New-York daily tribune., 1845-02-22
CASH AND CREDIT.
\ l.. LETTERTs, SECRETARIES.
.gplcr LEwls. Jun. w. -.

10 me Editor Of The Tribune:
have read with very great surprise, your remarks III
relation 10 the profits charged upon merchandise in this
City when sold upon n credit. oN reading your hrSt
article supposed you had been Imposed upon by some
windy ,eorescntaye OF what are commonly styled Cash
Houses but notice in your paper Of this morning that
vr cam the entire credit Of the article, "wbout sus-
pestion from any quarter whatever"
You have, Sir, no doubt unn;euonally, done large
class your fellow citizens gross injustice, and n as small
a space as possible. will endeayor to explain in what
respect.
Among f,e oJbcrs of Dry Goods several houses have
sprung up since the troubles Of 81 who have protested &c
sell goods for coN oniy assert positively that know
the character reputation practice Of the leading So
called cash houses this city. and know of none who
sell goods exclusively cash. On the contrnrJ It Is no
iorIous ,ha; their credits If not numerous, are iar
less those of houses doing proiessed cedt
business. These credits vary in the same houSes-say
from ten days to ak months Are these men better ihcf
chants? DO they enjoy better credit Have they 4
larger share Of public confidence, Neither Is true
They cannot purchase their goods cheaper and can they
sci! them for less profit assert that they cannot.
It Ia fact well known trade that, with some ex-
csptlons the poorest of buyers those who pay
money for their goods Why They frequently those
who cannot obtain credit They commence by paying
money for goods 10 cash house. and after While they
obtain short credit They gradually get In deeper and
deeper, and their poor creditor must prosecute his cahn
If nj all before Texas Court.
repeat Mr.. Editor, the losses OF these houses have
been very large-n my opinion, much larger than those
of our regular prudent professed credit houses. How
then, can they sell goods for less profit
Perhaps you reply, that If there cash dry goods
houses In city, your remarks can have effect; But
you called the attention Cf your readers TO these houses,
and recommended them at the expense of others. Will
that think II would be easy TO show that Credit
has built up our ctles constructed public improve
m.nts, aud placed our country far In advance of what
would have been is position had your theory prevaied
But with this have nothing TO do. My only aim is TO
correct the immediate wrong YOU have done inc in COM
mon with many others.
And now Mr.. Editor may not say word In direct
rcproof Of your In this matter You have as
sauiied no doubt unlncntonally the reputation of some
eight hundred or more of your fellow citizens, without
honorable practices forIt to hls II we charge
man twenty-five per cent for article than II is
worth In market. And for whose benefit yonr remarks
There are perhaps, twenty five houses In our city
who profess sell Dry Goods for cash. Is not the whole
aim ard tendency of your artIeeto influence your merca
tile readers in The country to call on these same twenty
five houses and purchase from them their goods? How
successful you nny be pretend not But will say
the Tribune Is TO be added 10 their corps Of drReS
we may as well "elvc In" rEARI-SrREEr.
Fe5 Is, Isl5