New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-04-23
'TALMAGE ON TRADE.
He says it is Hard Work to
Be Honest and Make
Any Money.
How the Guileless Country
Merchant is Treated
in Town.

the Academy of Music this morning DR.. Tai
mage, announced as his text Proverbs Xxx,
ID: sit is naught. it is naught saith the
buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he
boasteth." Following is his sermon in full:
Palaces are not such prisons as the world
zimagines. Ifyou think that the only time
kings and queens come forth from the royal
gates is in procession and gorgeously at
tended, you are mistaken. Incognto, by
day or by night, and clothed in citizens ap-
parel, or the dress of q working woman they
come and see the world as it is. In no other
way could King Solomon, the author of my
text, have known everything that was going
ON. From my text | am sure he must in dis
:guise, some day have walked into store
of ready made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter and overheard con-
versation between a buyer and q seller. The
merchant put price on a coat, and the GUS
toner began to dcker and said: absurd
that coat is not worth what you ask for it,
Why, just look at the coarseness of the ia
bricl See that spot on the collar! Besides
that, it does not IT. Twenty dollars forthat?
Why, it isn't worth more than 10. They
have u better article than that, and for
cheaper price, down at Cloathem, Fitem &
Brothers. Besides that don't want it at
any price. Good morning. ""Hold," says
the merchant, don't go off in that way.
want to sell you that coat. have some pay
7nent to make and want the money. Come
now, how mnch will you give for that coat?!'
-'Well," says the customer, 81 will split the
difference. You asked $50, and said $40.
Now, will give you SIS" well" says the
merchant, tits great sacrifice, but take it
at that price" Then Solomon saw the Gus
toner with a roll under his arm start
and go out and enter his own
place of business, and Solomon in disguise
followed him. He heard the customer as he
unrolled the coat say: Boys, l have made
a great bargain How much do you guess l
wishing to compliment his enterprise, you
gave $50 for it," Another says, Il should
think you got it cheap ii you gave $25."
No. says the buyerin triumph, Il got it for
=s15 l beat him down and pointed out the
imperfections until I really made him believe
me to make bargain. Hal Ha!' Oh man,
you got the goods for less than they
worth by positive falsehood; and no wonder,
when Solomon went back to his palace and
put on his disguise, that he sat down at his
writing desk and made for all ages a crayon
sketch of you: st is naught, it is naught
saith the buyer, but when he is gone his way
then he boasteth." s0sr
There are no higher styles of men in all the
word than those now at the head of mer-
~chandise in Brooklyn and New York and in
the other great cities ofthis continent. Their
casual promise is as good as a bond with
piles o. colaterals Their reputation or in
@tegrity is as we'll established as that Of
Petrarch residing in the family Of Cardinal
COlonna, and there was great disturbance in
the family the Cardinal called his people to-
gether and put them under oath to tell the
truth. except Petrarch, for when he came up
to swear, the cardinal put away his book
ND Ao 10 Dotr orJ
is sufficient" Never since the world stood
have there been many merchants whose
transactions can stand the test of the ten
commandments. Such bargain makers are
all the more to- be honored because they have
wiuhstood, year after year, temptations
which have flung many SO fat, and flung
them SO hard they can never recover them
selves. While all positions in life have pow
serful besetments to evil, there are specific
forms of alurement which are peculiar to
each occupation and profession, and it will
be useful to speak of the peculiar temptations
of business men.
First, as in the scene OF the text business
men are often tempted to sacrifice plain truth,
the seller by exaggerating the value of goods,
and the buyer by deprcciating them. We
cannot but admire an expert salesman. See
how he first induces the Gust Toner into a mood
favorable to the proper consideration of the
value of the goods He shows himselft to be
an honest aud frank salesman How care
fully the lights are arranged till they fall Just
right above thefabric Beginning with goods
of medium quality, he gradually advances
toward those of more thorough make, and
of more attractive pattern. How he watches
the moods and whims of his customer! With
what perfect calmness he takes the order,
and bows the purchaser from his presence
who goes away having made up his mind
that hehas bought the goods at price
which will allow him a living
The goods were worth what the salesman
said they were, and were sold at u price
which will not make it necessary for the
house to fail every 10years in order to fix up
things.
But with what burning Indignation we
think of the Ubiquitous strategems by which
goods are sometimes disposed OF. A glance
at the morning papers shows the arrival at
one of our hotels of young merchant from
one OF the inland cities, and, of course, he
must be shown around, and it will be the
duty of some OF our enterprising houses to
escort him. He is a large purchaser and
has plenty OF time and money, and it will
pay to be very attentive The evening is
spent at a place of doubtful amusement
Then they go back to the hotel Having Just
come to town. they must, ofcourse drink.
A friend rom the same mercantile establish.
ment drops in. and usage and generosity sue
gest that they must drink. Business pros
poets are talked over, and thestrangeris warn
ed against certain dilapidated mercantile es-
Establishments that are about to fail, and for
such kindness and magnanimity Of cuution
against the dishonesty of other business
houses, OF courseit is expected they willard
so they do-they take drink. Other mer-
chants lodging in adjoining rooms find it
hard to sleep Tor thecatter of decan1er and
the coarse carousal of these .shail fellows we'll
met" wakes louder But they sit not all
night at the wine cup. They must see the
sights They stagger forth with cheeks flush
ed and eyes bloodshot. The outer gates OF
he'll open to let in the victims. The wings OF
lost souls fit among thelights. and the steps
sof the corousers sound with the rumblina
thunders of the damned Farewell to all
the sanctities of home! Could mother. sister
father, slumbering in the inland home, in
some vision of that night catch glimpse o1
the ruin wrought they would rend out their
hair by the roots and bite the tongue till the
blood spurted, shrieking out: God save
him!''
What suppose you will come upon such
business establishments? and there are hun
dreds u them in the cities They may boast
,of fabulous sales, and they may have an un.
precedented run of buyers, and the name oi
the house may be a terror to all rivals, and
from this thrifty root there may spring W
. I, So, al al Az