The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-26
MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 2e 1e71
ADVICE FnR rmn mn1n

we are sorry to see our contemporary, the
Acening Bulletin, in an editorial on s,Mrday,
make false issue with regard to the present
condition OF business affairs. and one which,
generally accepted, will plpoge our store
keepers and tradesmen intoirretrievablc ruin.
The closing paragraph of the article we
slude 10 Is as follows.-
Regarding, as DO, the spectators in gold
: and merchandise of all sorts as being enemies
OF the Republic tO the same extent as those
wbo arc actively sighting against the Republi
:. us with the greatest pleasure that we see them
" likely 70 DC utterly discumf ed. In their ruio
" lies the safety OF s honest, loyal part of the
community
The effect Of such arguments will be TO
create determination In the public mind 10
withhold from the purchase Of various com
modities Of everyday use and necessity; and
this very action will be the means Of bringing
about state of panic and stagnaton which
viii tell with fearful effect upon all classes OF
business men.
Speculation in gold is entirely another thing
nom speculation in merchandise. Every
storekeeper and merchant is, to q certain
extent, a speculator in goods. He must keep
q stock on hand Of the articles in which he
TO make profit. 1t may happen that the
goods he has on hand advance in value, but
1t has generally been the case that they have
been retailed at a small percentage of profit
on their cost and not at their speculative
value. This has been the general rule with
storekeepers, for the sake of retaining regular
customers, and not driving them to rival
establishments. Consequently enormous
quantities Of goods have been sold at less
figure than they could be replaced at 1t is,
therefore, untrue that every storekeeper in
business has grown rich by a speculative ad.
vance in prices.
While, of course, the general result of the
lecllne OF the premium on gold will be a
y 4uCtion in the values of all merchandise
such reduction will not be sensibly felt
me time. Meanwhile those who have
pms TO continue their purchases Of goods
nf our stores should not be persuaded to
suddenly stop supplying themselves with
every needfil article of apparel or subsistence,
y on the ground that few months hence the
same material may be bought at a reduction
/. on Its present price. Such course would
have brought untold ruin and misery at any
time within the last fifty years, as it will now.
BY such ingenious teaching the public may be
brought TO believe the doctrine that by a
sudden and universal stlnginess and contrac-
ton they can wage q war against mer-
chants and tradesmen, and drive them to
bankruptcy, and finally obtain their stocks
of goods at a ruinous figure. Fortunately
there has never been such a combination
before made or attempted. 1t is now being
urged .for the first time, in connection with
the inducements Of loyalty and patriotism.
But surely such pleadlngs are fallacious and
dangerous
The vast network of trade is so broad and
intricate, that the strain on a single thread is
felt throughout the whole fabric. II one class
Of business men are plunged into ruin, they
win drag others down with them, until finally
all are alike swallowed in the vortex. True
policy and true loyalty teach the doctrine OF
mutual encouragement and mutual support
We therefore say to our readers to resist
the mean promptings of small minds, and to
pursue their ordinary course of outlay, and
purchase. not with spirit of reckless extra
vagance, but with the generous and sagacious
reflection that the whole community should
bear share of the reverses Of fortune which
when divided among many, are easily borne
but which come with crushing violence upon
the individual who sees the world turn their
backs upon him in the hour of misfortune and
disaster.