The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-06
The People who Pay their Bills aud
the People who Don't.

ne TeopIc VINO ihy thclr BIilS aud
the People who Don't.
There are more things known about Us
than we suppose. For instance, people who
make bills at the grocer's and butchers
may fancy that only the particular dealers
with whom they have long traded are able
to tell how prompt they are in paying, and
whether Or not they are desirable Gus
toners.
A. a matter Of fact, however they are all
the time building up n reputation for re-
spousbilty and tIustworthiucss which
spcodily becomes known TO retailers
throughout the city. Ii they chance to
enter new shop 60 make purchases. their
ability TO pay bills and their habit Of
promptly paying them, or being dilatory in
the matter, are know, to the civil merchant,
who is eager to have them run up an ac-
count, or takes pains to see that the goods
are delivered oniy on the payment of the
cash, according as their known reputation
i. The gauge the dealer has OF the Gus
toner's standing as TO responsibility and as
TO his promptncss in meeting bills is not
halha2ard one, but is accurate and readily
applied.
There Is IN View York an institution called
liii lt'idl ltdlflN IIOttllNt Association.
TO which belong the merchants Of good bust
ness who sell at retail to the class Of people
who are included, or aim to bee included, in
the wcll-to-do part OF the community, and
who have been regular purchasers Of private
supplies. This association, with great care
and surprising accuracy. obtains the facts
which 60 10 show the financial position #
each of these individuals, and what the habit
OF each is as to the payment Of bills. This
information, SO valuable TO the retail
dealer, Is furnished him in the form OF an
alphabetical directory, wherein against
each name is set down the persons stand
ing in these regards. For this bulky folio
containing many thousands Of names, the
member OF the association pays large price
yearly. II enables him to tell exactly what
sort u man his customer is-whcther it is
safe to trust him or not. This knowledge
he can get b. minutes examination Of
the directory.
People, therefore, who lave found that
strange dealer WAS in no haste TO send them
the bill for what they had bought, or was
particular to exact the money before they
got the goods, Will nov undcrs tand tie
reason why
Thus We SEQ how desirable L l. TO main-
tam a good character, to pay our bills
promptly. and to secure the confidence Of
those with whom we trade II is idle
fancy that q man who has cheated ono l,rom-
inent grocer can play IT, same gaze on an
other' that y man who keeps his tailor
chasi-- after him to collect his dues, and
I never pays until driven 10 it, can easily lead
another tailor into the same scrape. He
must plank down the cash, or go without the
goods. He has sent before him herald who
! proclaims his reputation, and be he never 50
well dressed, and though he present coun-
tenance OF placidcst assurance, the dealer
who belongs to this association il not delud-
| cd by him.
The most remarkable thing about the facts
obtained by this new example Of the organi-
zation of modern life, is that wealth and
credit do not always go together. Rich mon.
very rich men, not infrcqucntly ARE unde-
sirablc people to trust. They hate to pay
their bills. Relying on thor known iinan-
cial soundncss 10 get trusted, thoy keep the
trader without his money until his patience
Is almost exhausted. Some such men will
not settle bill until they are threatened
with legal proceedings, and then they bag
gle over il, and taking advantage Of the
creditors dislike o. going TO law, or his fear
of the expense, get OF without paying any
| interest, though interest is fairly due even
If they don't manage To get an honest ac-
count cut down. These rich men are pirates
and they are now known 10 the dealers gem
orally, and marked rs such IN their private
Associative records.
There are other people who, having the
means 10 pay a bill delay settling it from
mere dilatoriuess, or because they dislike to
diminish their bank accounts. The dealer
knows they will pay in the end; but they
are not the best customers to have, and
what he knows all his fellow members of the
association know also. Perhaps some men
who read these words have wondered why
though rich, they have not been readily re-
ccivod and trusted by retailers. They
will understand better now, and We
hope they will treasure up the
lesson If what we say, and never fail
hereafter to pay thor bills like men when
thcy arc honestly due. 1t Is lacan busi-
ness, Keeping creditor Mt your heels for
money you know You ought to pay when all
the time you have II about you. Yet there
are mon who never like 10 pay a ill until it
has been much creased with frequent fold
ing, and has grown yellow with age. Their
aWnll Obligations they can put of, and they
do II; their large ones they pay because
they must Ihoy are not honest, are not lit
10 belong To u church, for they withhold
from the laboror his hire; yet some of them
occupy the best pows, aud they would re-
sent 1t as an insult ii their pety was i'm
puSncd.