Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-07-14
HONESTY IN BUSINESS.

ASAN9oA l. AIN IL oo44N I160.
With undiscriminating minds there
is growing disposition to look upon
all tradesmen as a dishonest and I'M
trustworthy class, in league together
to cheat and defraud innocent peo-
pie. We do not bring so bl DAD and
grave charge against the vendors
of merchandise by any means, for
we believe that many, even the large
majority of them, aim to be fair and
honest in their dealings, but we can
understand how general cloud of
suspicion has come to rest upon their
transactions, to the injury and annoy
ance of many guiltless persons. 1t is
the natural outcome of system of
fraud and deception which in some
circles has come to be regarded as
legitimate. Shams and authorizations
have become so wide spread and so
difficult of deception as to create a
feeling of distrust under which the
innocent suffer as we'll as the guilty.
The man who has been deceived
again and again in his purchases,
paying three or four times the real
value of articles, as he afterward dis
covers, unless of very generous and
confiding disposition, comes TO look
upon tradesmen generally as his nat
ural enemies, with whom he must deal
by necessity, but who are to be mar
rowly watched, seldom believed and
trusted. Every offered bargain is to
be regarded with suspicious air as
only possible cover to a sinister de-
sign upon the buyers purse. Ear
nest and well-meant reservations of
! genuineness and fair dealing only in
crease the difficulty. If the purchase
is finally made, it is often done with
an air that seems to say, 81 know
that | have been victimized. but there
is no help for it," Such methods of
dealing must be excessively annoy
ing to upright and honorable men
who aim to do business upon fail
and just basis. To have their word
doubted and their motives constantly
! impuoned is hard for honest men to
bear. But we know of no help fol
it as long as the market is flooded will
cheap limitations and adulterated COM
pounds which are constantly palmed
off upon the public as genuine. We
say it is not strange that reputable
dealers often suffer unjustly when sc
many are victimized by the swindllns
arts of trade. Their only protection
!, in this case is to combine their force:
) IN driving out the shams and fraud.
, from the market. Public confidenc,
, will be restored when it comes to b,
understood that the majority of bust
I ness men have set themselves agains
the manufacture and sale of adulter
: ations and shoddy goods. 1t is man
] ifestly to the interest Of all the bette
class of dealers that their method
should be considered in every instanc
e as fair and right. The haggling an
t cheating down. process, which man
], think necessary part of shoppin
u and marketing, IS a disgusting an
: dernoralizing practice, and loss i
), the end of both time and money
J. There should be no occasion for sue
n ways of doing business among rea
ly shrewd and practical people.
V is not only embarrassing and vexs
W tious, but positive damage to a
- concerned. The business world owe
20 it to itself to purge out the thievt
s and swindlers who ply their arts
~ it's name, for the truth yet stands !;
70 of old, that honesty is the best POI
ly cy -ObserUer