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10 A TTEARST *S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, UA„ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1013. A Merchants and Manufacturers' Bulletin A Deplorable Condition Exists in Dry Goods Trade Which Forces Fight for Rights, A deplorable condition exist* in the dTy goods trade and perhaps in other trades when merchants of established reputation are forced to protect a trade-mark from offenders who live and thrive on imitation. The viciousness of imitation will certainly at some time react in a radical way upon thousand* of traders in this country who are exploiting iho brains of other people for their own profit and not for the ultimate benefit of consumers or producers. The pure food act was directed pri marily at the wrongs that had crept into distribution of the necessaries of life And sooner or later legislation Is certain to be demanded for the pro tection of consumers against the wrongs that are being inflicted In the field of textile distribution, unless the trade itself soon undertakes a sane method of correction. In the past twenty year® there has developed all over the textile world both her and abroad, a desire to buy merchandise because of itk construc tion. _ Flood of “Just-as-Good.” A mill may bring out a cloth that is new in all of its important features, and to safeguard it against Imita tion a trade-mark is placed upon it Merchants at once begin to Imitate the cloth, the trade-mark, and th<n to debase the construction Salesmen are instructed to go forth and sell something “just as good" as the other man's. And everything that is com monly recognized as an established trade description as It applies to ;he trade-marked article is violated. As a coni^'juencc of doing business THE HIRSHBERG CO. CJUALfTT I . cfbumAito GLENDALE Lir^r. ALWAYS & fOUND HERE Stalionqy&nA DruiJjJlslsSunAriej »-15-17 NELSON ST ATLANTA In this way the market* become filled with "plunder that has been foist on the Jobber, the retailer and the consumer, all designed primarily to I Imitate somethin* of character and solely for the purpose of depriving the original producer of a fair profit Advertlelrig In steadily becoming a handmaiden of tro','.., and In the pres ent Inst ance can he used to correct many of the evils now existing. At the present time many producers are depending upon secondary and retail ' distributors to aeaiuaint consumers i with the facts they wish them to know. In a great many Instances the I far.s arc being distorted or sup- I pressed. New Advertising Foreseen. I As yet tlie advertising men of the country are not alive to the difficul ties producers are under In meeting the competition of frauds. Happily, perhaps, they do not rare to know much of the details of a trade nn.l prefer to deal with the consumer as having Intelligence only In the matter of price, and price as It measures ,inatlty. Should a time come when the legislators and the advertising men of the country come together to understand the technical frauds that producers suffer from, there may ■ ome Into this country a form of ad vertising that will make a new radi calism with a real menace. Dry goods men bear with many things In their business that are trou- bieaome because there Is a lack of public spirit unless some matter out side of the trade Is at stake. They will rise up as one man at the call of charity and the leaders among them are constantly at the service of all sorts of movements designed for the hetterm-nt of the community and mankind In general Hut when it comes to the consideration of m» ,s - ods to eliminate from the business such a canker as the violation of trade-marks has become they are slow lo act. Tradesmen Indifferent. Those of them who are In touch with the producing end of the busi ness feel kepnly enough about any thing that unsettles the financial status of a produ er or a dlstlbutor. And they lend all sorts of extraordi nary aid to an honest man who Is caught In troubles But the same men when appealed to In any effort to rid the trade of such a crying abuse as the violation of trade-marks and rights to fabrics has become are weak In their consideration of the whole matter. This is plain speak ing. but the truth should not hurt. mum lures Credit Men Are All Watching Accounts With Great Care Boot and Shoe Workers’ Wages Mounting Yearly How They Regard Trade Recession /and the Many Failures Throughout Country. Gain of 34.8 Per Cent Since Shown by Department of Labor. 1890 MS DRESS Merchant Formerly Carrying Ac count Elsewhere Seeks Gate City—Market Ample. The Master Salesman A FREE TRIP To Atlanta is avail able to the merchant who buys an ade quate bill from the members of the Mer chants’ Association. Write to H. T. MOORE SECRETARY Rhodes Building, Atlanta. No man really exhausts the possl bllltles of his subject, however close ly he may approach the limits of hiB own oaj>«olty or of his listener's pa tience. No salesman ever reaches the last possible argument In favor of his goods until the personal equation of the customer is eliminated. There Is some special application of all things to all people, something that applies with equal force to no one else. This is the Altai touch of the suc cessful sale—the distinguishing im pulse that finally decides the sale, and it must come out of the custo mer’s own head. The salesman may introduce it, but he can not partici pate in Its effect, for his own per sonality only supports him to the threshold. There is a mysterious in terior beyond the reach of his influ- j ence. into which the customer must | go alone, and out of which his final decision will presently Issue. This final appeal, this struggle be- | tween desire and dubious resistance, j may be precipitated by some sugges- i tion from the salesman, worked into | special Influence by the customer’s succeeding train of thoughts. An in terruption, then, an unwise word, may shift the train upon a line of greater resistance. There is a time, even in salesmanship, when silence is golden. The man who can so nearly follow In his mind the workings of another mind that he can read the probable verdict being reached, can remain si lent while the trend of thought Is in (lie direction Of a sale, ran read the danger signal as this counter mind ap proaches some new doubt, and, by a word, can start the thought-ball spin ning along some smoother path, has mastered the art and science of true salesmanship. Lower cotton goods prices are do ing a little toward brightening up the possibilities of trade in export cot tons Pome positive offers have been received, but not accepted, because they are on too low’ a range. Fancy checks In sizes under three- | quarter* of an inch square are being : featured in new offerings of dress ‘ cottons, both printed and yam dyed, j and in white. Many check box loom crepes are being sold by some houses. Atlanta is making wonderful strides as a wholesale market. Since the middle of August her wholesale houses In all lines, without exception have been crowded with busy and eager buyers from all parts of the South. These people are not here merely to see, but are buying heavily, and, at the same time, conservatively, of staples and also holiday novelties That Atlanta Is proving her just claim that ahe haa the best whole sale market In the Southern States is very clearly evidenced by the inter esting fad that dozens of those who are here purchasing large bills are buyers and merchants who have for merly traveled hundreds of miles far ther to New York and other Northern markets, but who have recently been lured to Atlanta by the flattering “tree-fare plan” of the Atlanta Mer chants and Manufacturer*’ Associa tion. Some of these buyers, after stop ping in Atlanta and looking over her stock of dry goods, shoes and other staples, In order that they might have an absolute means of compari son, have gone on to New York and, after thoroughly Inspecting the lines shown there, have returned to At lanta and have purchased the entire season’s goods here. Atlanta Has the Goods. Why have they done this? The answer 1h very clear and concise. Atlanta has the goods. Situated, as they are. at the intersection of the principal trunk line railroads of the South, and with their thousands of traveling salesmen constantly trav ersing every mile of Southern terri tory, the Atlanta manufacturers, wholesalers and Jobbers are more apt to know exactly the needs of the retail merchants in the. South than any one else. They do know, and having that knowledge, have selected their lines accordingly, and have bought in such quantities that they are able to quote as good or better prices than their competitors In oth er markes. Then, too, after booking their or ders. they are able to ship goods by fast freight to any point in the South, thereby saving the retailer much time in receiving .shipments after his order is placed. The saving in freight charges occasioned by this fact is another argument greatly in favor of the Atlanta market. All Reports Good. The leading manufacturers and Jobbers of Atlanta have been inter viewed since the market opened, and in every case an excellent trade is reported, much better in fact than during any season for several years past. All houses report that they have opened many new accounts this win ter, and this is further evidence that many retailers are visiting the mar ket who have not been here before. The Atlanta merchants appreciate very greatly this promising increase in trade from out of town, and are trying to show their appreciation by giving every customer the promptest and most courteous attention. Considering the excellent location of Atlanta m a jobbing center, the immense assortment of various lines carried, the excellent reputation achieved in the past by Atlanta houses in their business dealings with the retailer, and the extremely pros perous condition of the Southern ter ritory on account of the splendid crop conditions, the end of this buying season will see a larger volume of goods In all lines shipped from At- imii.i to retailer* in the South than ever before. And. on account of the many sleep less nights and the thousands of dol lars which the Atlanta merchants and manufacturers are spending to in duce the retailers In Georgia and oth er Southern States to come here, the spring buying season will bring to this market many more merchants and buyers than have been here this fall. “The credit grantors of the United States are appreciating the necessity of w'atching their accounts with more than the usual care Just at this pe riod. for the record of failures, both as to number and amount of liabili ties. looms large this year,” says the monthly bulletin of the National As sociation of Credit Men. “The figure for the latter la likely to be nearly $100,000,000 larger this year than in 1912, and only about $25,000,000 less than in the disastrous year 1908. Naturally there accompa nies this record a recession of trade which, though not marked in some lines and some favored sections, is being especially felt in the grea.t steel WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—In the boot and shoe industry In the United States rates of wages per hour in 1912 were 0.8 per cent higher than in 1911, 10.8 per cent higher than in 1905, 27.6 per cent higher than in 1890 and 24.8 per cent higher than in 1890. While wages per hour increased, there was a reduction in the regular hours of work per week in the industry, the regular hours per week in 1912 being 1.6 per cent lower than in 1911, 3.0 per cent lower than in 1905, 5.4 per cent lower than in 1900, 6.1 per cent lower than in 1895 and 6.4 per cent lower than In 1890. These figures are the result of an Investigation by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Just pub lished in its bulletin entitled “Wages and Hours of Labor in the Boot and ro‘l U mo?e%C C S 0 B t L% r o\ C n! V n7n„°™ a r M Holle^d knU Goods In rot more than 60 per cent of normal, dugtrlM ig 90 to 1912.” The average though actual Immediate output la a | full . tlme of labor ln the boot trifle better. “Bank clearings do not, at least to any great extent, reflect depressed conditions, though somewhat smaller at most points than last year. That w'hich is most striking Is the failure record ln manufacturing lines, there being a much sharper failure increase in manufacturing than in trading. Indeed, several manufacturing con cerns of considerable size have suc cumbed during the past month, yield ing to the pressure that has been going on for some time to bring sell ing price and cost price closer to gether. This is a process requiring more skill and technical knowledge in every department of business and more economy and efficiency of ari- and shoe industry ln 1912 were a little over 55 hours per week. The figures of the report cover over 15.000 employees. The total number of employees in the Industry in 1910, as shown by the census returns, w’as over 185,000. In the hosiery’ and knit goods indus try ln the United States the rates of wages per hour in 1912 w’ere 5.8 per cent higher than in 1911, 19.8 per cent higher than in 1905, 50.6 per cent higher than ln 1900, 39.8 per cent higher than in 1895, 36.1 per cent higher than in 1890. Accompanying the increase of wages per hour, there was a reduction in the regular full time working hours per week. The hours of labor per week ln 1912 were ministration than ever before, and j 1.7 per cent lower than in 1911, 4.7 per such as many business men are in- cent lower than In 1905, 5.9 per cent (apable of or perhaps not Inclined to lower than In 1900. 7.3 per cent low’er apply. than In 1895 and 7.9 per cent lower “Nobody doubts that the general than in 4890. The average regular situation is sound; nobody feels that j full-time hours of labor In this lndus- we are approaching anything like a trv in 1912 were about 57 per week, crisis, for liquidation has been the! The figures In the bulletin cover rule too long to permit any consider- over 14,000 employees in this Indus Domestic Lines Disturbed by Low Prices of Foreign Mills. Whose Output Is Inferior. able Inflation to exist. It Is time for | try. The total number of employees conservatism, of course, but there Is i In the industry In 1910, as shown by THK I .DISOX DICTATING MACHINE SAVES HALF THE TIME. EXPENSE AND TROUBLE OF LETTER WRITING Made in Orange by Thomas A. Edison. Sold, demonstrated and guar anteed i n Georgia by BAYLIS OFFICE EQUIPMENT <’0„ Office Furniture -Commercial Stationery. No. 1 South Broad Street. Phone 241 CAPITAL CITY TOBACCO CO. 176-178 Marietta St. IMPOHIIM AMO josnens Atlanta, Ga. The Only Exclusive Tobacco House in Georgia When in town come to see us or write us for new price list. It will be worth your while Tobacco Monopoly Is Very Profitable no ground for timidity. It is for credit men to search harder than usually to discern the true conditions | surrounding those to whom credit is! extended, a time to reduce to*h. mini- j mum guessing at credit risks. “No concern, under the present slate of affairs, can carry an expense I account which haa any deadhead ele- 1 ment in it, or, in fact, any fixed charges which are not vitally essen- i tial to the business. Concerns that ' are known to offend in this particular must be watched particularly closely, i “The business men of the country are looking forward hopefully to the relief which will come into the bank ing situation through the enactment , of sound banking and currency legis- ! lation. Business men are recognizing as never before how inadequate tlie j present system is and how the vast l business of the country has out- | grown its banking and currency sys- J tem. There is a growing feeling of hope also that the Interstate Com merce Commission will see fit to per* mit the railroads slightly increased freight rates in recognition of the fac t that the difference betw’een the income and outgo of our railroad com panies, on account of the increased expense of doing business, is becom ing a dangerously decreasing quan tity. Everybody must recognize that the soundness of the country’s credit conditions is closely associated with the soundness of the credit of its great railroad systems. If they are unduly hampered as to expansion, and if they are crippled by rules and reg ulations not of their own making, a condition will be brought about such as we are, to a large extent, witness ing—the people losing confidence in railroads as an investment, an atti tude which but reflects, with great seriousness, upon industry in general. “Confidence, it is believed, will flow strong and free again with these two problems settled rightly and fairly.” the United State** census, was nearly 130,900. The cleaning up of odd lots by sec ond-hand sales of drills, sheetings and wide print cloths lends an ap pearance of general weakness ln cot ton goods which some experienced traders declare does not re&llv exist. The never ending discussion about the cheapness of foreign goods com pared with domestic has not only un settled buyers who are getting ready to make commitments, but it has dis turbed domestic lines ln a marked degree. There seems to be a better sentiment in domestic dress goods cir cles at present, due to the conviction that exists in the minds of shrewd observers that the foreign mills are not going to take away as much busi ness from domestic mills as was gen erally expected a couple of months ago. Of course more foreign goods are going to be sold and the Importations are going tQ displace Just as many yards of domestic fabrics, but it is very doubtful whether foreign mill owners will find it an easy matter to get a firm foothold he>e when domes tic mills with plenty of capital behind them are determined to fight hard to maintain their supremacy in the home markets. Whether it will be advisable to name prices on corporation goods for the fall 1914 season right After the turn of the year or wait until after the wholesale dry goods men’s con vention seems to be puzzling the dress goods folk. Those who favor an early opening believe it would dispel the price doubts that surround the fu ture, while those w’ho favor the later date contend that practically nothing can be accomplished after the con vention, which is scheduled for Janu ary 20. They are watching one another closely, and it is reasonable to pre sume that If an early move is made by one of the important factors the others will follow’ suit. Some prominent distributers have declared their Intention of buying large quantities from the foreign mills next season, but it remains to be seen w hether thev will do so. In any event, development* are not far distant. Pure Food Law and Effect on Prices The Journal of the American Medical Association" does not sup port the somewhat prevalent notion that the pure food law has operated to increase the prices of foods and other articles to which it applies. It holds that the law has increased food values, but not food prices. “It is true,” says this authority, "that spices which five years ago could be bought for 15 cents a pound now sell for 25 cents a pound; maple syrup, which formerly sold for 60 cents a gallon is now worth $1.25 a gallon; 10-cent flavoring extracts have been replaced by 25-cent products. But this Increase in price does not mean that the con sumer is paying more for his food stuffs than formerly. It is more economical to buy pure spices at 25 cents a pound than spices containing 50 per 'cent of ground olive stones, cocoanut shells and sawdust at 15 cents a pound. To those who love the flavor of maple syrup the genuine product at $1.25 a gallon is far more satisfactory than an artificial product at half the price and the housewife who pays 26'cents for a bottle of va nilla instead of 10 cents for a worth less imitation is actually , saving money and reducing the cost of liv ing instead of increasing it, for the bottle of to-day will go five times as far as that of former days and at the same time be much more satisfactory. The price of the great food staples— flour, rice, corn, beef and sugar—is absolutely uninfluenced by pure food laws. They may be higher to-day and lower to-morrow, but their cost to the consumer depends on the avail able supply, influenced by the expense of preparation and transportation.” Secretary Redfield On Retail Prices Secretary Redfield, of the Dep art . ment of Commerce, in his annual re port, says that the Bureau of Cor 4>orations proposes to study the , C o'- nomic laws governing the fixinv , r retail prices. "It Is important," he sav, we should know tho truth about the fixing of retail prices and as to whether giving the privilege of so fixing the paces to a manufacturer tends toward monopoly 0 r does not so tend. Men who are sincere and w r Informed do not think alike on this problem, but whatever their views !' will be agreed that no thorough stud' has ever been made of the subject lit this country. Nation* abroad are said to favor by law that which we forbid The law with us is for the time fixed by the decision of the Supreme Court that the fixing of retail prices on the part of manufacturers is unlawful "If, however, new legislation should In the future be required, it la im portant that the tnrth be known lest injustice be done, not so much to the manufacturer as to the consumer Some men, well Informed, argue that the fixing of retail prices under con ditions where competition ln manu facture exists tends to promote com petition. Others say that the refusal to permit tho fixing of retail prices tends to monopoly because ln the cut throat competition certain to follow obviously the stronger competitor will survive and may eventually have the business in his own hands, for the law forbids the making of agreements to maintain prices, and under these cir cumstances the weakest must go to the wall. Such being the views ex pressed by thoughtful men on a mat ter in which every consumer I, in terested because he must needs buy such articles, it Is Important that the subject Should receive thoughtful study, and this the Bureau of Cor porations purposes to give to it." GEORGIA PRODUCTS DAY EVERY DAY WHEN YOU WEAR ARAGON SHIRTS--PANTS—OVERALLS MANUFACTURED BY A. M. ROBINSON COMPANY 69 North Pryor St. Atlanta. Georgia luff ireu [N a statement, in which it substitutes fiction for fact, the Chicago Tribune asserts that it has a A larger net paid city circulation than any other Chicago morning newspaper. Lest anybody whom it may concern should be deceived into mistaking bluff for genuine circu lation. the Chicago Examiner makes the following proposal: That all the Chicago morning newspaper* open up their circulation books and records to the Association of American Advertisers and to such other represent ative bodies as may be selected. The Chicago Examiner herewith agrees to have this investigation made and it herewith invites the Association of American Advertisers to take the first step to bring this about. Merchant and Market The French Government's tobacco monopoly brought a net income to the State last year of $105,000,000. or the largest return since the founda tion of the monopoly 102 years ago. This vast profit was made out of a capital of about $30,000,000, or about one-third the capitalization of the lately dissolved American Tobacco Company. Twenty great factories work up the whole of the tobacco manufactured in France, and the right to retail is Jealously guarded by the State. There are 47,250 authorized tobacco plant ers ln France who grow about 40.- 000.000 pounds of tobacco on 50,000 acres. The monopoly, besides buying all the tobacco grown In France, pur chases 55,000,000 pounds of forelgn- , grown tobacco, moat of it being American leaf. McCLURE TEN CENT COMPANY Importers, Jobbers, Distributors GOODS TO RETAIL AT 5c TO $1.00 Writ* us about opening a store or department of this kind for you i E. L. ADAMS CO. WHOLESALE GROCERS OUR MOTTO: First Quality Merchandise and Prompt Service. Lettering Device For Show Card Use One of the newest lettering devices to he put on, the market is the "poli- graf.” It is made by a New York Arm, and Is said to be especially use ful in lettering signs and showcards The device is made entirely of steel, and is only about two Inches square It is claimed that by using it any un skilled letterer can make practically perfect letters of the Gothic type. It not only shapes all of the letters and numerals and makes them of the same size, but it prevents irregular spacing. The device was invented by a man who for a long time was connected with the Jewelry trade. It is pro tected by patents in this country and five foreign countries. Every merchant should go to mar ket as often as his business will al low. By going to market a merchant, in addition to supplying his usual wants ln staple lines, is enabled to inspect lines he does not carry. The market buyer can be easily dis tinguished because in his stock will be found the latest novelties. While In market his attention Is constantly being called to them, not only In the wholesale houses, but in the large re tail store and in seeing the public wearing them, as the fads and novel ties always are shown there first. The mere mention that Mr. .Smith has gone to Atlanta to purchase goods 1$ no little advertisement. A visit to market will throw him iii company with other merchants, which will afford an opportunity to discuss matters pertaining to the mercantile business in which he Is vitally interested. He has the opportunity of meet ing his friend, the jobber, strength ening their friendship and promot ing good fellowship. He is able lo inspect the Jobbers’ complete stocks and need not be confined to just what the road man can show him. He can pick up odd lots that are too small for the road man to sam ple, and ln these cases the market buyer will own them at a price. The investigation, under these auspices, would be fair and square, comprehen sive and comparative. It would remove all doubt in the minds of national ad vertisers and Chicago merchants as to the circulation, particularly the city circulation, of each of the four Chicago morning newspapers. The period for this investigation shall be the six months beginning July 1,1913, and ending December 31, 1913. If any one of the other morning newspapers of Chicago refuses to open up its books and records, then the Chicago Examiner agrees herewith to have a joint investigation made with the remaining Chicago morning newspapers. If all of the other morning newspapers refuse to open their books and records, then the Chicago Examiner herewith agrees to submit to this investigation alone because the Chicago Examiner insists on proving its own circulation. EATING AND BUSINESS. It is an American habit to save as much time as possible and an attrac tive way is to do two things at once. It is becoming customary to utilize the lunch hour for some other pur pose than mere eating. For example, frequently a committee or club of business men hold luncheon, during the course of which someone makes an address on an interesting and im portant subject. Those in attendance lose no tivm from their business and have the benefit and pleasure inci dent bo.h to eating and listening. They will be talked to about the cur rency bill, the tariff, the Mexican situation and whatever questions and problems are interesting the public. It will not at all interfere with their enjoyment of the luncheon and they are sure to get ;t good deal of valua ble information meanwhile. ^FHE CHICAGO EXAMINER honestly believes that this investigation will prove that its A city circulation is far in excess of any other Chicago morning newspaper, both Daily and Sundav. " The Chicago Examiner honestly believes that this investigation will further show that the net paid Sunday circulation of the Chicago Examiner is almost double that of its nearest competitor- (Elhaino Txamtmx F p This announcement was printed as a full paye in The Chicago Examiner on Saturday, December £0, J9JJ, >