The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-04-19
TOO MANY BOOK-KEEPERS.
Competition IL So Great That But Few
Are Wen Paid.


influence OF popular folly" said an
old book-koeper, in reference TO the
present condition and outlook OF the
calling. "Mlcn, induced doubtless by
mistaken idea "a TO the commercial
opportunities offered by metropolitan
cities, keep focking TO the great CEN
ters Of trade and industry, under the
impression that they can easily get re-
munerativo situations. Young men,
too, keep the commercial colleges well
filed, and after few terms OF study
graduate as professional book-keep-
crs The result Is that the ranks are
filed TO Overlooking, and many an able
accountant is Obliged TO take IA subor-
dinatc place other than that for which
he fitted himself. This Is especially
true OF the great commercial centers,
whore slight depression in trade
sufllccs TO make itself felt in the de-
mand and remuneration Of competent
book-kocpers.
"Competitiou in our circles is there
fore very strong. Except in the case
Of the mon who have proved their
worth and practically made themselves
necessity TO particular houses, stick
ling for IA price Is out Of the question.
The rank and flo are glad TO get what
they can. and there arc hundreds OF
book k-koepcrs in Chicago working for
ordinary clerks wages. Most men,
however experienced, have to begin
low and work up. An inexperienced
man, fresh from commercial college,
where he has acquired thorough
knowledge Of tho theoretical part OF
the work, will ordinarily command
from s. To S. week. After n year Of
practical work no will get from $50 TO
500 n month. The average pay OF men
Of long standing will not, ] think, run
above 500 month. OF course there
are boolI-keopcrs in the city who are
getting 81, OOO 81, 500, or cvon more
year, but they are tho exceptions. l
am satisfied that n canvass OF all tho
stores protesting to have book-kcopers
would reveal the fact that the majority
Of accountants get little more pay than
the average clork.
"Thcre was timc-and that was
not long ago, cithcr when the domand
for boolS-kocpcrs was greater than the
supply. Tho commercial colleges, for
instance, found no difficulty in socur-
ing places for thcir graduates. just TO
ascertain the condition OF affairs and
SOC what competition men in the call
ing now have TO meet, | made an ex-
pertinent during the last week OF
February. ! put in n local paper an
advertisement for competent book
keeper who was willing TO work for
from $S to $40 n week, promotion being
glo insertion Of the advertisement
brought mo within three days 229 lot
ters OF application for the position.
Most OF the letters. which in point OF
diction and pcnmauship were exccp-
tionally good, were from men OF prac-
tical experience. Tho ages OF the app
plicants varied from eighteen to fifty
years, and the periods OF actual serv-
ice as book-keepers ran from two to
eight years. Only II few were noviccs
in the work This showing tolls n
story. and | doubt not that it will be
surprise TO the majority of citizens.
The inference is that there are too
many men seeking positions rs book
Keepers and that competition has
ruined wages.
"lt must not be overlooked, how
ever, that good many of the So
called book-kcepers are in nowise
competent An adequate course in n
commercial college is of vast benefit
in the calling, but theory after all is n
secondary consideration. Many mer-
chants are dead set against college
men. What Is needed Is ability to
meet actual cXigoncies, and that is
something that every book-koeper
does not possess. A fair handwriting.
rapidity, the ability to debit and credit
accounts and add co rectly, are in
dispensablc requisites for the calling,
but after all they are compatible with
n certain degree Of automatism that is
any thing but desirable in an employee.
Clerks work themselves up to better
salaries an6 hold their positions by
personal efforts, good Judgment i'm
terest ovinccd in their employers
business success and the like, and n
book-keeper's promotion and tenure Of
place is no less dependent upon the
same factors. Chicago News.