"THE QUALITY OF MERCY."

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXIV, Issue 4253, 9 March 1921, Page 3

"THE QUALITY OF MERCY."

- (To the Editor). Sir,—The saying goes that it is ■no use crying over spilt milk, and in answer to the correspondent in ' your issue of March 2nd, I would just like to make this saying clear to him, or as clear as my humble pen can make it. ■j Your gentle correspondent in-| formed the public generally that unfair Competition was murder. Ye gods! If local storekeepers decided to sell goods at minimum cost (which they never have done unless forced to), and the city traders took objection to it all, would city traders go round squeal mg that the whole thing was unfair, and that the dreadful country storekeepers were murdering town trade ? If they did, what a joke it would be. Country storekeepers would then surely nave the laugh on city traders. The,position, how--1 ever, seems to be the reverse. The squeal comes from the country, and I don't wonder in the slightest at the objections to city trading that are being put' up 'by local storekeepers. . Early in February I received a price list from a city warehouse, and-1 must honestly say that the prices quoted knocked local prices into a cocked hat. Next issue in the Guardian there appeared an advertisement from a firm, and, lo and behold, also one from a local storekeeper in which were quoted the same low prices for the same articles. It takes these city traders to get good, ideas, but it seems a pity, that local storekeepers cannot work out their own. However, every new btisiness must live and learn, or die in the attempt. Somewhere else there is a saying that it is a bad thing to take a bigger mouthful than one is able to chew properly. &cc, Mr Editor, Ido agree there. Methinks some in this district; are finding it hard to chew the mouthful they have taken, but business is business. Anyway, more honour to men who take a fighting chance even though they lose in the long run. Business is a fight. Clear thinking business men fight openly, giving the public full benefit of all price reductions, at the same time rendering them all possible assistance in buying exactly the class of goods they require. I am glad to say that I have received the most courteous attention from a city warehouse, and I assure you that all the objections that are being hurled -against them are entirely unwarranted. Whatever the opinions of a small proportion of business men in'this district may be they will not influence" myself or the hundreds of other people who realise the advantage of trading with a city warehouse.—l am, etc ANTONIO.