Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-11-09
Il Chapter on Honesty.

mon at the Methodist Church last
Sunday night on Honesty" using
as the basis of the sermon some sta
tistics gathered from our business
men. Some weeks ago Mr.. Curry
put series of ten questions to fifteen
different business men of McMinn-
vile, and the answers to these ques-
tions furnished the subjects for his
remarks. Some of the questions
and answers will not prove unintcr-
esting to our readers.
QUESTION 1. care many people in
debt to you ," Twelve of the fifteen
merchants answered this in the af-
firmative.
Question ,. "Do many people seem
to try to keep from paying yOu?"
Twelve answered this in the affirma-
tive, two in the negative, and one
gave no answer.
Question 8. (which pay better men
or women" The unanimous re-
spouse this was, "the women"
Question D. care the people gener-
ally trying to live within their
means?" A majority of the mer-
chants answered this question in the
negative. While the answers to all
the questions were given hastily,
without taking time for much con-
sideration, it is evident to any one
that upon a sober second thought the
business men would have to re-
wise their answer to this
question. No community of people
could exist for very long period of
time where the majority of them
lived beyond their means or income,
and the continued growth and pros
perity of McMinnville gives unmis-
taxable proof that the majority of
our people are living within their
means. If it were otherwise there
would be no new buildings erected,
business enterprises of all kinds
would languish, and we would have
frequent failures, and such a thing
as business failure in McMinnville
is almost unheard Of The business
failures of McMinnville for the last
fifteen years would not aggregate
that many hundred dollars in liabili-
ties.
Question Z. "Do your customers
seem to love to pay their bills at the
time agreed upon ?" Four answered
this in the negative, eight in the af-
: firmative, and three gave no an
swers. If Bro. Curry had taken the
experience of few newspapers on
this question, the face of his returns
: would have been somewhat altered
!. 1t is lamentable fact that a great
| many honest men, perfectly able tC
r pay their debts,and who do pay them
very willingly when called upon
never think of going voluntarily and
u. paying or renting their debts when
= they know they are due, and they
, cannot deny they are under moral
obligation to pay them voluntarily
Seven years experience with the
Z STANDARD has taught us that the
credit system on subscriptions, even
with what are regarded as best class
es of people, is losing business. We
don't think that we eXageratc the
case when we say that during thai
seven years we have lost fully fifty
!. per cent of all credit subscriptions
!; We have hundreds of dollars due u,
t by men who are considered strictly
e honest, and who are fully able to pay
. and many of whom would pay if We
p could present the accounts in person
y but who will never pay unless the &C
r counts are presented inpersOn. They
e pay no attention whatever to dun'
:. through the mails. These same PEG
?. pie would condemn us very severely
= for dishonesty if we should trea
them in the same manner. They
{ even get very mad at US som'
times for stopping their papers. W.
\ do not believe it is so bad in mer
; chandize accounts, but our expert
ence has taught us that..a very larg
, per cent of the people who subscrib
to newspapers on credit, not Onl!
fail to pay promptly at. the tim
agreed upon, but if left to their owl
sense of honor in the promises, the.
will not pay at all. We will not sa.
that these people are dishonest, bu
b some of their perceptions of honest.
/, are rather bluntcd from careless neg
d lect of small accounts.
,. Question Q. eff all who can pa,
e would nav their debts nrOmntlV no