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Show THE READER'S DATE BOOK Evaluation of Responsibilities Important to Local Merchants Independence Day affords our Main Street merchants little, if any, opportunity for merchandising. But it is a day which gives the home town businessman, in this or any community, time and inspiration to consider his responsibilities to the community. One good way to point out the local merchant's importance to his community is to compare him with the city merchant. In fact, they are brothers in name only. The city merchant may have thousands thou-sands of customers, hundreds of employees and operate as a "big business". The head of the firm in all probability will . direct the activities of his store from a ft$A!t private office with p.jp directives through SltlfcCI department heads. FEATURE There is nothing personal or intimate inti-mate in the organization, organ-ization, i On the other hand, the locjl merchant mer-chant is on intimate terms with his customers, knowing many of them as friends and others by name. He works with his clerks behind the counter and knows their problems both in the store and at home. And with this knowledge his responsibilities responsi-bilities to them increases. As for the community as a whole, the local merchant must realize that it is the community that keeps him in business, provides his living, his home and his social activities. For this it is only fair that the merchant give something in return. Most local merchants today realize these facts and are always al-ways the first to offer services and funds for any project for Community betterment. That is why In many small towns the merchants have formed organizations organ-izations to promote the community, com-munity, not for their own commercial advantage as many of the public suspect, but for the community as a whole. Independence Day, therefore, with its deep meaning of freedom, justice, jus-tice, and equality is the ideal time ment and interest upon the part of an employer will make a better employee and a better citizen. There are too many economical econom-ical responsibilities of the loc-cal loc-cal merchant to discuss them all. But the merchant might continue his analysis by asking himself if he gives his customers cus-tomers the best possible merchandise mer-chandise at the best possible price. It is not good business to get "all the traffic will bear." It hurts the customer financially financial-ly and thus the entire community. commu-nity. The social and spiritual attitude of any man is his own personal problem and one that must be worked out by the individual. But j the merchant's spiritual and social so-cial behavior has greater effect on the community as a whole than that of the average man. These are but a few of the questions ques-tions any local merchant might consider as Independence Day approaches. ap-proaches. They are important questions ques-tions and the answer will mean much to the community. Generally, merchants In small towns agree their town is the best there Is. If they didn't think that they wouldn't be there. But many of these towns face problems in local government, govern-ment, are worried about war and taxes, new streets and sewage sew-age systems. Here again is an opportunity for the local merchant mer-chant to come forward and display dis-play the leadership that is needed to solve such problems. Recently in the midwest a small r & " 1 1 HHHleHPHBfi for Main Street businessmen across the nation to analyze the local situation sit-uation economically, socially and spiritually. It is a good time for each merchant to ask himself if he is doing his part in promoting the community arid the American way of life. A local merchant who takes his responsibility to his community seriously could start his analysis of .his business and home town with his employees. Discontented employees em-ployees are a bad advertisement for any business and any home town. Perhaps a little encourage- town businessman gave his community com-munity a public utility that cost thousands of dollars. Why did he do it? He explained that he had lived his entire life in the community and he made his money there. He liked the town. He wanted to give the town something in return. He wanted to help the community. Merchants in any community with this attitude, although they may not be financially able to give money, will give much to the home town that can not be valued in dollars and cents. |