his Kalamazoo experience, “we get good meetings. This because cham- bers and boards of commerce are not limited to any sets or selections of merchants. They have equal interest in all local trade bodies and in indi- viduals; they seek to make the town grow in size and prosperity, and hav- ing no special interests to serve they get splendid results.” Findlay also met with the Kalama- zoo Ad-Craft Club at its noon lunch- eon on Thursday, when he outlined his work among retailers to improve distribution of perishables. On Thursday evening, Oct. 17, he met with the Grand Rapids grocers in the Morton Hotel for a similar dis- cussion and, as usual, the audience was silently attentive to his clear black- board demonstrations. —_—_+~-+____ Corporations Wound Up. The following Michigan corporations have recently filed notices of dissolu- tion with the Secretary of State: Rich Steel Products Co., Springfield Place. B. & M. Transfer Co., Grand Rapids. Door Control Co., Detroit. I. N. Delamater Co., Jackson. C. J. R. Co., Detroit. Detroit Lighting Fixture Co., Detroit. LaVerne Hotel Co.. Battle Creek. Jackson Gravel Co. Jackson. Allied Packers, Inc., Detroit. Soo Silver Fox Co., Sault Ste. Marie. Prichett-Powers Co., Grand Rapids. Wabunga Land Co., Detroit. Family Electric Shop, Detroit. Saginaw Specialty Co., Saginaw. Harper Meat Market, Detroit. J. E. Stephens Co., Detroit. Southern Michigan Oil Co., Coldwater. M. Allen Sign Co., Detroit. International Share Corp., Detroit. S. M. S. Co., Detroit. Hastings Manufacturing Co., Hastings East Side Sign and Decorating Co., Detroit. Premier Cushion Spring Co., Detroit. Royce and Passmore. Detroit. Wisconsin Ornamental Iron & Bronze Co., Lansing. —_—_~~+—-___ Trench Coat Opinion Divided. A great deal of interest has been shown in the last few days regarding the outlook for the trench coat in men’s wear. In some quarters a strong revival of interest in these garments, which met with extremely heavy sale last season, is noted. One of the leading raincoat companies is said to be unable to meet the demand. Other opinions expressed are to the effect that the trench coat has now seen its best demand and that it will be replac- ed by ‘the slicker, particularly the yellow style. —_2-.___ Linoleum Used For Scrap Baskets. A new use for linoleum in the fashioning of novelty scrap baskets has been developed by a manufacturer who is now putting these items on the mar- ket. The exterior of the baskets is hand carved in a variety of designs, while the interior is the reverse side of regulation linoleum. The baskets are available in round and oval shapes in both large and small sizes. Three colors are available at present, brown, blue and black. The merchandise wholesales from $2 to $5 per basket, depending on size. October 23, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN National Growth brings investment opportunities in public utilities \] An Tilecuake al ws Investment House ae With the rapid increase in population, the development of new communities and the popularization of electricity in the home, the demand for the products of public utilities multiplies. The international firm of E. H. Rollins & Sons was a pioneer in the financing and development of public utilities, and has long been recognized as a specialist in this field. By providing capital for constructive utility projects, it places essential services at the command of numerous localities, and by distributing sound income- bearing securities to legions of investors, it contributes to the comfort and happiness of countless people. Most investment lists can be strengthened by the inclu- sion of a well-selected group of public utility securities. Our specialists in this particular field will be glad to assist you in such a selection. E. H. Rollins & Sons Founded 1876 GRAND RAPIDS BOSTON — NEW YORK — PHILADELPHIA — CHICAGO DENVER — SAN FRANCISCO — LOS ANGELES LONDON — PARIS — MILAN 4 MOVEMENTS OF MERCHANTS. Pittsford—Carl Rumsey has sold his grocery and meat market to Mr. Rubin. Howell—H. D. Lehman has opened a modern grocery and meat market here. Constantine—The Charles Hardy market has been equipped with a new front. Monroe—Nick Costel will move his grocery and* meat market to a new location. Ionia—Romeo Glossi has sold his grocery and meat market to David Josslyn. Millets—Ray Stillman has purchased the grocery and meat market of A. L. Larrabee. Cedar Springs—D. H. Hunter, of Rockford, has engaged in the clothing business here. Saginaw—The Junedale meat mar- ket has been opened at 109 South Jefferson street. Detroit—Walter Dajnowski has sold his meat market at 8534 Harper avenue to Alex Zielonko. Centerville—The Gerardo Stores Co. has purchased the meat market of Snook & Frisbey. Detroit—Joseph Nienatoski has sold his meat market at 8313 Harper avenue to Joseph Ryszewski. Calumet—The Merchants & Miners Bank has increased its capitalization from $200,000 to $300,000. Grand Rapids—John W. Rietdyk will open the Quality meat shop at 1109 West Leonard street. Grand Rapids—G. Hondorp has taken over the meat market of A. Witte at 956 Wealthy street. Detroit—Henry Orlowski has pur- chased the meat market at 12742 Mile Road East from Frank Mazeiko. Iron Mountain—Carl Hanke has opened a sausage factory here under the management of Alex Bertagnoli. Pontiac—L. D. Mills & Sons have opened a modern grocery and meat market at Pine and Lafayette streets. Battle Creek—H. C. Latta has sold his grocery and meat market at 186 West Main street to W. G. Hastings. Howell—H. D. Lehman has opened a meat, vegetable and fruit market in the new Howell theater building on East Grand River. Dundee—Remer Dutton has disposed of his City Market to Albert Mor- scheuser, who is handling a complete line of staple groceries and meats. Detroit—Miller & Miller, who are in the meat business at 1957 First National Bank building, will erect a store building on Jefferson street. Grand Rapids—Samuel Sherman has engaged in the grocery business at 1435 South Lafayette avenue. The Worden Grocer Co, furnished the stock. dattle Creek—Harry Misner is sole proprietor of the grocery and meat market at 301% South Jefferson street having purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. Yau. Kalamazoo—Clark Cretsinger has purchased the William Dees drug stock and store fixtures and will con- tinue the business at the same loca- tion, 521 Harrison street. Detroit—The Baetz Shoe Store, 7921 Vernor Highway, West, has been MICHIGAN TRADESMAN incorporated with an authorized cap- ital stock of $20,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in. McBride—Neff’s Bank has been in- corporated under the style of the Neff State Bank with an authorized capital stock of $20,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Battle Creek—The Lakeview State Bank of Battle Creek has been incor- porated with an authorized capital stock of $25,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Flint—Roxy, 434 West Second street, has been incorporated to deal in women’s wear at retail with an author- ized capital stock of $10,000, all of which has been subscribed and $6,000 paid in in cash. Elwell—The Peoples Elevator Co. has been incorporated to deal in farm products, lumber and fuel, with an authorized capital stock of $30,000, of which amount $20,000 has been sub- scribed and paid in in cash. Holland—Tony Last, proprietor of the Royal Bakery, has removed his equipment to his new location, the corner of 8th street and College avenue. The new plant has a capacity of 300 1% pound loaves a day. Hamtramck—Galperin Bros., Inc., 3711 Tyler street, Detroit, has been incorporated to deal in women’s wear- ing apparel at retail with an author- ized capital stock of $15,000, $6,000 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Detroit—Milgraim, Inc., 2989 West Grand boulevard, has been incorporat- ed to deal in women’s apparel, jewel- ry and novelties, with an authorized capital stock of $50,000, $25,000 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Detroit—Ansorge & Schleh, Inc., 11550 Woodward avenue, has merged its drug business into a stock company under the same style with an author- ized capital stock of $8,500, $4,250 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Detroit—The Autofont Co., 7881 Conant avenue, has been incorporated to deal in carbonated beverages and vending machines with an authorized capital stock of 5,000 shares at $1 a share, $5,000 being subscribed and paid in in cash. Kalamazoo—Peter A. Koerts, 239 Portage avenue, has merged his busi- ness into a stock company under the style of the Koerts Paint & Glass Co., with an authorized capital stock of $25,000, $11,000 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash. Detroit—Knott & Garllus, 3045 A street, dealer in all kinds of health equipment, have merged the business into a stock company under the style of the Knott & Garllus Co., Inc., with an authorized capital stock of $100,000, all of which has been subscribed and paid in in property. 3enton Harbor—The R. B. Collis Sprayer Co., 144 Elm street, has merg- ed its business into a stock company under the style of the R. B. Collis Co., with an authorized capital stock of $50,000, $40,000 of which has been sub- scribed, $3,500 paid in in cash and $29,500 in property. Kalamazoo—Hill & Corson, jewelers at 121 North Rose street, have dis- solved partnership, Harvey E. Hill taking over the interest of his partner and continuing the business at. the same location, while Frederick C. Cor- son has engaged in the jewelry busi- ness under his own name at 168 Port- age street. Detroit—J. Lee Hackett, 3-123 Gen- eral Motors Bldg., dealer in tools and machinery, has merged the business into a stock company under the style of the J. Lee Hackett Co., with an au- thorized capital stock of $100,000, of which amount $64,000 has been sub- scribed and paid in, $8,371.61 in cash and $55,628.39 in property. Houghton—J. P. Wallace, for sev- eral years manager of the Houghton branch of the Cudahy Packing Co., will return to Houghton shortly to resume his former duties. Wallace was transferred to Duluth several months ago to become manager of the branch in that city. He left here with the understanding that should he de- Sire to return to Houghton his request would be granted. Allegan—Burrell Tripp has purchas- ed from his son, Harold, the drug store the latter has conducted the past sev- eral years and has taken charge. The latter is engaged as a salesman in bonds with W. L. Davis & Co., of De- troit.. Burrell Tripp is back where he started in Allegan many years ago as a druggist. Meanwhile he built up a big business with his department store which he finally sold to the J. C. Penney Co. He is still in business in Otsego in general merchandise. Newaygo—Louis I. Thompson, for- merly one of the proprietors of Mary- Lou Inn at Hess lake resort, who now is to make his residence at Port Clin- ton, Ohio, has held the secretaryship of the local chapter of Royal Arch Masons for a continuous period of twenty-five years, missing only eight meetings in that time. Mr. Thompson also has been a local grocer forty-two years in the same building. Mr. Thompson and his wife are to conduct a hotel at Port Clinton which also will be named Mary-Lou Inn. Manufacturing Matters. Detroit—The Republic Gear Co., 1536 Temple avenue, has increased its capital stock from $100,000 to $400,000. Detroit—The Ex-Cell-O Aircraft & Tool Corporation, 1200 Oakman Bivd.. has increased its capital stock from $300,000 to $500,000. Detroit— The Detroit Woodcraft Corporation, 2280 Hendrie street, has removed to Bay City and changed its name to the Woodcraft Corporation. Detroit—The Anchor Tool & Die Co., 1831 Van Dyke avenue, has been incorporated with an authorized cap- ital stock of $10,000, $2,800 of which has been subscribed and paid in in property. Detroit—Ibers Chrome & Metal Plating Co., 1422 East Larned street, has been incorporated with an author- ized capital stock of $20,000, $8,400 of which has been subscribed and $6,400 paid in in cash. Detroit—The Monarch Radio Cor- poration, 8330 West Vernor Highway, has been incorporated with an author- October 23, 1929 ized capital stock of 5,000 shares at $1 a share, $1,500 of which has been sub- scribed and paid in. Charlotte—The Chicago Automatic Machine Co. has been incorporated to manufacture and sell Ropp baseball machines with an authorized capital stock of $25,000, $3,000 of which has been subscribed and paid in in cash, Ypsilanti—The George L. Ennen Co., 110 River street, has been incor- porated to manufacture auto sundries and parts, metal stampings, etc., with an authorized capital stock of $30,000, all of which has been subscribed and $30,000 paid in inycash. Royal Oak—The Flexo Splintz Cor- poration, 201 East Lincoln avenue, has been incorporated to manufacture and deal in splints, with an authorized cap- ital stock of 20,000 shares at $1 a share, $20,000 being subscribed, $2,500 paid in in cash and $7,500 in property. Detroit—The Hampshire Packing Co., 1744 Howard street, has been in- corporated to manufacture and_ sell food products and beverages with an authorized capital stock of $20,000, of which amount $3,250 has been sub- scribed and $2,750 paid in in property. Detroit—The Drying & Conveying Equipment Co., 17333 Healy street, has been incorporated to build and in- stall factory equipment with an author- ized capital stock of 7,500 shares at $10 a share, $45,000 of which has been subscribed, $13,500 paid in in cash and $500 in property. Lansing—The LaFontsee Manufac- turing Corporation, 419 East Shiawas- see street, has been incorporated to manufacture and sell to jobbers, ar- ticles for beauty parlors, with an au- thorized capital stock of $50,000, $6,700 of which has been subscribed and $1,000 paid in in cash. Detroit—The Electrodaire Co., 804 Penobscot Bldg., has been incorporat- ed to manufacture and sell electric water heaters with an authorized cap- ital stock of $50,000 preferred and 50,- 000 shares at $1 a share, $70,000 of which has been subscribed, $8,000 paid in in cash and $50,000 in property. Detroit—Golf Products, Inc., 2302 First National Bank building, has been incorporated to manufacture and sell golf equipment with an authorized cap- ital stock of 10,000 shares of class A stock at $10 a share, 44,000 shares of B at $1 a share and 54,000 shares no par value, of which amount $51,500 has been subscribed and $12,000 paid in in cash. ——_2~--__ The need for honesty cannot be overestimated. Most of us are hon- est in big things, but there are many who are not so scrupulous in small matters. There is, for example, the man who robs his employer of time by failing to observe working hours or wastes the time of others by not being punctual in keeping appoint- ments. The salesman who fails to be at the buyer’s office punctually at the appointed hour labors under a self- imposed handicap before he starts his solicitation. In the final analysis, being honest is simply showing proper consideration for the property of oth- ers, whether it be time, money, or goods, ine ion cnnnuentinatio” aoe sen October 23, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 5 Essential Features of the Grocery Staples. Sugar—The market is the same as a.week ago. Jobbers hold cane granu- lated at 6.10c and beet granulated at 6c. Canned Fruits—Fruit prices are gen- erally firm, with peaches showing up strong as a partial reflection of the potent condition of the Coast market, where standard 2% clings are now quoted at $2.20. Pie fruits are scarce and high. Maine blueberries are worth $13.50 here for gallons. Packers are asking $13, and at that basis de- mand from buyers here is limited. Canned Vegetables—The market is strong, and at primary points asking prices are sustained, in some instances showing an advancing tendency. South- ern tomatoes rule quiet as compared with recent past weeks, but packers’ ideas remained high, and prices on sur- plus stocks are found to be stable. The No. 3 size is apparently short, and the market there is especially strong, with standard quality quoted at $1.32% to $1.35 a dozen, and with extra standards bringing $1.65. No. 10s are held at $4.50, generally. The tomato. situa- tion in California is still problematical, as there are a couple of months more of packing possibilities ahead. How- ever, the idea here, gained from pack- ers’ reports, is that the pack will be substantially short. In peas, string beans and vegetables trading is narrow, and the market has undergone no changes of importance. Dried Fruits—There have been no outstanding features to the dried fruits market this week, and few features of any importance at all have taken place. Trading has been light, though a slight improvement in the general demand has been noted in the last three days on account of the colder weather. Holiday lines have been moving in seasonable volume, particularly dates and figs. Fig prices show a definitely upward trend, though market levels held unchanged and firm this week. Smyrna layers and bricks are hard to buy on the spot, and most of the larger operators have little goods on hand for prompt delivery, and are only quoting subject to passing inspection. Choice Smyrna bags have sold here at from 15c to 16c a pound. Arrivals of new crop dates have been fairly large, but most of them have gone out on early contracts. Fards have be- come scarce, and little, if any, are be- ing quoted. Additional steamers are due to arrive in the next week or ten days, and heavier quantities of Fards will then be available. In the major lines of dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, apricots and peaches, the spot market has remained unchanged, fail- ing to reflect a somewhat weaker tone on the Coast, where a quiet business has caused packers to reduce their prices slightly on all lines. Canned Milk—Canned milks are gen- erally steady, and there are no im- portant price revisions. Trading is quiet on all descriptions. Nuts—The crop has attracted an enthusiastic de- mand on account of the attractive prices, and the generally good quality of the crop. Almonds in the shell are without feature, and there are no price corn, other 1929 domestic walnut alterations, either on California’ or foreign types. Cables from primary almond-growing countries abroad are firm, but mostly unchanged. Cables on all kinds of shelled filberts are mostly on the advance. Pickles—The demand throughout the entire line of pickles still exceeds the supply, as shipments are cleaned up as soon as they reach the market. Manufacturers are insisting upon as- sorted shipments, turning down offers for separate carloads of any one size. Some have cut from their lists the mediums and large pickles until they can catch up with pack orders. The crop is practically harvested in the Midwest. Buyers are having diffi- culty in placing orders for dills, most packers having sold their usual quota. The cucumber crop is the shortest since 1924, and carryover is compara- tively light in all distributing and packing centers. The market as a whole is in a strong position, and some factors in the trade are predicting even higher prices than now exist before the year is over. Surplus stocks are in strong hands, with little or no specu- lation. Sauerkraut—Most manufacturers are still withdrawn from the market until they can see where they stand as re- gards the late cabbage crop. The price of raw cabbage is extremely high, and a considerable quantity is going into consumption — green. Manufacturers intending to make purchases on the open market are met with such high prices that they hesitate to buy for fear of much lower prices developing later on. Rice—Prices on Blue Rose and long grain rices have undergone no revision. In the South there has been little im- provement in the market, and Blue Rose is still freely offered at 37c for extra fancy and 334c for fancy, f. o. b. mill, though in certain quarters a bare- ly perceptible stiffening tendency is noted, which might indicate that the markét is at the bottom. Arkansas has at last entered the market with cheaper and more free offerings of Blue Rose, quoting prices on the same basis as Texas and Louisiana. Samples of the Arkansas crop received here proved of excellent quality. The long grain varieties ruled steady in the South all week. Vinegar—The market continues fair- ly active but there is no change in the situation, and prices quoted here and at primary points are firm and_ un- altered. —_2~--._ Review of the Produce Market. Apples—Wealthy command $1.75@ 2; Wolf River, $1.50@1.75 (bakers, $2.25); Shiawasse, $2@2.25; Jonathans, $2.50@2.75; Snow, $1.75@2: Baldwin and Talman Sweet, $1.50@1.75. Bagas—90c for 50 Ib. sack. Bananas—7@7'4c per Ib. Beets—30c per doz. bunches; per bu. Brussel Sprouts—28c per at. Butter—The market is weaker and lc lower than a week ago. Jobbers hold prints at 45c and 65 Ib. tubs at 43c. Cabbage—$1.25 per bu. for white and $2 for red. $1.25 Carrots—20c per doz. bunches; $1.25 per bu. Cauliflower—$1.75@2 per doz. Celery—40@60c per bunch. Celery Cabbag doz. Cocoanuts—$1 per doz. or $7 per bag. Cranberries—$4 for 4 bbl. of 25 Ibs. Cucumbers—$1.50 per doz. for Calif. stock. Dried Beans—Michigan jobbers are quoting as follows: @, Tr Pea Beans _2...... $8.50 Event Red Kidney === 9.00 Darl Red Kidney ....__________ 8.75 Eggs—The market is stronger than a week ago. Local jobbers pay 44c for strictly candled. Cold storage operators are offering their holdings as follows: fresh RONG 40c ee 36¢ Cheeks (20 34e Egg Plant—15e apiece. Garlic—23c per Ib. Grapes—Calif. Malaga and are held at $1.75 per lug; home grown Niagaras and Concords, $2. 4 Ib. baskets; Delawares, $3.25. Green Onions—Shallots, 85¢ per doz. Green Peas—$5.50 per bu. for Calif. grown. Honey Ball Melons—$3.75 Tokay 25 per doz. 28 5 per crate. Honey Dew Melons—$2 per crate. Lemons—The price remains the same. OOQcumetsh 8 $16.00 SOU Sunkist 16.00 S00 Red Bal 16.00 SUG ed: Hat 2 16.00 Lettuce—In good demand on the following basis: Imperial Valley, 4s, per crate ~_.-$4.50 Imperial Valley, 5s, per crate ____ 5.00 Hot house grown, per Ib. --______ 3c Lima Beans—30c per qt. Limes—$1.50 per box. Mushrooms—65c per Ib. Oranges—Fancy Sunkist California Valencias are now on the following basis: A $9.00 SO 8.00 170 ee Aas AUG 6.75 ALG ee ee, 6.00 aoe ee §.25 oe ee 4.50 ee 4.25 Onions—Home grown yellow, $2 per 100 Ib. sack. P r doz. bunches. Peaches—Michigan grown Banners, freestone and yellow, command $ 3 per bu. Pears—$2.50 per bu. for Clapp’s Favorite; Calif. Bartlett, $4.25 per box. Peppers—Red, 40c per doz.; Green, 30c per doz. Persian Melons—$3.50 per crate of either 4 or 5; Casabas, $2.50 per crate of 5. Pickling Stock—Little white onions, $1.25 per 10 Ib. box. Potatoes—Home grown, $1.75 per bu. on the Grand Rapids public mar- ket; country buyers are mostly paying $1.25. Poultry—Wilson & Company pay as follows: 2.75@ Fredy fowls 20 25c Hache fowls 22 16c Hleavy broilerg = 20c brent beavers 200 20c Pumpkin—15@20e apiece. Quinces—$3 per bu. Radishes—20c per doz. Spinach—$1.40 per bu. Squash—Hubbard $3 per 100 Ibs. $1.50 for 10 Ib. basket. Turnips—$1.40 per bu. Veal Calves —- Wilson & Company pay as follows: bunches. Tomatoes Haney 19¢ Ged loc Ne@Gttmy l3c POOe 0 10c ———_»-~-~. -___ Real Civic Progress. An optimistic note is struck in the Philadelphia current bulletin of the Bureau of Municipal Research con- cerning the great advances which have been made in the quality and methods of municipal government in this coun- try in the last quarter of a century. Since 1906, when the first Municipal Research New to more than forty Bureau was established in York, the movement has spread American cities. National Mu- League was launched. Nearly its entire program of reforms set forth A decade earlier the nicipal at that time has been put into effect in one form or another in most of the large cities of the land. The toward better remarkable, progress things has been truly and this is worth remem- bering in moments of discouragement. But, as this bulletin efforts to observes, these improve city government cannot be relaxed but must go on. Or Watching Trend in Mufflers. Muffler manufacturers and furnish- ings retailers are waiting to see which way the style trend as reflected by con- sumer purchases will crystallize. The question is whether squares or throw- over styles will assume outstanding development that will purchases. leadership, a guide later Consumer pur- chasing to date has not been active enough to afford a It is held certain, definite answer. that the favoring cut silk and rayon merchandise, with neat patterns and more conservative however, season will be one strongly colors the rule. 22. ______ Sun Tan Vogue Guides Accessories. Early indications are that lines of women’s wear accessories, including handbags, novelty jewelry and_ cos- metics, for the winter resort and spring seasons will be planned with the ex- pectation of another sun tan vogue. If anything, this vogue will be strong- er during the coming seasons than it was during the past spring and sum- mer. The sun tan fashion, it was pointed out, will have time to reach localities where it was of little or no No conflict be- tween the new silhouette and the sun- tan trend is likely, it was added. —_——_> + ~~ One or the Other. Conductor—How old is your importance last year. little boy? Fond Mother—Four. Conductor—How old are you, my little man? Boy—Four. Conductor—Well, I'l! ride him free this time, but when he grows up he'll be either a liar or a giant, INDEPENDENT MERCHANT. Why He Can Meet Chain Store Competition. This is a question, which those best qualified, have so far been unable to Certainly no question has had been given answer. greater consideration or deeper study. Advice and suggestions in abundance have been offered to the independent retail have test. merchant, most of which been accepted and put to the Some of these suggestions were: Re-arrange your store, make it more up to date, put in a modern front, polish your windows and decorate your interior. If a grocery store, arrange your stock in chain store style so that your patrons can wait on themselves, put a plain price card on every bin or every lot If a dry goods store, do away with show cases and shelf boxes and all such antiquated Display your goods attrac- of x ods. fixtures. tively on tables, every lot marked in plain figures which helps the buyer to See that your store and stock are kept spotless and in perfect order. Train your clerks to be courteous and attentive, always on the alert to sell decide. to each customer some article in ad- dition to the item which he came in to buy. Reduce your overhead by more modern methods. Select certain items and mark them at using these catch the Know where to put on profit sufficient to off- underpriced goods, put your cut prices on goods well-known as to value, but which are not in big demand and put your profit cost or less in order to prospective customer's eye. set your loss on these on the goods where volume will tell. In thousands of independent stores these have carried been out. have added their help in selecting such ar- ticles as would most readily attract the They have helped to bear the burden of any loss They have re- duced their own profits in order that they might put the independent mer- chant on the right basis, until to-day, most independent merchants own their merchandise cheaper than their chain store competitor and are actually sell- ing it for less, but has these efforts Most of the in- dependent merchants will tell you that it has not and if it has not, then what important thing has been overlooked and what further changes are neces- sary and can such changes be made? The one change which is absolutely necessary, before the independent mer- chant can successfully meet the com- all of suggestions faithfully and carefully Wholesalers and manufacturers buyer when underpriced. incurred in these sales. solved the problem? petition of the chain store, is to change the minds of the misguided public, who are sold on the idea that the chain store has a great buying power which enables them to buy for less than the local merchant and that with such ad- vantage they can, and do, sell cheaper, and with this popular, yet sadly mis- taken idea firmly fixed in their minds, what can the independent merchant do more than he has already done? Can the buying public be educated along right lines? Can they be con- vinced that they are not Saving by MICHIGAN patronizing the chain stores? Can it be made plain to them that by an imaginary or even a real saving of a few cents here and there, that they are actually destroying the taxable wealth of their communities and making it im- possible for the younger generation coming on to establish any kind of a business for themselves or to find a decent position of any kind such as every fine American boy and girl is worthy and capable of filling? I believe that the people can and are willing to be convinced, but it must be done through a wholehearted effort on the part of independent industry. Cities, whether they be large or small, must join hands with the independent merchant whose home-owned store is an asset to their city and state and every local or independent institution in the town must do its part and you will already have the great ma- jority. The earnestness of that ma- jority will serve to convince those who are not in business, but whose prop- erty is being lessened in value, and the future chances of their boys and girls Swept away. Until proper and well-organized ef- forts are made to educate the buying public, the independent merchant will continue to lose ground, and the pub- lic continue to make the mistakes which will sooner or later mean their own downfall, and they will not be en- tirely to blame, because they would have responded to the right kind of appeal. Remember, that they, as a rule at least, are not merchants nor posted in the buying, selling or value of merchandise and while they may also suffer from the failure of inde- pendent industry, the fact will bring no consolation to the independent merchant who has been forced to re- tire. W. A. Masters, oo... Gay New Materials For Coats. For Fall coats again the answer is largely tweed, with a very wide selec- tion of other wool fabrics, that are nevertheless generally referred to as “tweeds.” A diverting group of ma- terials for sports, steamer, motor and college service includes two-face diagonals, reversible plaids, brush-face and deep-pile camel’s hair and knitted ombre plaid, and novelty jersey-like material that will be used for sports skirts for cold weather as well as coats. Coatings of frosted or glaze effects in narrow stripings in two or three tones and woven broadtail are design- ed for informal coats for everyday town wear. Nothing has been offered to supplant broadcloth in the favor of women who desire style and elegance in a coat for formal dress, and the new weaves are both dull and satin faced. There are also the suedes and the variety of velvet texture cloths in black, which is ultra-smart this season as Redfern, Patou, Talbot and Ardanse are showing, and in dark browns, green, dark raisin and garnet. In the novelty coatings some rich and beauti- ful samples are coming from the American looms with a metal thread interwoven with the wool. Fur is used on both coats and suits, with restraint in some models as for just the collar and cuffs, or collar TRADESMAN alone; in others, quite lavishly in bands, godets and parts of the gar- ment. Both the long and the short furs are seen with new treatments of the neck and new styles of sleeves and cuffs. Fox and the various kinds of long fur are most fashionable for tweeds and the sports type of dress, while for the smooth cloths and fine woolens the short soft furs are used. In costumes of all black, broadcloth combined with flat black furs is ex- ceedingly fashionable. A smart illus- tration of this comes from Patou, a coat of black broadcloth and Persian lamb. The coat proper is close-fitting and long, and the fur is added in a band to form a rolling collar, carrying down the front where it becomes a part of a wide, flaring peplum. The length of the new fur coats varies according to the style and the kind of fur. The long coat made to cover the new skirts and cut to the finger tips is approved, as is the middle-of-the-road or coat, which is considered equally good for street or afternoon occasions. The novelty furs and the youthful models are thought to be most chic in the three-quarters lengths or shorter. Also in Persian lamb, mink and other furs of conservative type, the short leads for formal street wear or after- noon. Two or three fur capes have arrived from the Paris Autumn collections— versions of an old-fashioned wrap. These are made to cover the shoulder to the waist, and are circular or cut with a deep point at the back. three-quarters coat October 23, 1929 Beautiful Tribute To Peter Mohr- hardt. On Friday, Oct. 17, the Grand Rapids Retail Grocers and Meat Dealers Association suffered the loss of their second Vice-Presj- dent, Peter D. Mohrhardt, who was unexpectedly called to his heavenly reward by the Great Master of the Universe. Peter D. Mohrhardt ranked as one of the most successful retail meat dealers of Grand Rapids and was President of the Grand Rap- ids Packing Co., organized a few years ago. Mr. Mohrhardt had been suf- fering with heart trouble during the past year and had been only partially active in his business for some time, due to his affliction. He apparently had been regain- ing his strength and health and. undoubtedly, overestimated his progress by over exertion, which caused his sudden death. Peter D. Mohrhardt will long be remembered by the officers and members of the local asso- ciation for his never-failing loyal- ty to the Association and his faith- ful attendance at all meetings and events of the Association. This attitude served to inspire other retailers to imitate him in their Association affiliations. Herman Hanson, Sec’y. No man works harder against his own interests than the man who works for them exclusively. An Investment Policy Investors are more and more deciding on one reliable institution with which they can share the responsibility of building their bond accounts. If you feel your investing should be more successful, it will pay you to con- sult an institution definitely interested in continuous sound investment rather than the mere sale of securities. GRAND RAPIDS TRUST CO. Grand Rapids, Michigan Soe October 23, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 7 Early Day Newspaper Men of Cedar Springs. The Continental Improvement Co. constructed the Grand Rapids & In- diana (at present Pennsylvania) rail- road in sections. In the year 1868 the grading and laying of rails on the first section of twenty miles was com- pleted between Grand Rapids and Cedar Springs, a quiet little hamlet in the Northern section of Kent county. Several sawmills were erected and put into operation, stores filled with vari- ous lines of merchandise were opened, churches and were built the village rapidly assumed consider- able importance, socially and commer- schools and cially. All that the town needed was a newspaper. James H. Maze appeared on the scene with a printing outfit and claim- ed the support of the people for a weekly newspaper. He was received kindly and the Clipper set to sail under a full canvass from the start. and his immediate successor, Col. L. McKnight Sellers, ceased to ornament this mundane sphere years ago, but the Clipper is still operated effectively in the field of its birth. Maze printer-editor. He was tall and thin, yet as active as a cat in its efforts to Maze Was a defeat the evil purposes of a vicious dog. He did not waste time nor paper nor writing fluid when the impulse to spill the contents of his mind for the instruction of readers of the Clipper moved him. Standing before a case of type he would compose an article so correctly that alterations were not deemed necessary when proofs were taken. Maze’s mind contained an as- sortment of sarcasm, irony and_ in- vective, which he used effectively in the discussion of political topics. Friends compared many of his expressions to a mixture of nitric and muriatic acids. Maze, at the end of a decade, sought a larger field for the exploitation of his talents. L. M. Sellers, who had been an employe in the office, purchased the Clipper and continued its publication along the lines of the founder. Maze moved to Grand Rapids and entered the employ of C. C. Sexton as an. as- sociate editor of the Times. ‘“He’s a- Maze-ingly clever,” Sexton remarked in expressing his appreciation of the work of his assistant. McKnight Sellers added politics to his former activities. For many years, in association with Neal McMillen, formerly a druggist of Rockford, the Republican party in Northern Kent county responded to their orders. Mc- Millen was elected for several terms to represent the third district of Kent county in the State Legislature. He also served the general government at different periods as its postmaster at Rockford and as its consul at one of the Canadian ports of entry. Sellers did not follow Maze’s eco- nomical streak in regard to the use of paper and ink. He preferred to con- serve brain power. A batch of local items, suitable for use during certain months of the year, were kept in type to be reprinted during the correspond- ing months of the year to follow. For instance, a statement that “farmers have commenced spring plowing,” pub- lished in April, would be preserved for reprinting in April one year later. Sellers was elected to represent the district of Legislature several third State served one term as its speaker protem. Arthur Scott White. ———__> +. Author of Poem on Front Cover. Miss Flint born in Vineland, N: J. died before reached the age of 6, and she and a younger sister were childless couple who lived until Miss Flint was about 23. When she was about 14 the family moved to a town near Camden, where the young girl had two years of public school, fol- Kent county in the times. He was Her parents she adopted by a lowed by one year in the normal school at Trenton and three years of teaching. Then laid its first touch upon her, strength- ening its grip so rapidly that in less than walk. Hearing of cures made at the sanitarium at Clifton Springs, N. Y., it was that arthritis five years she was unable to she went there, but the disease proved to be too far advanced for help. How- spiritual at- so. satisfying ever, she found the mosphere of the place and stimulating that she made Clifton Springs her home ever Miss Flint was 9 years old when she discovered that she could put words since. together in rhythm and rhyme. Her first poem was descriptive of frost pictures on the window-pane. From that time everything around her went into rhyme, her lessons, school inci- dents and happenings of all sorts, both Before she 12 years old she was setting poems to music and she hoped to be a composer and a concert pianist. abandoned when she became unable to play and she was shut in to the one mode of expression, that of The titles of her five booklets of col- real and imaginary. was This dream was poetry. lected verse are: “Songs of Faith and Comfort,” “Songs by the Way,” “Songs of Out of Doors,” “Songs of Grace and Glory,” “Songs of the Blessed Hope.” (Taken Evangelical Christian and Missionary Witness, Toronto, Ont.) —_»+~-.___ For Quiet Weddings. With the growing sentiment in favor of quiet weddings some brides prefer to be married in made like an afternoon gown, or in an from. the less formal dress, ensemble that will answer for the go- ing-away dress. Many such costumes are being made of lovely materials, transparent velvet, satin and crepe, by the best dressmakers on this side of the Atlantic. Transparent velvet is the season’s high light for afternoon. A coat of the velvet will complete the costume, or later, a fur wrap. In an outfit of this description a one- piece gown, with separate wrap, and the three-piece ensemble of skirt and coat and a blouse matching the coat lining are equally suitable. Besides velvet there are the soft satin gowns that answer for many occasions the year round, and that may be worn for a simple home wedding. —_+~-.___ Men’s Neckwear Trade To Gain. Indications are that the men’s neck- wear trade will have a holiday volume in excess of last year, with cut silk merchandise retaining ‘its leadership. Stripes are steadily gaining in favor. Manufacturers are watching with great knitted Several outstanding retail- interest predicted return of neckwear. ers have lately begun to feature knit- ted ties of the hand-crocheted variety and consumer reaction is being care- fully watched. The spring season in neckwear will be marked by much closer collaboration in’ the production of shirt-neckwear ensembles. ———_2~+ >. The road to wisdom is always slow. SUPPLY YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH THE BEST PUTNAM FACTORY NATIONAL CANDY CO., INC. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. LADY VERNON CHOCOLATES From Grand Rapids to: CADILLAC, MICH. SAGINAW, MICH. FLINT, MICH. JACKSON, MICH. DURAND, MICH. MANISTEE, MICH. NILES, MICH. 4:30 a. m. to 7:00 p. m. to 4:30 a. m. MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE CO. Long Distance Rates Are Surprisingly Low For Instance: f"7105 or less, between 4:30 a. m. and 7:00 p. m. You can call the following points and talk for THREE MINUTES for the rates shown. Rates to other points are proportionately low. The rates quoted are Station-to-Station Day rates, effective Evening Station-to-Station rates are effective 7:00 p. m. to 8:30 p. m., and Night Station-to-Station rates, 8:30 p. m. The fastest service is given when you furnish the desired telephone number. If you do not know the number, call or dial “Information.” Day Station-to-Station Rate $ .7u .70 . : 70 A : -65 oe 65 ed .65 CHANGING THE CALENDAR. The referendum vote taken by the United States Chamber of Commerce upon the proposal to change the cal- endar into a uniform ‘“thirteen-month year” reveals a strong business sen- timent in favor of the change. News- paper opinion has generally supported this verdict. We do not believe that the project will be on so one-sided a The change may be logically would undoubtedly make great savings in book-keeping and ac- It would, so to speak, put the modern theory of efficiency and accepted basis. right. It counting. “mass production” into the calendar. But what would it do to the Ultimate What would it do to the cost of living? Consumer? It would make thirteen rent days, without increasing the number of week- ly pay checks. It would make thirteen telephone bills instead of twelve. It would bring the “bill day” around oace more often during the month year. From the large business view this would release many mililons of frozen It would permit a more rapid This, of course, is in line credit. turnover. with the American efficiency preached by Mr. Hoover and practiced by Mr. ford. But there would surely be great hardships in the process of change. The cost of living would have, at least, Efforts would be made by fair-dealing landlords and public utility corporations to see that the uniform four-week months would not wreak an unfair increase of charges But renters are a temporary increase. upon the consumer. unorganized and they face grasping, as well as fair, landlords. Also, public utility rates are controlled by state commissions which act with cumbrous slowness. The average citizen, we fear, would not see the eventual economies which should result from the new calendar. He would not believe that the savings would be handed back to him. Who changes the calendar, anyway? It is laid down as a hypothesis that the change would have to come by inter- national agreement. It is evident that unless all the civilized people accepted the new scheme of dates the result confusion instead of con- venience. Therefore we presume the matter would be first a subject of ne- gotiation by the President through the State Department. It would have to take the form of a treaty to be rati- fied by the Senate. Such a proposal is full of political dynamite. In it lies, first, the natural human opposition to change. We can quite understand the London parades which mark the last change in the calendar. Those banners reading “Give us back our eleven days” showed the average reaction against altering a famliiar and established schedule of time. The loss of those eleven days meant to the London poor that one rent day had to be met eleven days sooner than they had every right to expect. Back of this revolt there was a decided disinclina- tion among the intellectuals to aban- would be MICHIGAN doning something that rested on his- toric association. These same influences will doubtless be felt to-day, even though they will be lessened by the general advance in education, The new calendar will have to obtain a strong and definite busi- né€ss support before it enters the field of poitical reality. It will have to be made part of a National party plat- form. At believe that it should be. It will have so important an effect upon the lives of the people that the people are entitled to their say upon it. There are alternatives to this. The proposal may remain as vague and unreal as the idea of changing the name of America to “Usonia’”’ or the ideal of a universal language. least we MILL MEN ARE HUMAN. Because the industry is one which has suffered from overproduction as much as or more than any other in the country, special interest attached during the week to the remarks of Walker D. Hines, president of the Cotton-Textile Institute, at the annual meeting of that organization. The in- stitute was formed two and a _ half years ago to attempt the solution of problems in the industry, chief of which was and is the overproduction evil. Mr. Hines reported some prog- ress but did not fail to emphasize the difficulties. At one point in his address he prob- ably pointed to the principal draw- backs in the program of adjusting out- put to demand. He said: “I have found in discussion with many mill executives and their representatives a feeling that you can’t afford to keep production in line with demand be- cause it increases your costs of pro- duction, and that the only way to off- set that is to see that there are in- creases in prices which will take care of the increased cost of prduction.” Explaining that while this was il- logical it was also a “powerful posi- tion,’ Mr. Hines went on to say: “I think that many mills deceive them- selves into thinking they are promot- ing their interests by producing more than the market demands because thereby they reduce their costs, and they fail to appreciate that by their overproduction they demoralize the price situation to the point where they lose much more in the price than they gain in the saving cost.” His view is one that will appeal to all factors and yet many are always ready to take the chance that a mar- ket for a surplus will somehow be found and that in the final accounting a profit will be shown. Mill men are human and hope springs eternal in their breasts. CONSUMER GIVEN HAND. In at feast three important particu- lars, the Senate debate on the tariff has brought action calculated to pro- tect the interests of the public as consumers and to prevent hidden moves for fixing unjust rates. The first step was in making income tax data available to find whether the industries seeking additional protection really de- serve it. The second was in having TRADESMAN final action under the flexible provi- sions placed: with Congress and not with the Executive so that the public might be acquainted with these adjust- ments and why they are sought and made. During the past week, the third move toward giving the public a hand in tariff business was undertaken when the Senate voted for the proposal to have a consumer’s counsel on the Tariff Commission who would not on- ly sit on the flexible tariff hearings but also be empowered to initiate adjust- ments in the public interest. All these decisions of the Senate will undoubtedly provoke only the bit- terest condemnation by the reaction- ary elements in business, but they are welcomed by those who recognize not only their benefit to consumers but their benefit to business as well, since business depends on the consumer. To say that unfair rates help industry is to say that the public buys more when prices are higher. To add that higher prices are not sought through tariff boosting is to “make believe” that great effort. large sums of money and a lot of time are expended for no gain. With the feature cited, the Senate bill begins to shape up to some pur- added doubt whether the legislation will be com- pleted. pose although there is EXTRA-FARE TRAINS. It is not quite clear what the Inter- state Commerce Commission expects to learn from its investigation of the extra fares charged on certain trains. The practice has been sanctioned for forty years. Two weeks ago the New York Central and the Pennsylvania put several new twenty-hour flyers in ser- vice between New York and Chicago with the customary extra fares. Lines between Chicago and the Pacific Coast have also added recently to their num- ber of trains de luxe. The surcharge on Pullman tickets, which goes to the railroads, has been the subject of much complaint, but there has been little protest against the additional cost of riding on excep- tionally fast and luxurious trains. It seems to be generally recgnized that the extra service is worth the price. For those who prefer them there are cheaper trains. Although the labels are different, our principal railroads seem to be tending toward supplying class- es of service analogous to those of Europe. First, second and _ third classes abroad are roughly approxi- mated by American travel in trains de luxe, in ordinary Pullman cars and in day coaches, although such coaches are frequently included in fast trains possessing Pullman equipment. An interesting recent development is the train which is composed of day coaches of a new style, with comfort- able armchairs, and which carries a dining car and sometimes an obser- vation car as well, with no Pullmans. With the railroads providing service to fit all purses, it is not likely that reason will be found for official con- demnation of the high cost of extra luxury and speed. . sprinkling of October 23, 1929 SPOTTY EVIDENCES AGAIN. After a brief advance the trend in steel operations is once more down- ward and the spotty condition of in- dustry is again emphasized. The re- cession in steel at a time when activi- ties are generally mounting is account- ed for by reduced consumption from its largest customer, the automobile industry. Shipments to the motor car producers are reported to be the low- est in eighteen months and the in- creased buying of steel by the railroads is not sufficient to offset the loss. Reduction in automobile output, made necessary to prevent further ac- cumulation of stocks, has caused un- employment in Detroit and adversely affected trade there. The question is whether this condition is likely to spread and bring about the situation which developed in 1927. For the time being there is no clue to this prospect from labor statistics. The figures for September showed a smail gain over August in employment and a rate still well over a year ago, and the data on payrolls: were even better. For the first time in many weeks the last carloading figures failed to equal the volume of a year ago. The merchandise and miscellaneous groups, however, were higher. Bank clearings have become spotty and in the last week the declines far exceeded the increases in throughout the country. Another in- dex of business conditions also pointed to the need for watchfulness. Insur- ance sales last month dropped 11.7 per cent. under September, 1928. How- ever, 14 per cent. more ordinary in- surance was sold. cities DRY GOODS CONDITIONS. While reports from many quarters, both retail and wholesale, have cited ready acceptance of the new designs launched this season in women’s wear, it becomes clearer that only the mod- ified designs are finding general favor. In the meantime, opposition to the changes has developed a stronger front and it is a question whether any but moderate innovations will make real headway. As in all fashion develop- ments, however, the retailers will have to keep a close watch on consumer demand to determine just what to buy and promote. Of equal importance with the style problem just now is the matter of de- liveries in not a few lines of mer- chandise. Conditions are improving over what they were a few weeks ago and the rather slow retail business has helped to bring about a better adjust- ment. From present indications, dif- ficulties will be overcome within the near future. The delay in shipments on seasonal lines, however, has had the effect of promoting better preparations for hol- iday business. The wholesale markets report very active buying on Christ- mas lines and gift merchandise in gen- eral. This was a feature of the week in the merchandise trades. The num- ber of buyers on hand continued under the same period last year, but an in- crease is expectedly shortly. October 23, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 9 OUT AROUND. Things Seen and Heard on a Week End Trip. We had as our guest Saturday Paul Findlay, who is conceded to be the best informed man on food topics in this country. He may not know as much about the chemistry of foods as some other men, but when it comes to the handling of foods at retail his in- formation is both complete and com- prehensive. Mr. Findlay visited Grand Rapids under the auspices of the Na- tional League of Commission Mer- chants, which organization maintains him in the field for the avowed pur- pose of teaching the retail dealer how he can increase his sales of fruits and vegetables. Notwithstanding the pub- licity given his talk to the retail mer- chants of Grand Rapids Thursday eve- ning—at no cost to them—less than 100 availed themselves of this oppor- tunity to learn how to become better merchants and to increase their in- comes by augmenting the sale of two important departments of their busi- ness. At Kalamazoo the night before he had an appreciative audience of 150 and at Chicago this week he will speak to audiences in excess of four figures on four or five different occasions. I do not wonder Grand Rapids mer- chants are so unappreciative in mat- ters of this kind, because they have been fooled so many times in the past that they seem to have lost all con- fidence in anything which emanates from some sources. Some years ago the wholesale dealers of the city in- augurated a so-called Merchants Con- gress, in which speakers of note were engaged to come here and talk onthe ethics of merchandising. The affair was wretchedly managed, because it was turned over to the Association of Commerce, whose officers had no proper conception of the importance of the event and the benefit it could be made to the retail dealer by the selection of proper topics and the en- gagement of speakers who would talk along practical, instead of theoretical and technical, lines. The result was that both attempts of this kind—held in the winter time a year apart—fell flat. Even local merchants who could easily have spared an evening to listen to speakers of note stayed away, while the merchant from other towns and cities who braved the stormy periods which prevailed during the meetings both years felt illy repaid for their expenditure of time and money. Such affairs are made very valuable in other markets where the management is placed in the hands of practical men, ‘instead of beang turned over to bunglers and nitwits. During the afternoon Mr. Findlay discussed the chain store situation with great freedom. He does not be- lieve the present tendency to denounce the chain stores on general principles will ever get the radicals who do the denouncing anywhere. He believes the chain store has a place in the field of distribution; that it serves a useful pur- pose to the woman who goes to mar- ket with a shawl over her head and a few pennies in her pocket. It will never supplant the independent store, so long as the latter handles high grade goods and brands which the chain store does not and will not handle and also gives satisfactory ser- vice. He believes the two classes of merchants can work together in peace and harmony. He has two friends who owned stores adjoining their in- dependent stores. As the stores were vacant, they leased them to chain stores. In both cases the volume of the independents increased and con- tinued to increase, because the chains drew new trade which in some cases had to be supplied by the independents, because the chain carried mostly cheap goods and, to some extent, inferior brands which customers of discrimina- tion would not purchase. At Conklin I found the McNitt & Son store with an extra large supply of fresh goods in a rear room. I asked the reason and was told they had pur- chased the Hanna grocery stock at Marne and added it to their own. Hav- ing a vacant store on his hands Will Hanna conceived the idea of re-engag- ing in the grocery business. He bought his opening stock in Grand Rapids, but his sales amounted to only $30 in three days, so he concluded it would be the part of wisdom for him to re- tire while the way was open and be- fore his good became shopworn. A sale was made to the McNitts without delay. At Ravenna I had the pleasure of meeting William P. Conklin, who con- ducted a. mercantile business in Ravenna about forty years in company with his brother, Oscar F. Conklin, who now resides in Illinois. Mr. Conklin is 89 years old, but he is as . sprightly and full of fun as a man of 50. “O. F.” will soon be 100 years old and every appearance indicates that "W. P.” will also make a similar record. I talked with several friends in Mus- kegon who had invested money in oil wells. In no case have the results been so satisfactory as to warrant any great degree of enthusiasm over the situation. The impression appears to be that the leasers and drillers have made more money than the owners. The latter got their pay—$15,000 to $25,000 per well—whether the men who furnished the capital got gas, oil or dry holes. So far as my observa- tion goes, more of the moncy invested in oil wells came from outside sources than from Muskegon people, many of whom have refused to contribute a penny to the work of development. I have it on the assurance of a close personal friend of Clarence Thomas that the single hardware store he re- cently started in this city, with a view to making it the nucleus of a chain of hardware stores, will be the Alpha and Omega of his ambition in that direc- tion. In the days when he had a chain of grocery stores he could satisfy the requirements of his customers by carrying 900 items. Now he finds that it requires 15,000 items to meet the re- quirements of a discriminating line of hardware customers, many of whom are not willing to carry home a length of stove pipe or a washing machine under their arms in order to patronize a cash and carry chain store. E. A. Stowe. —————_<-->--<-___— Importance of Air and Water. Grandville. Oct. 21—Air and water are the two indispensible elements in nature that go to make the life of all livine things on the earth. Lacking either one and death comes at once. The two are bosom friends and yet if not rightly understood very often lead to tragic results as we see day by day in the recorded tales of air planes going astray. Despite the fact that air and water are two life giving forces, they are at the same time very dangerous elements when wrongly handled. Wrecks on the ocean wave have been with us since first the sailor man set his bark on the murmuring sea. Great storms have wrecked innumerable ships, even fleets, and water on the rampage is a most terrible enemy. Also we may say the same of air in motion. Whirlwinds, and storms which whip across the plains accompanied by clouds of rain. Air and water com- bined make havoc at unexpected times. One smothers without sufficient. air, also drowns with a plethora of water. Two indispensable friends, vet two most destructive elements in nature. Wrecks on sea have been innumer- able, deaths caused by wind are of equal force on land as on the sea. What does all this combining of wind and wave disasters lead to. To the fact that man is often the victim of circumstances over which he has no control. The news columns of the daily press have of late teemed with air wrecks in different quarters of the globe. We may well ask why this high flying which has proven so dangerous to hu- man life? The,hyman animal is prone to seek adventure. even going to the gates of death in search of it. Will much good accrue to humanity because of the present day air exploita- tion? Perhaps the object sought is worth the candle, and yet we some- times feel to doubt that this is so. Is it really necessary for man to scour the skies in planes imitating the feath- ered flyers of earth? Invading the seas is wholly another matter, a case of necessity in fact, but as bird imitators the human race has so far lamentably failed. Nature never intended that we should soar as eagles vet there are those who seem to think it is necessary to do this. Life is not as precious as it once was. Adven- turers are_throwing it away regardless, and the rest of the world applauds. A shipwreck is a terrible thing, an air plane crash is equally frightful al- though usually a less number of hu- man lives are involved. Since an early day men have aspired to mount the skies, as witness the numerous stunts to the upper air in balloons. There were tragic happenings in those early balloon days. I call io mind one Thurston who ascended from Marshall, Michigan. His machine was out of repair. While engaged in fixing the car, the balloon started to ascend. Thurston snatched at the balloon proper and was carried skyward with the velocity of a rocket. It must have been near night, since the aeronaut disappeared in the upper air and was never seen _ thereafter. Thurston’s fate was the talk of the country for many years. A long time thereafter a skeleton man was found in a marsh in Ontario and was thought to be the remains of the long lost man. At another date two balloonisis went up from this shore of Michigan and a gust of wind carried them over Lake Michigan. A thunder storm fol- lowed and neither man was again seen or heard of. One of the mysteries with which our world abounds and which are destined never to be solved. Columbus was a great discoverer, a brave man, and yet the present dav sky flyer is equally courageous, and may bring to light mysteries as grevt as those solved by the first great dis- coverer. Air and water, the two principal life giving fuels for man are as danger- ous if not properly handled as dyna- mite in the hands of a child. One of the early disasters in our own State was the big wind of September 1856. Vast windfalls were that day created to cause wonder and remark by later investigators. Think of Niagara and jot down the fact that this water is a tyrant that cannot be handled by man with im- punity, and yet human life would dis- appear from the earth were it not for water such as composes this waterfall. Once upon a time a man pined away and died, a business man, his ailment puzzling the doctors completely. The post mortem revealed a myriad of minute cancers throughout the interna] parts of the body. And then it was learned that the man had an antipathy for water and seldom drank of it. The physicians at once diagnosed as a fact that the man came to his death for want of sufficient water. The well-known fact that the human body is composed of three-quarters moisture goes to show how necessary for life and longevity is the water we drink. Shut off the air for a few brief minutes and the lunes collapse and leave a once strong human cold in death. Air and water are certainly of tremendous moment to all of us. it has been said that the blood is the life, but what of the blood if any portion of necessary air or water is lacking the human anatomy? Men do not attach enough import- ance to these little things which go to make up our lives. The importance of air and water in the human economy should be taught the young in our schools to the end that the learners may not neglect their bodies in this most important particular. Old Timer. ot ee : Seek Individual Gift Items. One feature of the business being done in gift wares for the holiday sea- son is the increased call for individual pieces, of which only one or a few of a kind are available. Some of the gift wholesalers have developed a special section to take care of this demand. At the moment Chinese pieces are being featured, these items costing from $4 to $15, wholesale. Included are such items as amber ash trays and cigarette boxes, book ends of camphor and other precious woods, antique effect perfume bottles and hand carved boxes of red cinnabar with jade inserts. The num- ber of gift buyers in the market has been steadily increasing, wholesalers say. ——2~+____ Greeting Card Sales Improve. Re-order business on holiday greet- ing cards is now making its appear- ance in the market and the season is expected to be well started in another week. Although Christmas card busi- ness has not been up to expectations so far, manufacturers report that the sale of birthday and general greeting cards has run from 5 to 10 per cent. ahead of last year. An increasing trend to- ward informality in all types of greet- ing cards is reported. Credit condi- tions in the industry continue to be unsatisfactory. 10 Rounded Out Fifty Years With One House. A half century of faithful service as a salesman with the Edson Moore Co. wholesale dry goods firm, is the record that Louis J. Koster of this city is celebrating this week. Wednesday afternoon he received a beautiful Ham- ilton white gold wrist watch from his house in recognition of fifty years of unfaltering devotion to the business which is but a few years older than this record of the oldest salesman. A letter accompanied the watch which Mr. Koster said was one of more importance than any gift could be. It is a testimonial from the offi- cers, part of which follows, “This is a great span of years. Fifty years of unfaltering devotion to one concern is a record only a few can equal. I am writing this letter to let you know that we are happy and wondrously glad that you can continue serving with the same cnthusiasm, the utmost integrity and unshakable belief. It is a high mark to be able to do all this, not for res # ae ~ Louis J. Koster. one year or a few years, but for a half century. “All the officers with whom you started have passed on, yet we of a younger generation consider you as valued assets. Throughout all these fifty years you have kept your territory intact, your one of our most customers believing in you as much as you believe in us.” The letter goes on to say, “the gift is a token of our respect and admira- tion for the finest Christian gentleman ever connected with the grand old firm of Edson Moore & Co.” There is one older salesman on the force, E. S. Campbell, best man at Koster’s wedding. He has always re- mained in Detroit as the home sales- man. Mr. Koster recalled the early days of traveling in Michigan when a sales- man rose at 4 a. m., caught a train to stop at some small station where a horse and a wagon were waiting for the eight or more big trunks probably and a drive of fifteen to twenty miles. Year in and out, winter and summer, Mr. Koster has covered every inch of MICHIGAN TRADESMAN Northern Michigan from Grand Rap- ids to Mackinaw City. In the early days the trips were made with horse and wagon, then came the railroads and now they have almost been sup- planted by the automobile. The salesman to-day throws a few suit cases in his car, starts from the house Monday and returns Friday or Saturday. “Many a year I started from the house with eight big trunks and was gone from four to six weeks. It was a big event to the small store keeper when the salesman came in. The merchandise was spread over the store and the buyer went over his pur- chases piece by piece, buying for months at a time. A bill of sale for $2,500 was a common one, Mr. Koster recalled. Now the merchant buys for a week at a time or from hand to mouth. “This is a better way, I believe, for the merchant turns his goods over faster and keeps his capital working more rapidly,” said Mr. Koster. “What changes I have seen,” he “in days gone by Winter underwear was a big line. Great heavy continued, fleece lined under garments and red flannels for the lumbermen and _ their wives. Now I carry my samples and ladies underwear in a small case. Just as thin and small as possible is the rule with warmth of no consideration.” A salesman must understand and know his merchandise. The veteran salesman told the following story to illustrate the point. A salesman seem- ed very familiar with a line of cashi- mere he was selling and remarked he was personally acquainted with the mother of the lamb from which the fleece was taken. “If you don’t show your goods, you fail,” he said. “I can pack and un- pack a trunk in a few minutes. Never overload a customer has been one of the rules of the company. To induce a merchant to cancel an order given another house in favor of Edson, Moore & Co., meant a dismissal. The house has been in business for fifty- seven years and a finer group of men never existed, Mr. Koster says. Mr. Koster spoke feelingly in this respect as he went to Edson Moore fifty years ago from a house of which the president would not even speak to his salesman. Four years ago Mr. Koster was ill and obliged to be home several weeks. The company urged him to cease his activities although the monthly check came in as usual. But to know Louis Koster is to realize he cannot keep still. Never is he so happy as when active. He still continues his beat, although it has narowed to towns nearer by, and each week sees him starting out Monday morning on bus or train to make the rounds among the stores which are now run by the younger generation. But this is the secret of Mr. Koster’s success. He has kept pace with them. For thirty-three years he has been an usher in the Presbyterian church missing few Sundays in that time. Many times he has gone down the aisle when he feared he might not get back, but go he would. He has been an officer there for thirty-five years, October 23, 1929 RED ARROW AN INSTITUTION FOR RETAIL DEALERS PRODUCING TRADE ENLARGEMENT IT IS A BIG HUMAN INTEREST GAME Individuals play it . . . . Neighbors and relatives form com- binations to play it . . . . Churches, schools, lodges, societies, athletic teams—as organization units—play it. Individual competes with individual; combination with com- bination; organization with organization. The Red Arrow Game has more of the fun element than foot- ball, baseball, golf or any other game—There is no audience— everyone plays, o'd and young. To play the Big Red Arrow Game, as an individual, combina- tion or organization, in a small way or in a big way, requires purchases to be made at the store directing the Game. The incentive to buy from the store conducting the Red Arrow Game is so natural and so great that an increase in business is assured. NOTE: Any store, large or small, in any line of business may success- fully opercte the Red Arrow Institution. The program is simple but very comprehensive. The Red Arrow Game has a cumulative growth from week to week. If you are near a city in which Red Arrow is in operation, motor over and see it. RED ARROW SERVICE COMPANY Springfield Illinois CHAINS = ES LD We have always maintained that the manufacturer who sells Chain Stores direct and then solicits the Independent Retailer’s account through a jobber is asking too much when he expects the Inde- pendent Grocer toPush his products. PURITY OATS COMPANY KEOKUK, IOWA a 2 i a October 28, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 11 Born in Detroit, Mr. Koster mar- ried in 1889, but after a few years re- turned from Detroit and has made Grand Haven his home since. Fifty years of service would seem to deserve a respite but Mr. Koster has no idea of quitting. His energy, his pleasure in his work and his long ser- vice to the company make him a valuable man. ; Known over the State as one of the oldest traveling men, Louis Koster would be missed by both the older and younger men of the “Knights of the Grip” among whom there is a fraternal spirit born of the comradeship of being “on the road.’—Grand Haven Tribune. ——_2--___ ’ Chains Must Watch Step To Escape Control. “The chain store has been the ob- iect of hostile and discriminatory leg- islation in several states. It is the sub- ject of economic surveys by Govern- mental and private agencies. It has been denounced as moftopolistic, and it has been urged that there be inves- tigation of its competitive practices. It is resented because it does dislodge fundamentally channels of distribution, and because it is regarded as a danger to the man who has headed a small enterprise and who has been looked upon as a distinctly American institution. With all these disturbing cries it is well that the chain store should take stock of what it is doing, clarify its obligations to the public and be sure that it has adjusted its methods to the economic policies of the Federal Government.” This warning was uttered by Col. William J. Donovan former assistant to the Attorney-General of the United States, in his address at the second annual convention of the National Chain Store Association in Chicago. He continued, in part, as follows: “The decision in the case of United States vs. Trenton Potteries makes definite and conclusive such illegality. No rule of reason can be invoked in such a situation, because as in the fix- ing of prices the mere agreement of allocation, no matter how beneficent the intent, is violative of the law. The mere indication of these possibilities of danger ought to bring home to a great and still growing industry, such as this, the necessity of self-regulation by the members in order to avoid reg- ulation by the Government. “The general principle is that a state legislature may under its police power regulate prices and charges; that the extent to which regulation may reas- cnably go depends upon the nature of the business, where it touches a great many people and’ may afford oppor- tunities for impression and repression. A business is not affected with a public interest merely because it is large, but because the public is warranted in having a feeling of concern in respect to its maintenance. “The chain store has reached its present growth at a time when the American business man was realizing to the fullest extent the profits which might be derived in fair and honest business practice. The chain store has so far succeeded by following this pol- icy. It has made its profits ultimately existing by giving to the consuming public a good product at a reasonable price. ° This has been made possible by the most rigorous and efficient manage- ment. There is nothing in our anti- trust laws which puts a penalty upon efficiency and intelligence in business. Nor is there anything in our anti-trust laws which gives to the inefficient the right to exist. “If you follow the policies which you profess to have, serve the American consumer with a better product at a reasonable price, and if your merchan- dising is of a higher quality than that of your competitors, and if you do not abuse your power of bargaining to in- timidate and make suffer the producer and the manufacturer, then the fear of restrictive or represssive legislation is not great. So long as public opinion feels that there is a square deal it is not impelled to strike. Only when aroused by unfair and unjust methods, which are usually the result of stupid- ity, does it bring down its hand.” -———_>-+-2—___ Handbag Volume Ahead. Orders for women’s handbags have been steadily growing, with reports indicating the seasonal volume will be ahead of last year. Leather bags are strongly stressed, interest in fabric styles ‘being largely confined to types for evening wear. Antelope and suede are reported leading from a fashion standpoint, but the demand for calf- skin in a variety of colors has lately forged ahead. Pouch, strap and under- arm bags share the demand, with black, brown and blue dominating in color preference. Considerable success has been met with tapestry bags in the larger sizes, equipped with novelty frames. Ee Cee Call For Better Grade Lamps. A “trading up” tendency in the pur- chase of floor and table lamps intended for Christmas gifts is reported by manufacturers who are now busy with holiday orders. The demand for pot- tery and china table lamps continues strong, although metal lamp manu- facturers report they are getting a larger share of the business this year than they did last. Bronze lamps of Colonial design are said to be best in the higher-priced goods. The use of candle effects is noticeable in the lines now being shown. Lamps with two and three artificial candles are most popular. —_—_~--_ ___ Confer on Conover Fabric Plan. Practical means for putting the Conover “integrity-in-fabrics” plan in- to effect, and determination of how in- clusive or limited its scope will be, form the basis of conferences recently held on the plan by rayon, silk and cotton trade representatives. It may be a considerable time yet before the working stage of the scheme is reach- ed. Meanwhile, reaction of trade as- sociations and others to the plan is being sounded out, which will eventu- ally lead to a financial set-up provid- ing working funds. The plan features the hallmarking of fabrics meeting certain quality standards. _———-o-2>-2.- Forget yourself and other people won't, There must bea agnet in that ELL-O package HEN IT comes down from your shelves, along come a lot of OTHER things, to hop into the market basket, too. Canned fish and meats—condiments—vegetables (fresh or canned)—these, in addi- tion to the dessert fixings that you always DID sell with Jell-O. Surprising things to be accompanying a Je!l-O package? They WOULD have been, not many months ago. But today, women all over the country know about Jell-O’s new uses. Jell-O advertising—Jell-O radio talks—Jell-O recipe booklets are tel'ing them... Jell-O’s all through the menu now! As an appetizer—an entree—a relish—a salad—a dessert—Jell-O is starring in a'l sorts of new roles! (And if your wife hasn’t served you some of these new Jell-O good things, she’s holding out on you, that’s all). All of which brings about greater Jell-O turnover. Makes it easy to sell three Jell-O packages at a clip. And just as frequently as you sold SINGLE packages, before. Use that wonderful silent salesman— the Jell-O Jumble Display! JELL-O Distributed by GENERAL FOODS SALES COMPANY, Ine. Factory at LeRoy, N. Y. (C). 1929, G. F. Corp. — = = — 12 FINANCIAL Manners Pave Way For Most Effec- tive Influence. A brief definition of manners is de- cent and respectful behavior, civil con- duct. There are a number of other words which are used as synonyms to manners which have delicate shades of meaning as applied to character, and they are worth studying. For instance, politeness is graciousness of manner united with a desire to please others, and finds its expression in obliging at- tention. Gentility is graciousness of mien; courtesy is graciousness of man- ner connected with kindness of heart. Then there is the word “gentlehood” which, to me, is expressive of a type of character which we generally stamp as good hreeding. An intrinsic ele- ment in the definitions of all those words is that of sympathy, which means fellow feeling. Down under- neath as a foundation for manners, politeness, gentility, courtesy and gentlehood lies this fellow-feeling. Un- less it is there as a corner stone in the wall of character, all the expressions of the individual which may seem to illus- trate the character represented by these words is a sham. No matter how polished one may be in manner, unless the outward expression finds its roots in genuine kindheartedness, it is coun- terfeit, and you know the most danger- ous counterfeits are those which have the greatest similitude to the real thing. There is nothing so like gentle- hood as its most striking counterfeit hypocrisy. 3irth has a good deal to do with mianners, and often a style of manners is typified in several generations of a family. Polish as a birthright, linked with genuine goodness, is a legacy of the best sort. Environment has a great deal to do with the development of good manners. Association with well-mannered people naturally awak- ens like qualities in ourselves. We imitate unwittingly. Once during my schoolboy days we had a_ teacher, greatly beloved, who had an impedi- ment in his speech, and before we knew it many of us developed this same hesitancy in communication. A leader among a bevy of boys who has a swaggering gait will soon have im- itators and, unknown to themselves, they will develop the same peculiarity. Let one of vou enter into conversation with an attractive companion who has vivacity of speech that is winsome to you, if he brings in the expression “don’t you know,” or “absolutely” or “sure,” quite often before you know it you will be inducting the same phraseology in your part of the con- versation. I sat at table not long ago with a group of cultivated men and one of them, a leader, quite frequently used the word “understand?” with an upward inflection into his conversation, and just for my own amusement I watched the effect on the group and before the conference ended, over half of them in one way or another used this word in carrying on the discussion. No matter how strong minded one may be, association with sympathetic and lovable companions will result in the adoption of some of their manner- isms, Unfortunately, in many of us MICHIGAN TRADESMAN the instinct of choice in this imitation is not highly developed and we find our selves imitating bad manners as well as good ones. So the importance of constantly being on our guard in the development of gentility and polite- ness in lieu of brusqueness and boor- ishness becomes vital. A man who appears often before the public ought to have a close friend who will fearlessly remind him of un- pleasant mannerisms. I have often wished that a good minister whom I often hear uttering the phrase “the firmament above, the earth beneath and the waters under the earth” had that kind of a friend to remind him of the absurdity of his frequent repe- tition. One method of exhibiting question- able manners lies in self-adulation. I mean by that, talking about one’s self and one’s experiences and dwelling upon them to the exclusion of other lines of conversation far more inter- esting. You know Thackeray says in his definition of a boor: “It is a man who talks so much about himself that I have no time to talk about myself.” I think self-abasement is as unfortun- ate a habit in mannerism as self-com- placency. Some people seem to take great pleasure in telling how wicked they are and what a lot of mistakes they are making and how they never expect to go to heaven because of their sinfulness, and all that sort of thing. It gets to be somewhat tiresome and an unpleasant factor in life associa- tions. The most important place to exhibit good manners is in the home. It means more there than anywhere else. I know of men who are the pink of politeness to other people who seem to take it out on their own families and exhibit the worst side of them in connection with those they ought to love the best. The opportunity for little acts of courtesy and civility and lovable attentions in the family circle is always present, and these things mean more in the family circle than anywhere else in the world. One evening I sat in a family of five, father and mother and three young daugh- ters, ‘before the grate fire and while we were talking together very pleas- antly suddenly the father arose and said to his youngest daughter, “You are not quite happy Edith, let me get you a chair so that your feet will touch the floor,” and he exchanged the high- er chair for one in which the little girl would be more comfortable. It was a little thing to do, but it showed the innate civility of the father. I have known those daughters as they grew into womanhood and took their places in the world, and the courtesy toward them in their childhood they were con- stantly passing on to others in their womanhood. Nothing is more gracious than the civilities of life, and nowhere can they be made more effective than in dealing with little children and aged people. Street manners are open to the pub- lic and good habits in meeting people and giving them thoughtful attention are constantly making a deep impress. A former judge in Grand Rapids was coming down the street with his little boy and just at the head of Monroe October 23, 1929 The Measure ot a Bank The ability of any banking institution is measured by its good name, its financial resources and its physical equipment. Judged by these standards we are proud of our bank. It has always been linked with the progress of its Community and its resources are more than adequate. GRAND RAPIDS SAVINGS BANK “‘The Bank Where You Feel At Home’’ 16 CONVENIENT OFFICES Phone 86729 Night Phone 22588 THE INVESTIGATING AND ADJUSTMENT CO., INC. COLLECTORS AND INSURANCE ADJUSTERS Fire losses investigated and adjusted. Bonded to the State of Michigan. Collections, Credit Counsel, Adjustments, Investigations Suite 407 Houseman Building Grand Rapids, Michigan -~ « « A BANK THAT OFFERS EVERY SER= VICE TO THE MAN WHO WANTS TO BE SUreerirny . OLD KENT BANK CAPITAL AND SURPLUS, $4,000,000 RESOURCES, $38,000,000 THREE DOWNTOWN OFFICES ELEVEN COMMUNITY BRANCHES October 23, 1929 MICHIGAN TRADESMAN 13 street there was a blear-eyed tramp who lifted his hat to the judge and the judge affably raised his own tile and gave a pleasant word of greeting. After passing along, the little boy — said, “Daddy, what did you raise your hat to that old duffer for?’ and the reply was, “My son, I won’t be outdone in politeness by a tramp.” Not long ago on a windy day as I came out of the bank I looked across avenue and there was an old lady somewhat bent, evidently a little There were several men standing around, but A little newsboy on the corner stepped up to Tonia afraid to make the crossing. they paid no attention to her. one of the men standing there and said, “Hold these minute” and turned around and with both hands took the old lady’s hand in his and led her across safely to the other side. thanked the man for holding his papers papers, sir, for a Then he came right back, and it just seemed to be a natural thing for him.