Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-12-06
Business" Honor.

The 'business" of the country-the
yard-stick, the quart measure and the
scales is mainly controlled by "boards
of trade" and other gambling Organiza-
tions organized in the cities for the pur-
pose of speculating in stocks cornering
the necessaries of life and fattening on
the tolls of the producer. These boards
have courts of their own which prescribe
the ethics of ''business. Here are a
couple of specimens of "honor" as laid
down by the Cincinnati board:
The firm of Stickem & Scrape, pork
packers, made complaint against the ri
vatfirm of Scald 4 Gutter, of unmer-
camille conduct. The specification was
that s. & G. printed and circulated a
statement that S. & S. bought and
packed, as sound, hogs that had died in
transit that what they branded leaf
lard was gutterel, and was adulterated
with white earth, and that their mess
pork was short in weight, and their
sausages tainted meat, dogs and cats.
Mr.. Scrape was put on the stand and
asked if it was true that they packed
hogs that had died, or that their leaf
lard was gutteral or mixed with earth,
or their pork short in weight, Or their
sausages compounded, all of which he
answered in the negative. He was
then asked if his packing had been re-
fused on contracts, or had been made
unstable by these charges, or if he had
been refused accommodation at bank
in consequence; to all of which he an
swered, that, so far as he had observed,
these consequences had not been rea-
lized. Thereupon the" board decided
that inasmuch as the false charges had
not produced the designed effect, no
case of unmercantile conduct had been
alleged, and that the conduct of Scald
& Gutter had been entirely mercantile,
and so they dismissed the complaint.
The other case was the case of the
the firm of Treacle & Sayon, wholesale
grocers, who made complaint against
| the firm Of Cans & Tannin, o rival
house, for unmercantile conduct. The
specification was that G. & T.. had writ
ten to the customers of T. 4 s., and
had printed and circulated on the street
la statement that T. & S. were in failing
circumstances; that their paper was
hawked on the street, and that they
were, in fact, bankrupt, and the red flag
of the auctioneer would soon be. hang
ing over their store door; all of which
was designed to damage their standing
among merchants, and to prevent their
making such use of credit as is custom
ary in trade. The board asked Mr..
Sayon if his house was in fact bank
rupt; if this slanderous circular letter
had in fact prevented their buying
goods ON the usual terms, and had
caused the banks to cut off the custom
ary line of accommodation. To all this
Mr.. S. answered in the negative.
Thereupon the board decided that as
4 the designed injury had not been real
lied, the conduct of Cans q Yannin had
been entirely honorable, and SO it dis
missed the charge of unmercantile con-
duct. Ba
Yet these men who hold such con-
duct to be honorable, and who believe
in lying, slandering and all manner so1
disreputable conduct deserving of ap'
proval are The same who raise the ssbas'
iness' scare wherein legislation tending
j to keep them within the bonds of civil
ization Is mentioned. Wise fellows in
deed, to dictate legislation to a chris
tian government; brave legislators whs
will be intimidated by their howl! II