Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-01-04
BUSINESS MEMS ORGANIZATION.

From the Advocate we learn that
the merchants of that city have Or
ganized a local branch of the Mer-
chants Mercantile Agency of Chica-
go, Ill. The object of it is to protect
its members from being imposed upon
by certain class Of people who make
a practice of getting credit wherever
they can and leaving the merchant to
balance his books as best he can In the
"sweet subsequently" or at such other
time as he may see fit.
The Advocate says: "All present
signed the constitution and bylaws,
pledging themselves to abide by the
same for one year. A fine is provided
for violation of the clause in such
constitution, which provides that no
member of the Columbus, Kansas,
branch of the Merchants Mercantile
Agency shall give credit to a person
who does not, in some honorable man
er,::adjust his Indebtedness with an
other subscriber to it. No person
shall be referred to this or any other
branch as owing q member Of this
agency until such person has been CIV
en- full and fair opportunity to go to
the merchant he owes and in some
way adjust his Indebtedness. This
system works no hardship on any per-
son who is disposed to do right toward
those who have extended credit 10
him. If he be unable to pay he has
only to show his good faith; but that
class of persons who do not care for
their promises 10 pay; who go from
one store to another, from one town to
another, contracting a debt wherever
they get chance to open an account;
who 90 it blind, never stopping to
consider how they can pay never try
ing to pay-it is to such persons that
this system pays attention. 1t is no
hardship to ask men to be honest in
their deals with a merchant who
trusts them. Every farmer, every me-
chanic, every person in the communi-
ty in which we reside, who pays his
honest debts, is interested in the sue
cess of a system which seeks to make
those who can pay and won't pay, pay
their honest debts, because it is those
who pay cash or pay their debts
promptly who furnish the money
which enables the merchant TO sue
cessfulIy conduct his business aud car
ny on his books that class of people
styled slow pay or dead BEATS" Ev-
cry dollar lost by the merchant by rea-
sou Of bad debts is indirectly loaded
onto the shoulders Of those who do
pay, and any system that forces pay
ment by slow payers aud "dead beats"
or compels them TO pay spot cash or
secure for everything they purchase,
unloads the percentage from off the
shoulders of the housekeeping classes.
The merchants have no Jaw for their
protection; they must be law unto
themselves by organizing to protect
each other. They owe 1t not only to
themselves, but to their cash paying
customers, to organize and drive to
settlement or cash that class of per-
sons which infest every community,
who do nothing, live well and contrib
ute nothing. This system is being
adopted by all leading merchants. II
deals honestly with both debtor and
creditor, and should have the support,
not only of merchants, but honest
consumers. They do not wish 1t 10 be
understood as being organized for the
purpose of expressing any person, but
to the end that all men shall be COM
PEELED to honesty when their own hon.
or fails 10 be a sufficient Incentive" &.
We believe the agent who was In
ornamental IN establishing the Column
bus branch did not visit this city, but
we believe It wonld he good thing
for the business men of Baxter Springs
If a similar organization was effected
here. From expressions made to us By
some OF our merchants we Judge this
would be a splendid field for such an