The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-03-16
READY PAY VS.. CREDIT,


the working of tho ready-pay-sySten',
adopted by our merchant citizens and
business men generally, for the past year,
and we are satisfied that no greater good
could result to the community at large
than that expressed in the sentiment,
/" pay as you 60"
The credit system up TO a recent date
prevailed TO an extent that had well nigh
ruined both debtor and creditor, and the
Ledgers of many of our tradesmen show
long and fearful scores yet unsettled, and
which must eventually be debited to the
long column of profit and loss-o trans
action extremely crippliag to small capt.
talists, if not ruinous.
We have ever looked upon the man
who administers to the morbid appetite
of his fellow, by presenting to his lips tho
intoxicating bowl, and thereby robbing
him of his money and character, as an
undesirable member of society, as foe
TO his race, and destitute Of all those no
bic traits of character that elevate the
man above objects of inferior CREATION
but the man that first invented Ledger
and taught the uses of DR.. and Or, in
their most extended sense, we are dispos-
cd to brand with the deepest infamy, and
can scarcely do less, in view of the enor-
nifty of the evil thus inflicted upon every
community-yea, upon the world at
large, than to sentence him to be hung
with his invention tied to his feet, as much
as we are opposed to capital punishment
in its common acceptation.
One very favorable result Of the ready
pay-System is, the consumer buys what
he really vants and not what he tancies
he wants. There is, for some reason in
sTrvc-r- Fs'r0Trvw7 may possess,
and we are 10th to part with it, even as
with an old familiar friend, and often hus-
band it as though life depended upon
some certain amount in our possession,
and we deal it out very sparingly; and
hence no artificial rants are likely TO be
created. But let Ill Individual enjoy the
privilege of calling upon his merchant,
his grocer, his butcher, his mechanic,
whenever he fancies he is in need of this
and that, and at the end of the quarter
or year, when his bill is rendered by each,
he stands aghast at the amount and won.
ders chow in the world it costs him so
much to live" and it causes him very
severe struggle TO cancel the debt; and
after years of the severest toll he is forced
to acknowledge the truth of the sentiment,
" lie that lives to fancy never can be rich.'
AT length unable to bear the burden Gre
ated by his .tancies he resolves TO live to
nature, and upon trial wonders that he
has never before discovered that,
Man wants but little here below"
and is delighted that he is free from the
vexation and trouble consequent upon
long Ledger accounts.
Another favorable result of the ready
Poy-system is, it begets spirit of indus
try among the honest laboring classes,
that the credit system failed to produce.
How many days Of leisure dawns upon
the mechanic and day-laborer in the full
enjoyment Of the munifcence of the cred
1t system, that never visits those in like
circumstances who "pay as they GO" for,
in the latter case. industry becomes a ne
cess'ty as well rs virtue. The ready
pay system enables the merchant TO sell
his wares at much less dP cent of prof
it than the credit system, on the we'll
tried principle that "nimbIe sixpence is
better than slow shilling" and this
again is equally in the consumers favor,
for TO him ga penny saved is two pennies
earned"
Then let us have no more of the do
testable credit system. For the benefit of
community, as well as selfprotection let
every tradesInan exhibit Mt bis shop.
window his watch .wor5 Z, i.,,.;..