Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1918 — THE LOCAL MERCHANT [ARTICLE]

THE LOCAL MERCHANT

There never was a time in the’ history of business when the local merchant was in as good a position to place himself on a solid footing with his customers than today, neither has there ever been a time when he could so easily lose his prestige with them. With the cry of economy on every hand and each and every member of the class known as the buying public intent upon practicing economy to the fullest extent, there must and will be some radical changes in business methods in the not far distant future. That the city brother of the local merchant has sensed these changes and is already making his plans ( to meet the new conditions is evident

to the casual observer. Profits must be reduced and when this is done sales must be increased to maintain the standard of gross profits. Of the two —the country merchant and the city merchant —which is in the best position to reduce profits and still maintain his business upon a paying basis? Students of economic conditions are all agreed that the country merchant has every advantage over his city brother in times such as we now have, but the latter is not going to sit idly by and see good trade slip from him without making every effort in his power to hold it. The greatest of his claims to economic business conduct —that of buying in large quantities and obtaining a better price—has been done away with by government regulation of price and quantity sales. In the buying markets today the country merchant is on an equal footing with his cosmopolitan competitor. But notwithstanding these conditions, and of which but Jew people are cognizant, the city merchant is now and will continue to make every effort to attract trade to him. Many of the arguments that have availed him and served his purpose in times past will be used again and with telling effect unless offset by an equal persuasive argument from the local merchant.

That the city merchant is hot on the trail of patronage everywhere is well known to those in a position to know. His advertising is going into corners heretofore unrecognized, and he proposes to leave no stone unturned to secure custom from, any and all sources. One barrier which he has encountered that has temporarily put a halt in his endeavors is the policy of many local newspapers to discourage and frequently refuse city advertising that is in direct competition with any local concern. Yet this barrier will not prove permanent and sooner or later will be surmounted. The city merchant recognizes the value oif the local newspaper as a means of reaching the buying public in that vicinity, but if he cannot use that medium, he will use some other to the best of his ability even though the cost is much greater. And here is. where the local merchant must come forward and with all the ‘powers at his command strive to offset the tremendous drive that is being made for the custom of his territory. In his efforts along this line his most powerful ally will be the local newspaper, ever ready to help In any and every move that has a semblance Of local benefit, and ever reluctant to do that which will in any way tend to take trade away from home.

The local merchant must recognize and appreciate this fact, and make use of the service offered. The newspaper publisher is only a human and is conducting his business for what there is legitimately in it, and whenever the time comes that he does not receive an adequate remuneration for his labors from local concerns he can turn to the city merchant and be welcomed with open arms. This condition is one that the local merchant alone has con-

trol of and one which he must not , permit to come to pass. One other thing that must be realized by the small town trades-’ man is the ability to recogniz'e his real competitor. The fact that you 1 sell shoes and John Smith further down the street also sells shoes does not make 4 him your competitor, and the same is true of those who sell hardware, groceries, clothing or any other line of merchandise. What is good Ifor you is good for him, and what is good for him is good for you. Your real competitor, the one who seeks to take the custom from your territory, is the city merchant. Don’t try to beat John Smith out of a sale. Rather take him by the hand and together strive to offset the increasing inclination among the people to trade away from home. It can be done. You have the means at your disposal and prudence must be your guide.

The announcement of the Presi-, dent naming a guaranteed price of, $2.20 a bushel for the next wheat crop is made under Section 14 of the food control law of August 10, 1917, which says: “Whenever the President shall find that an emergency exists requiring stimulation of the production of wheat and that it is " essential that the ’producers of wheat, produced within the United States, shall have the benefits of the guaranty provided for in this section, he is authorized from time to time, seasonably and so far In advance of seeding time as practicable, to determine and fix and to give public notices of what, under specified conditions, is a reasonable guaranteed price for wheat, in order to assure such producer a reasonable profit.” The law provides for regulations regarding the grading of wheat and says: “The government of the United States hereby guarantees every producer of wheat produced within the United States that upon compliance by him with the regulations prescribed he shall receive for any wheat produced in reliance upon this guarantee within a period not exceeding eighteen months, a price therefor as fixed pursuant to this section.” Thus the government of the United States guarantees to American farmers the price of 1918 wheat and says that this guarantee is hereby absolute and shall be binding until May 1, 1919.

Satisfactory equipping of the army is now assured, Secretary of War Baker has officially announced, for rifle and cartridge production has reached a plane guaranteeing plenty of fighting materials for the American army in France. Since April 6 this country has turned out 700,000 rifles. For the week ending February 9, 13,012 rifles was the daily output. This was four times as many in one week as Great Britain turned out in ten months of war, the secretary said. Some $400,000,000 has been spent to produce these results. The production of cartridges during January was, says the secretary, 7,300,000 a day. -r