Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-03-20

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An English reviewer thinks that " retailers
in general practice, each, some kind Of dis
honesty. He declares: :-H Whoever takes
note Of The deceptions that daily come under
his obseryation-the ale bottles that contain
third less than they should do; the lOaves
that are under weight; the pOss os anehovies,
and the Ike, v hioh promise V contaiu twice
what thew really contain; the sae de nuit
seemingly made Of black ieathef, but really
Of vanished canvass the fnrniture that Warps
and cracks. because made Of green wood; the
good locking houses IN which bad materials
Is concealed under paper and paint the faulty
and diseased horses that are palmed on thc
unWary Is sound; the plalce served mp a. the
dining housg under the naEe Of iurboE the
piraled pieeas Of music differing IL aiew notes
from the originals the numerous imltations,
and conspicuous cautions against limitations;
-will see ihal this conclusion 3 fully war
rauted.p
UAgsin, il Is q common practice purposely
% present samples Of cloths, silks, etc, In
such order as 10 disqualify the peroeptiOnss-
As in tasdng different kinds Of Win6a. Il Is 3
familiar fact that the palate Is disabled, by
something strongly Favored, from aPpreeiat-
ing the mors delicate favor Of another thing
afterwards taken; 50 with the organs OF sense,
q temporary disability follows an excessive
stimulation. This holds, not only with the
eyes in judging Of cOlors, but also as we are
told by one who has been in the trade, it holds
With the fingers in judging Of texture and
cunning statesmen are 10 the constant practice
ofthus partially paralyzing the perceptions,
and then selling second rate articles at first
rate ones. Another very general manoeuvre
is that Of raising q false belief OF cheepness
For example, tailor IS laying in a stock OF
broadcloths. He is offered bargain. Three
pieces are put before him-two Of good quality
Of which the price is, say fourteen shilllngs
sterling per yard; and one Of much inferior
quality, Of which the full price is eight shil
lings sterling per yard. These pieces have
been purL osely little tnmbled and creased,
to give colorable ground for a pretended
sacrifice upon them. And the tailor is then
told he may have these nOminally damaged
cloths as n Job lot at twelve shillings ster
ling per yard Misled by the appearances
into the belief Of the prOiessed sacrifice i'm
pressed, moreover, by the fact that two Of the
pieces are really worth considerably more
than the price asked, and not sufficiently bear-
ing in mind that the great inferioEity o. the
third just balances this, the tailor probably
buys; and be goes away with the comfortable
conviction that be has made e specially sd-
vantaeeous purchase, at the same time be has
really paid the full price for every yard. A
still more subtle trick has been described to
US BY one of these wholesale houses-a trick
so successful, that frequently he was sent tOr
to sell TO customers who could be induced TO
buy of none Of the other assistants, and who
ever afterwards would huy only OF him.
His policy was to seem extremely simple
and honest, and during the first few purchases
70 exhibit this honesty by pointing out defects
and inferiOrities Ofquslity in the things be was
selling; and then, having gained the custom
er's confidence, be proceeded to pass OF upon
him bis inferior goods at superior prices These
are a few nut OF the various manOeuvres in
constant practice Of course there is run
ming accompaniment OF falsehoOdS, uttered as
well as acted Il is expected of the assistant
| that he viii say whstever is needed te effect
a sale fAny fool can sell what is wanted,
said a master, in reproaching his shopman,
for not having persuaded customer 10 buy
/ something quite different from that Which he
/ asked for. And the inscriptions mendaeity
thus required by employers, and encouraged
by example grows to height Of depravity,
| that has been described 70 US in words too
strong to be repeated. dur informant WIS
obliged to relinquish his position in one Of
these establishments because he could not
lower himself TO the required depth Of degrAd
alton. You don't lie as though you believed
what you say observed one Of his. fellow. as
sistants And this was uttered as re-
nrosch