The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1884-07-05
Ghr 1Mon Griibn',t,
ISSUED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING
Home Patronage.

Having read the communications Of "R.
hird view of the subject of commercial ad-
rantage. Having been in the mercantile
business for some wears have came to the
deliberate conclusion that the loss Of trade
resulting from the Eastern cash mail or
iers of the Territory should be charged to
he merchants themselves. The old, flush
times that have been experienced by most
,f our merchants have passed away. Prof
IS are no longer fifty to two hundred per
ent. Eastern and Western business fail
res are making jobbers cautious, and more
aretul of giving credits. Competition
with the auyiliaries of quick commune
:ation and cheap transpor .ation-is beco,n-
ng stronger. 1t behooves the trade TO
lhorOughlv understand its interests and act
.ir.nlv and wisely. We see that many Of
the men whose ,3nes have been in bv-
zone times and perhaps are now most fire.
Iuent and lasting on the merchants ledger
send East for goods that are mallable, and
Buy here good that are not. All goods
bought East, outside of the trade, are spot
ca,h-most home-bought goods are on
credit.
The man whom you have credited for
goods and clothing, when he was hard up,
feels under no obligation to continue his
patronage after he has become more indie
pendent, especially if he has been able to
Jay what he owes, or if there were any lit
lie misunderstandines and dissatiStactions
Turing his dealings with merchant. The
merchant, perhaps, is surprised to find that
the man who was so sociable and grateful
while receiving favors is not prompt to re-
ciprocate, and is even defiant, il not ag-
gressive. The proportion of loss by bad
debts is simply enormous. Very few &C.
counts draw interest no matter how long
they run, but most merchants in the retail
stores pay large sums monthly for interest,
and it costs more to sell goods to a credit
customer than to cash one. Any mer-
chant knows that ten per cent profit cash
will make him richer in ten years than
twenty five Per cent profit ON his books,
Tor the average time given on credit sales
is about four months, and it then costs
per centage for collection, besides interest
Tor borrowed money to take the place OF
book accounts, and large proportion 81
=, Il sc |Ioyv, hat he -
sumner can not be induced to trade at home
through gratitude-neither can he be scold
ed or coaxed. He must be reached through
his pocket. Po!iteness, deception, beer
and style may reach some customers-in
fact, the former is necessity with servants
Of the public. Coco articles, at a low mar.
gin Of profit, will reach all the best custom.
ers. Make your profit SO low that every
careful man will see that he can not do any
better by buying outside of the Territory
Make your money by buying as low as the
lowest, ship as cheap as the cheapest, do all
the work you can yourself, hire only pop
ular, energetic clerks, and sell only to good
prompt paying customers. Say "No' very
kindly and firmly to all who want indefin'
ite credit, or who are unwilling to stand
their own losses by paving interest on over
due accounts. Stipulate your terms before
the sale-if you do not, in most cases, vou'
customers will arrange the terms to suit
themselves afterwards.
A merchant should never attempt to cur
ry favor by paying more than he can atforo
Tor produce or buying when he does moi
need it. Such efforts to keep custom arr
lost, and the merchant is invariably credit
I'd with simplicity.
With no losses Of debts, no expense fo'
book keeping or collecting, and with CAPT
tai to turn over as often as sales can be
made on a cash basis, merchant can sci
% low that customers will have no choice
but to keep their money at home.
MERCHANT.
Dillon, Montana, July, 1884.