Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-04-24

[ gil inc SdncblueS Oh nome. OO0lQ
mother, sister, father, slbmberinS IN the
inland home, in some vision Of that
night, catch a glimpse of the ruin
wrought they would fend out their hair
by the roots and bitn The tongue until
the blood tpurted, shrieking out: Goa
save himm What, suppose you, will
come upon such business establish
mehts? and there are hundreds of them
In the cities They may boast of faba-
lous sales, and they may have an I'M
precedented run of buyers, and the
name of the house may be terror to all
rivals, and from this thrifty root there
may spring up branch houses in other
cities, and all the partners of the firm
may move into their mansions and drive
their full-blooded span, and the fam
lies may sweep the streets with
the most elegant apparel that human
art ever wove or earthly magnifieehce
ever achieved.
But a curse Is gathering somewhere
for these men, and If it does not seize
hold of the pillars and in one wild run
bring down the temple of commercial
glory, it will break up their peace and
they will tremble with sickness and
bloat with dissi pations, and. pushed to
the precipice OF this life, they will try
and hold back, and cry for help, but no
help will come; and they will clutch
their gold to take it along with them,
but it will be snatched from their
grasp, and voice will sound through
AAnfr -
beggard spirit"
While we admire and approve of all
acuteness and tact in the sale of goods
we must condemn any process by which
a fabric or product is represented as
possessing value which it really does
not have. Nothing but sheer fa!sehood
can represent as perfection boots that
rip, silks that speedily lose their luster.
calicoes that Immediately wash out
stoves that crack under the first hot fire,
books insufficiently bound. carpets that
unravel, old furniture rejuvenated with
putty and glue and sold as having been
recently manufactured, gold watches
made out of brass, barrels of fruit, The
biggest apples on top wine adulterated
with strychnine, hosiery poorly woven,
cloths of domestic manufacture shining
with foreign labels, imported goods rep
resented as rare and hard to get, be-
cause foreign exchange is so high, rolled
out on the counter with matchlcss dis
play. Imported indeed! but from the
factory in the next street
Again, business men are often tempt
ed to make the habits and customs of
other traders their law of rectitude
There are commercial usages which will
not stand the test of the last day. Yet
men in business are apt to do as their
neighbors do. If the majority of the
traders in any locality are lax in prin-
ciple, the commercial code in that COM
munitY will be spurious and dishonest
There are hundred practices prev
alent in the world of traffic which ought
never to become the rule for honest
men. Their wrong does not make your
right Sin never becomes virtue by
being multiplied and admitted at
brokers' board or merchants exchange.
Because others smuggle few things in
passenger trunks, because others take
usury when men are in tight places,
because others deal in fancy stocks, be-
cause others palm off worthless indorse-
ments, because others do nothing but
blow bubbles, do not, therefore, be
overcome of temptation. Hollow pre-
tension and fictitious credit and COM
Enercial gambling may awhile prosper,
but the day of reckoning cometh, and
in addition to the horror and condem-
nation of outraged communities, the
curse of God will come, blow after blow
Young business man, avoid the first
business dishonOr and you will avoid all
the rest
When Pompey, the warrior, wanted to
take possession of city, and they would
not open the gates he persuaded them
to admit a sick soldier. But the sick
soldier after while got we'll and strong,
and he threw open the gates and let the
devastating army come in. One wrong
strength until, after awhile, it filings
open all the avenues of the immortal
nature, and the surrender is complete
Again, business men are sometimes
tempted to throw off personal RESPONSE
bility upon the moneyed institution to
which they belong. Directors in banks
and railroad and insurance companies
sometimes shirk personal responsibility
the action of the corpora
t on. And how often, when some bank
ing house or financial institution ex-
plodes through fraud, respectable men
in the board of directors say: why, |
thought all was going on in an honest |
way, and [ am utterly COMPOUNDED with |
This misdemeanorr' The banks, and |
The fire and life and marine insurance |
and the railroad companies
will not stand up for judgment in the
asst day, but those who in them acted |
'ighteously will receive, each for him
elf, a reward, and those who acted the |
part Of neglect or trickery will, each for
himself, receive a condemnation. I'm
awful dividends arc not clean before
Tod because there are those associated
With you who grab just as big pile as
7ou do.
Many, although now comparati Tely
in worldly circumstances,
lave a goodly establishment in the fu-
ure planned out They have in imag-
nation built about twenty years ahead
! house in the country not difficult of
Iccess from the great town, for they will
'ften have business or old accounts to
ettle and investments to look after.
The house is large enough to accommo-
late all their friends The halls are
vide and hung with pictures of bunting
Genes and branch of antlers, and are
omfortable with chairs that can be
oiled out on a veranha when the wealth
r is inviting, or set out under some of
he oaks that stand sentinel about the
.nnSn and r1lStlir,cr In thn cnnl h,onzn !