Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-04-24
TO BUSINESS MEN.
DIR. Talmage Discourses to Amer
lean Merchants and Traders.
The Value of . Reputation For Business
Observation-Disclosures Sure to Follow
Ubiquitous Stratagems Trade
and Religion Not InimIcAL

In late sermon at Brooklyn 30 BUSH
ness men, Rev. I. De Witt Talmage an.
nounced as his text Proverbs xx, IA
Tits naught 1t IL naught saith the
buyer; but WHEN he is gone his way, en-
he bossteth." DR.. Talmage saids
Palaces are not such prisons as the
world iTlagines. II you think that the
only time kings and queens come forth
from the royal gates is in procession
and gorgeously attended, you are mis-
taken IncOgnito, by day or by night,
and clothed in citizens apparel or the
dress of working woman they come
out and see the world as it is. In no
other way could King Solomon, the au-
thor OF my text have known every
thing that was going on. From my text
lam sure he must, in Disguise, some
day have walked into store of ready
made clothing. in Jerusalem, and stood
near the counter and overheard a con-
vers2tion between buyer and seller.
TIE merchant put price on coat, and
the customer began to dicker and said:
Absurd! that coat is not worth what
you ask for it Why, just look at the
coarseness of the fabric, See that spot
on the collar! Besides that it does
not fit Twenty dollars for that? Why,
1t isn't worth more than ten. They
have better article than that, and Ter
cheape: price down at Cloathem, Fitem
ES BrOthers Besides, that don't want
Hold, says the merchant; don't go
of in that way. l want to sell you that
coat have some payments to make
and | want the money. Come now, how
much will you give for that coat?"
well, says the customer, 81 will split
the difference. You asked $50 and /
said So Now, l will give you SIS ;"
WELL" says the merchant, Its great
sacrifice, but take it at that price," Then
solomon saw the customer 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, Ihave made great bargain. How
much do you guess Igave for that coat?"
We'll" says one, wishing to compli-
ment his enterprise, you gave $50 for
it" Another says: 81 should think you
got it cheap if you gave S25." NO."
says the buyer, in triumph, II got it for
SIS. beat him down and pointed out
the imperfections, until 1 really made
him believe it was not worth hardly any
thing. 1t takes me to make bargain.
Ha! Har'
0. man, you got the goods for less than
they were worth by positive falsehood;
and no wonder when Solomon went
back to his palace and had put off his
disguise that he sat down at his writing
desk and made for all ages a crayon
sketch of you: ut is naught, it is
naught, saith the buyer, but when he
IS gone his way, then he boasteth"
There are no higher styles of men in all
the world than those now at the head of
merchandise in Brooklyn and New York
and in the other great cities of this con-
tinent Their casual promise is as good
as bond with piles of collaterals.
Their reputation for integrity is as well
established as that of Petrarch residing
in the family of Cardinal Coionna, and
when there was great disturbance in the
family the Cardinal called all his peo-
pie toge Their and put them under oath
to tell the truth, except Petrarch, for
when he came up to swear the Cardinal
put away his book and said: LAS for you,
Petrarch, your word is sufficient"
Never since the world stood have there
been so many merchants whose transac-
tiOns can stand the test of the Ten Com
mandments. Such bargain makers are
all the more to be honored because thew
have withStood, year after year, tempta-
lions which have flung many so fat and
flung them so hard they can never re-
cover themselves. While all positions
in life have powerful besetments to evil
there arc specific forms of allurement
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 sac
rifice plain truth, the seller by exagger-
ating the value of goods and the buyer
by depreciating them. We can not but
admire an expert salesman. See how
he first induces the customer into
mood favorable to a proper considera- |
ton of the value of the goods. He shows |
himself to be an honest and frank sales |
man. How carefully the lights are ar
ranged till they fall just right upon the
fabric! Beginning with goods of me-
dunn 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 pur-
chaser from his presence, who goes
away having made up his mind that he
has bought the goods at price which
will allow him a living margin when he
again sells them. The goods were
worth what the salesman said they were,
and were sold at price which will not
make it necessary for the house to fail
every ten years in order to fix up things
But with what burning Indignation
we think of the iniquitous stratagems
by which goods are sometimes disposed
of. A glance at the morning paper
shows the arrival at one of our hotels of
q young merchant from one of the in
land cities He is a comparative
stranger in the great city and, of course,
must be shown around, and it will be
the duty of some of our enterpriSing
houses to escort him. He is large pur-
chaser and has plenty of time and
money, and it will pay to be very attent-
i've The evening is spent at place of
doubtful amusement They go back to
the hotel Having just come to town
they must, of course, drink. A friend
from the same mercantile establishment
drops in, and usage and generosity sug-
gest that they must drink Business