Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-11-02
MEANNESS IN BUSINESS.

There is no greater mistake that a busl-
ness man can make, than to be mean IN his
business, always taking the half cent, and
never returning a cent for the dollars he has
made or is making. Such a policy is vely
much like the taImer's who sOws three
pecks Of seed when he ought to have sogn
i've, and as a recompense for the leanness
Of his soul only gets ten when he ought to
have got fifteen bushels Of grain.
Every body has heard the proverb OF
'penny wise aud pound foolish, A hber-
al expenditure in the way Of business Is
always sure to be a capital investment.
There are people In the world who are
short sighted enough Co believe that their
interests can be best promoted by grasplng
and cliuging to all they can get, and never
letting a cent slip through their fingers.
As general thing it will be found-other
things being equal-that he who Is most
liberal is most successful in business. Of
course we do not mean it to be inferred that
a man should be prodigal in his expendi-
lures, but that he should show to his Gus
toners, if he is a trader, or to those he may
be doing business of any kind with, that IN
all his transactions, as well as social relations
he acknowledges the everlasting fact, that
there can be no permanent prosperity or
good feeling in a community where benefits
are not reciprocal,
We know of instances where traders have
enjoyed the profits Of hundreds OF dollars
worth Of trade, and yet have exhibited not
the slightest disposition to reciprocate even
to the smallest amount Now what must
necessarily result from such course? Sim
ply the loss of large profits per annum, IN
the loss of trade which, under more liberal
system, might have been retained
The practice of some men seem to be to
make as little show in the way Of business,
as possible Such one, if trader, takes
no pains with the appearance OF his store
Everything around him is in a worn out,
dilapidated and dirty condition. 10 have 1t
otherwise would cost dollar for whitewash, /,
and perhaps five for painting, and few
dollars besides, for cleaning up and putting
things in order. And so he plods on and
loses hundreds of dollars worth of custom,
for want of attention to these matters, while
his more sagacious neighbor, keeping up
with the times and having an eye to appear
ances, does prosperous business.
Another will spend no money in any way
to make business, for fear he should not get
it back again. Consequently he sends out
no circulars, distributes no handbills, pub
fishes no advertisements; but sits down
croaking about hard times-moaning over
the future prospect ofnotes topay, no money
and no tlade; and comesout just where he
might expect to come-short, while his
neighbor, following different track doing
/ all that is necessary TO be done to make busi-
ness. has business, isn't short, but has
money to loan; aud it would be just like him
! to get u per Ct, perhaps, for the use of it;
and we should not blame him for SO
4 doing
The fact is, times have changed. The
manner of doing business is different now
/ from what it used to be. 1t would be just
as foolish to insist upon doing business IL
the old fashioned way, as it would be to IN
sist on travelling on an OK team instead OF 9
rail road, to get news by old fashioned
stages, instead Of lightning telegraph. The
times demand men Of enlarged, liberal, ener
eetic souls-men who win keep up with the
world as it goes; men of hearts too, who MOI
only desire to go ahead themselves, but take
pleasure in seeing others succeed; and .wht
have public spirit enough to do something
for, and rejoice in the prosperity OF the
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