Albuquerque Morning Journal

OVERALL BRIGADE
WAS OUT DESPITE
APRIL WEATHER

Merchants Take Optimistic View of New Movement and Will Display Overalls As Well As Other Goods.

Despite the freakish weather conditions the Bluebird overall brigade showed up strong on the streets yesterday. While everybody is not doing it just yet, the contagion is spreading and resolutions circulated yesterday were reported to have from two to three hundred signers. Those backing the movement expect to have fully one thousand persons signed up before the end of the week.

Among those most pronounced in their views on the subject is Judge W. W. McClellan, who has the following to say:

"The old clothes and overalls protest is not primarily an attack upon home trade. Patrons cannot know whether local dealers make more profit than formerly. It is aimed to exercise discipline running back to the source of supply, cause less making of fancy goods and bring moderate prices by limiting the competitive market demand. Merchants must now pay for clothes what is asked and will so long as ready sale, regardless of cost, is sure. Let demand decrease throughout America and down will come prices at the factories. That is the theory of the advocates of the present way of reaching the initial point where goods are manufactured.

"It may not be the most just way. It may hurt temporarily, men, merchants, clerks, laborers and many business interests not to blame, but it is a sort of direct action that has come about through the failure of governmental promises and efforts.

"The bubble of high prices has been blown by somebody. The people have tried to puncture the inflated bubble, but it has been elusive. Now they are attempting to swat it"

Many of the merchants of the city have seen the handwriting on the wall and are making the most of their opportunities. The United One Cent to One Dollar store reports that it will have a shipment of one dollar bibless overalls in stock this week. Others are making the most of the proposition by increasing their advertising and putting out the following line of talk to their customers:

"I am not worrying about overalls," said one merchant. "I have them to sell. They are good things in the family. In the meantime the hurrah for overalls will not prevent me from going right along with publicity to my usual limit to sell the other clothing. I will be ready to buy more when prices fall at factories and through jobbers We are not expecting people to permanently do without regular clothing nor blaming anybody who wears an old suit.

"One man came into our store today because he read an advertisement of overalls and is now wearing the blue. He looks fine all right. But he said he would be in to buy a spring suit just as soon as the weather moderates Of course we are charging more for suits than formerly because we pay more. We will have to hold the good longer, maybe, but generally speaking prices at factories will not come down until the public has absorbed the goods in the hands of dealers like ourselves. We shall be very glad when we can sell suits for less. and not have customers act as if they fear we are holding them up. Wages, taxes, salaries and all sorts of expenses have increased in our business as in all others. We are going along in the procession with many who are getting double the pay they received when suits sold for less."

Keeping step with the movement begun by the men Sunday the women of the city are scheduled to meet in mass meeting Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock in Jefferson hall, to pass resolutions similar to those adopted by the Bernalillo County Overall club.

A large number of high school boys appeared at their classes yesterday clad in overalls. Members of all classes, from freshman to senior, had donned the blue denim garb, having previously agreed to appear thus, it seems. There was some rumor among the girls to the effect that they would come out in gingham aprons this week, in order to show that they, too, believed in economy and would support the movement.

Arrangements are also being made at the state university by the men students to wear overalls. A petition was put in circulation Monday by Charles Gerhardt, requesting that the fellows appear in overalls together on Wednesday. This petition had been signed last night by forty-five students and it was expected that a great many more would sign today. No member of the faculty had pledged himself to appear in a cotton suit, it was stated. Perhaps the late spring weather, has dampened enthusiasm.