The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-29

The Americans on their travels, if they
want to buy cheap in Europe, must give
I'D some of the confidence acquired in the
course of the more Straightforward deal
ing of their countrymen, and hold their
money with less impatient grasp
Buying cheap is quite inconsistent with
the system of credit so common IN this
country. This, within certain limits, may
be necessary and advantageous In the
commercial business of nation where
capital is small in comparison with the
enterprise Of trade: but in the ordinary
transactions requisite for the supply oil
household and personal wants there should
he no exception to the rule of cash on
delivery The tradesman, if guided by
the usual prudence Of his craft-and if
not so he would soon find himself re-
corded on the list Of baHkrupts-
must get compensation for the risk
he runs in giving credit. This,
of course, is something in addition
to the interest of the money value OF
the articles with which he has trusted the
purchaser, who accordingly has to pay not
only the usual or per cent, or whateT-
er may be the prevailing rate, but an in
definite sum in addition as premium to
insure the dealer against loss. The honest
are made to pay for the dishonest, for to
the tradesnan they stand only in the one
relation of debtors, and he strikes an ay
erage of probable loss among them, and,
not being certain who will be the default
ers. he charges all with such proportion
as will be likely fully to compensate him
in the case of the failure Of some. The
homes. debtor thus not only pays his own
debts. but a part of those of his less scru-
| pulous fellow customer. The credit sys
TEN has the further disadvantage of pro-
voking inordinate expenditure. The cost
| Of a thing which can be met with prom
ise to paw Is never fully realized. The
| imagination. moreover, is apt to take such
| an exaggerated view Of future resource
that most, even with little in hand, see an
abundance in the time to come. Pur-
chasers on credit not only buy freely, but
pay dearly.
Buying cheap has its disadvantages too
and occasionally illustrates the old saying
that parsimony is not the best economy.
The authorizations of food and shoddy ma
terials. of which the consumers of Europe
50 greatly complain, have been attributed
| not so much to the avidity Of dealers as to
the meanness of purchasers. The obstinate
persistence in the demand for cheap lux
| uries has forced. it is said, into the market
those nasty products which ingenious
roguery is so ready 10 supply. If people
will insist upon drinking champagne at q
cost hardly more than that Of Newark
cider. they may congratulate themselves if
they get Newark cider. They certainly
cannot hope for anything better, and will
probably get something great deal worse,
| for they have placed themselves by their
unreasonable demands in the hands OF the
rogues, and must be left to their mercy.
| The cheap tea and coffee 50 universally
| demanded fully account for the plentiful
supply in the market of dried willow
leaves, iron filings, chiccOry and bean
grits, for which, Of course, there is no need
of sending to China or Mocha, nOtwith-
standing the assurance of the corner grocer
| that they are direct impOrtations from those
remote regions. HGrper's Bazar.