Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-16
THE CAUSE OF "HARD TINES"
MORE ABOUT THE TARIFF THE DIFFER
ENCE BETWEEN BUYING Fur
CASH AND CREDIT.

The tariff question with all it's enor-
mites is not Of half as much Importance
to cusumers Of merchandise, as the
question of mercantile credit. What is
the tariff question to the man tilling
the earth to raise a crop of cotton, Op-
pressed by debt, buying the necessaries
of life with mortgage, paying for Ba-
con and Flour and Corn and the few
necessaries of life he must have, double
what he ought? Home product at rea-
sonable price woule be boon t. him.
What imported articles he buys if any
are high enough after paying duties and
far too high no doubt in many cases,
but when profits are doubled up on him
instead of bringing them to him for
small profit for cash, it is too much for
him and hundreds can never see their
way out. Mercantile credit. why there
is no system of taxation begins to COM
pare with enormities of it. The Produ-
Ger who has grown his crop with
mortgage gathers as early as matured,
runs it off to market with the dead
weights of the mortgage covering ev-
cry pound of it, goes home dissatisfied
with his sale, says ''he didn't get
enough for it. He got perhaps nine to
ten cents, while the prices he paid for
what he bought with the mortgage
would be about in proportion to twenty
cent cotton. You see the producer who
buys on time, pays credit valuation and
accepts each valuations for what he sells.
Suppose you reverse the plan, pay cash
for what you buy, and sell your cotton
On time until next fall. Would you
take nine or ten cents? Would you not
want twenty cents and if you did that
and failed with your mortgage to find
~ IA L.,
off than the man who supplies you,
who ofton finds nothing left him but
the mortgage. The man who takes
your mortgage knows the span betw cen
that and Dollars. If your crop is good
ami you come up promptly he will do
we'll If not, and how MANY if nots are
there. How much worse for you and
him too? a mortgage Is the poorest fer
tilizer you ever put on a crop and
brings worse result. One Hundred Dol
lars for mule paid with a mortgage
this fall or Sixty Five Dollars cash,
which? The dealer would as rule about
as soon have the money that is certain.
Which is the best for you? Don't you
think Thirty-Five Dollars is big interest
on Sixty-Five Dollars for nine months?
If one dollar NOW will buy what it
will take one dollar and a half or, two
dollars, to pay for this fall, had you not
better pay now?
A very great mistake is made by
many we'll to do people who could pay
today as readily as at any time. But
they say, "Oh. my credit is good and
will have it charged The merchant
knows the power of Dollars IN discount
ing his bills and in buying too we'll not
to know that your cash is worth more
to him than your credit. He wants to sell
you and urges you to take all you
want, but tell you he makes you pay
for it He knows you are certain to pay
and he wants your certainty to help up
the uncertainty The most iudicious
credit business in the world will suffer
losses.
You have in your midst live, cash
house. A business stablished, not by
favor Or friendship but, by merit alone
one who is daily fighting against the
old rotten credit system for money, for
reputation and for the people.
Do not consider it any favor because
some merchant will let you have a few
goods on credit. You pay him big profits
on all you buy, in fact. the profits are
often so large that he will take almost
any risk.
Read Little Bob Mitchell's Price List.
Can you match his prices? He buys for
the spot cash and gets all the discount
off. He does not run any accounts and
Gators only for that class of trade who
pay ''cash on delivery"
II you have little money and want
to make it go a long ways, visit the Bee
Hive Store and get prices that will teach
you in the silent logic of truth the diff
ference between dealing with live and
with dead men-between the cash and
the credit system-between the right
and wrong way.
Yours anxious to serve.
LITTLE BOB MITCHELL.