The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-09
Cash w Credit.

and lounge away a halliday talking
with the storekeepers and the farmers
who come in to do their trading.
Times are different than when all trade
was barter as in my younger days
when we had to save eggs to get tea
and sugar with; when a pound Of but
ter would scarcely pay for a yard ofthe
cheapest calico; when letter from
out the State costtwo shillings, and was
often held by the postmaster a month
because the farmer could convert none
of his products into cash enough to paw
the postage. Those days were not 30
long ago, either. We used to 60 to
market then with OK teams and in
lumber wagons. There were no sprin g
wagons then no three minute road
sters; no top buggies for farmers; no
ready~made clothing. We used to wear
butternut-colored suits, homemade, in
winter, or tow pants in summer.
l say things are different now. But
there must be further change. 1t is
gradually but surely coming. Occas
siorally, you will find "a cash store"
l wish, for all concerned, there were no
others. How / shiver when | sit in
the back OF store and here farmer
Who has purchased a bill OF goods say
to the spruce clerk, with self-confi-
dent tone and air, as he gathers up the
parcels, Charge :" Be sure the clerk
docs Charge ltl' He charges it heavy.
1t is rarely the Gaze, l notice, that
these Charge it" customers take q
bill of their purchases. They have
faith in the merchant who has such
faith in them-until settling day comes.
when there are often disputes and
wrsngles over the accounts.
Another thing notice: That where.
as the spruce clerk is permitted to wait
upon farmer "Charge-it," while the
merchant gossips with a lounger, like
me; the moment Farmer Pay-as-he-
goes enters the store, Mr.. Merchant is
all affability aud alertness. He leaves
the louuger uuceremoniously. He
greets the farmer with warm cordially
inouiring after his family and his
crops. The spruce clerk stands aside
deferentially. The merchant shows
the cash customer a different and better
class of goods than was shown to Far.
mer "Charge.it." The price named on
the same class is ten per cent. lower
than ia charged on the books to the
other customers. Pains are taken to
please and satisfy. 1t does me good to
see that more discretion is used In
buying. Nothing that is not needed is
purchased. When the purchases are
completed, out comes the smooth, shiny
leather wallet. ard the greenbacks are
carefully and caressingly handled, The
farmer is sure to see that he has the
worth OF his money, and the merchant
is equally careful not to lose cash
customer.
What makes sill this difference The
merchant resumes his seat by the loung-
err who pumps the fact from him that he
had rather have one such customer as
Farmer Pay s.he-goes than three like
" Charge it." With cash in hand he
can buy his goods cheaper in the city.
lie saves there. He turns his money,
and realizes his profits quicker. He
loses no debts, and does not have to
add q per cent to his charges to cover
such losses nor the interest he has to
pay on his own thirty to sixty day bills.
He is content with small margins. He
has to take them, because cash pay
ing farmer buys where he can buy the
best cheapest. And yet" said the
merchant, Il have some customers who
paw only once in three or six months
who are profitable TO nae, because l
make them pay me roundly for waiting.
must do so if trade with them.
They are good for their bills, but, il
they knew it, really lose money every
time they say, Charge it, That is
thew have to pay more than they need
to for everything they buy. OF course
I had rather sell to them cheaper for
CASH; bat l cannot afford to on credit
ard take the risk / do"
Talking with an old friend who is a
banker, he says his deposits among
farmers are nine-tenths OF them at least
land be thinks larger per cent OF the
Pay-as-you-go class. / cannot see how
it can be otherwise nor do l ever ex"
pPct 10.