St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-14
A GyOciIig Tfce Of business

Sumcs the magnitude and universally
which it is sure TO achieve, unless efficient
steps are taken TO arrest its progress.
INCIDENT No. IA builder of far
naccs WAS called upon recently to name
price for heating n large structure in Il
large city. lie offered 10 put in his ap-
Faratus for $50, 200. After repeated
conversations with smn,!ry persons infer
cStcd IN the contracts, he was told that
the man who should secure thc lob woulI
he Obliged to pay percentage to them
IN tins case amounting to S3,OOO-the
bill, Of course, to be rendered in such 81
form as TO make him 4 party TO the fraud
upon the owners of the building. lie.
told them that he wanted the Job, but
that aS he also ha desire to 20 to hcav
en- wien lac died, he was afraid he should
he obliged To decline :hcir conditions lie
| also suggested that he should like TO bid
for the Job with others, and was inform
ell that not single contract on the build
ing had been "ivcn 70 the lowest bidder
Then hc was politely bowed out of the
presence Of the gentlemen who could not
use him. He went home, and rs IN ex-
pertinent, sent them a proposal to put in
his apparatus for so, 900 From this he
never heard; and some man with more
convenient conscience GOT the contract
and gave the percentage.
INCIDENT No. "A piano-fortc man
utacturcr sold an instrument, at his req
ular retail price, to a gentleman of New
York. Within forty-cight hours lie was
called upon by three musicians, every
one of whom demanded his percentage
upon the sale Of the piano, claiming that
it was bought upon his recommendation.
The purchaser, TO make sure OF getting
tie best instrument, had separately con
suited all these men, and they had hap
pcncd TO agree upon this maker. The
result was, that the maker paid each
man the amount of his claim, and said
nothing, though he parted with consid
erably more than his profits on the piano
forte. When asked by the friend to
whom lac told the story, why lie submit
ted 10 such an imposition, he replied that
he did not dare to do otherwise that if
lie had refused TO respond to these exac-
| lions, the musicians would have turned
against him, and transferred their recon-
mcndations 10 other makers.
The way in which corporations are
blcd by the leeches that flsten upon them
is notorious. The men IN respectable So
cIety, who regard Il corporation as the
legitimate subject Of plumber, are too
many 10 be counted. Taxpayers and
stockholders part annually with untold
millions to fill the purses of these dishon-
est men, and the mouths OF their mcnla
cious servants and tools. There are
states in the Union in which the public
conscience has become utterly demoraliz-
ed with relation TO this particular matter,
where every corporation, including
Mutual Life Insurance Companies and
Savings Banks, is in some way 'sweat-
ed by those who have the management
of its concerns.
This process cannot long 60 ON, of
course, without such sophistication OF
the popular conscience that private trusts
will be rs little regarded as those which
are corporate and public. Indeed, ii has
already produced its proper fruit, as the
incidents we have cited show. Men are
everywhere seeking for money which they
10 not earn. 1t is quite likely that the
piano dealer is as much 10 blame for his
bondage 10 the musicians as they are.
He may have invited their patronage,
indeed, and promised them their pay
but ii is all wrun", and the money all
comes out Of the consumer in the long
run. The price OF everything must be
raiscl that tribute may be paid TO those
who are in Il position 10 exact or steal it.
II we 20 on ut the pr, sent rate, we shall
soon he no whit behind our European
nri@hbors, whose. servants are bribed by
butchers and gruccrS and bakers, and who
demand their ",Irink money for every
service, III addition t their legitimate
wages.
There Is no question that in this mat
ter Of personal honesty America has ret
regarded within the last ten years. The
rich corporation and the rich man are
come TO be regarded 10y trade-mcn and
Iaborcrs alike rs sources of money which
they may draw upon tu the extent OF
their ability, without rendering an equiv
ulcnt. An hCncst days work is 4 much
harder thing to gct to-day than it wa
ten years ago and unless reformation
take place, the GOOD old standard of per
sonal honesty among the laboring poor,
ami Of integrity among the prosperous,
will become Il thing OF remembrance only.
Ii it were necessary, whole branches Of
business might be mentioned which pay
Il REGULAR tax to what is called "influ-
cncc,' 10 men who have thrust them
selves between the seller and the buyer
for the simple purpose OF fleeing one or
both. Congress and LEGISLATURES do not
mouopulizc the lobby, for th" lobby Is
everywhere. Black mail, commissions,
bonuses, Gifts, the fcathcring OF private
nests among the rcccsscs OF great corpOr-
ate interests, positions sought. won, and
used for purposes of thctt--all these
things are 50 common that they have
ceased 10 be remarkable AMI they argue
sadly against our boaslcd progress in
Christian civilization.
We do not expect to ill the world OF
thieves but the dancer is, that honest
men will not be able 10 do business ut all
without the adoption Of their corrupt
machinery, the prostitution Of integrity,
ana the sacrifice Of sclf-rcspcct. How
far are multitudes of our GOOD houses
from this position now
"What is a desert ?" asked 4 Frank
lin county school-ma'am, the other day,
,,I,,, oxnriuin0 her DIIpllS, previous TO