Page 83 - Past Presidents' Club Book 1

Sti The National Supply and Machinery Dealers’ Association

presses. There are men who go round the country who sell lathes,
and they have catalogues. If this resolution was carried how
would it affect that class of people?
Mr. B rion : He is a recognized dealer if he carries any
machinery.
M r. B r a d l e y: I think what Mr. Johnston has reference to
is a case in point that 1 have just been talking about to Mr. Dudley,
of New York. Manning, Maxwell & Moore carry a large
supply, and a few machine tools. Every now and then we have an
opportunity, in equipping a plant, to sell a lathe. Our customer
is wondering what he would better buy. He takes our advice and
we have an interest. If this resolution goes through, Manning,
Maxwell & Moore would not be in position to sell the P. G. & H .
lathe, and the last thing in the world we would do would be to
recommend a Reed lathe. It seems to me it would be working
against our mutual interest. Would not it be wise to consider
that ?
M r. P atterson : There is one other feature. The question of
the selling price has been mentioned. The Powers people sell to
the consumer, and would not it be well to ask them to come under
the list price?

M r. S h i p l e y : I would like to suggest a hypothetical case.
Suppose in the Northern part of Pennsylvania, where I do not
know of any machinery dealer who handles machinery tools, I
wanted to start a bona fide business, thoroughly honest in my
intentions, and I could not carry much stock, and I wanted to
start as I did. This would eliminate my doing so.
P resident S tro n g: I do not think so, because this means
people who have store expense.

Mr. S h i p l e y : But suppose some one wanted to start as I
did in Philadelphia. This would prevent people coming in later,
and it would, as a number of these labor unions do, work a hard­
ship on apprentices going into that business. I do not think we
are here to do any injustice to any one else.

P resid en t S tro n g: It seems to me the plan outlined by Mr.
Puchta covers the whole thing, that we might formulate some
suggestion of that kind that the manufacturers and builders of