Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-26
Mercantile Agencies.

A man that will wilfully and mali
ciously injure the name, character and
business of his neighbor is q dangerous
man in any community. From motives
OF revenge or personal spite, business
men may be seriously injured and their
credit suffer loss, by being represented
as In failing condition, or in ''troub-
lie, IN their finances while at the same
time, nothing can be further from the
truth than such unfounded assertions
and accursed misrepresentation. There
exists in our large cities, what is called
mercantile agencies" in which there is
pretended representation of the fnau-
cial condition of the business men
throughout the country.
These agencies are resOrted to by men
doing business in our large cities, to OBJ
tain information respecting the standing,
character and financial condition Of
country merchants, and business men
generally. At best, what their books
may show, is the result of the merest
conjecture, and very often wide from
the truth. These self-constituted agen-
cies are, however, very much resorted
TO, and their certificates of finaucieI sol
vency or insolvency are much relied up
on by men doing business in our large
cities.
In some instances justice may be done,
while in many gross injustice and
injury irreparable is done to a high
minded, noble business man, with bust
ness means at his command sufficient for
every legitimate purpose in life. In our
village, as a natural result, some men
will, upon being refused credit, at once
proceed to annoy, traduce and de-
fame those who refuse to give them cred
it, and, if possible, injure the tradesman
not only at home but abroad. One way
resorted to is anonymously to inform
these mercantile agencies" that such a
man is about to fail, that his business is
running down, his character is bad, and
there is a fair prospect for a bankrupt
assignee to have c0ntfOl of his business.
This report is made the common pro-
perty Of the customers of the ''mercan-
tile agency" and at once suspicion is
created, and ere a worthy man or firm is
aware, he is informed of the fact as set
afloat by some designing devil in human
shape.
These thoughts have been suggested
to my mind by a wicked attempt lately
made by some designing rascal to injure
the name and credit OF Chapman Bro
theirs, doing a large, safe and profit
able business, as merchants, in our vii
village.
This firm is composed of two brothers
whom have known from their boy
hood. They are thorOugh-going bust
ness men, honorable, truthful. reliable. i
| have never known them guilty of a
mean OF dishonorable act. Active and
| energetic in all their business affairs,
punctual in their engagements, courteous
and kind to all, they are the soul of hon
| or and high dealing and have, as natU-
| raj result, troops of friends, who feel
! Justly indignant at the recent rascally
/ efforts of some heartless scOundrel to
! iniure them in their character and bust
ness. Reports have recently been circu-
lated abroad that they were in trouble
| financially, thus raising a presumption
! that they were not worthy OF a credit
| of thirty days upon bills of purchase.
! | wish | was as financially sound as
| they are, for while my check upon the
bank for five or ten thousand dollars
| would be disi0nOred theirs would be at
any time h0n0red and paid. In this l
state what [ k7O5o. Yet with all this,
and with a reputation for honor and up
| rightness not excelled by any young men
/ WltHtu lut iAlAltS VI my al uaintoASC,
they are represented to be financially
unsound." If they are financially rot
ten, should like to see a firm or man
financially sound.
But these reports from agencies" and
others in cities, who have received them
from designing men, but who circulate
them, will only create contempt for any
and all who give them currency. Thad
and Charley are bound TO live, and no
mercantile agency or revengeful enemy
can fail them. CANDoR.
Middlebury. June f6. 1873.