The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-13
THE INSTALLMENT PLAN.
An Aid TO the Matrimonially To-
clined.
How the Modern Credit system fa-
ell tates tho E-tsbi.~hne: OF
Hou 5ehOld on Small


The young man who plunees into
maJrimony in this town today, and ls
dependent solely on an income
of Two thousand dollars or 80.
finds it much easier - provide his
bride with a comfortable home than
did the young men who were caled upon
TO do the same thing twenty and thirty
years ago. In those days, says the New
! York sun, it was practically impossible
for the young man who hadn't any cap
ital TO fall back upon to buy and fur
nish house unless he could find man
of wealth 10 go sponsor for him He
had TO pay cash for every thing he got
or 20 without. Now almost every thing
can be bought upon the instaliment plan
and with practically no security. The
result is that the young married couple
can start housekeeping fully equipped
4 moderate weekly or monthly pay
ment which doesn't make a large hole
in the Benedicts salary, Is sufficient At
the end OF q couple OF years TO make him
the absolute owner of his house and its
belongings. Twenty years ago it was
thought almost a disgrace 70 have IL
mortgage on ones house, but IL Is quito
a common thing now. Lots can now be
bought on payment OF monthly sums 10
low as five dollars, and the young hus-
band viii find many real-estate concerns
who viii build u house for him in the
ueighborheod OF New York, the pay
Inents on which won't be any larger than
the rent which he would bo obliged to
pay for a house or fat in town. Then
ne won't have any trouble in get
ting furniture on credit for his house or
for his fat, II he has decided TO begin
housekeeping in an apartment There
are plenty of furniture houses, the ma
iority of whose business is done on the
instailment plan, and ne viii find II the
easiest matter in the world 10 get few
hundred dollars worth OF furniture if he
will agree to pay up within a year. The
young man can obtain his tableware
and crocllery in the same convenient
way, for the competition in the trade
has driven houses TO hold out these in
ducements TO their customers. The
young couples library can be we'll
stocked, too, on the installment plan,
with sets of the best authors works, If
they only know where 70 go. Watches
and jewelry can be obtained on weekly
or monthly payments, q practice which
has been in vogue for several years.
l n fact, there is no end to the articles
plan, provided they are OF a durable ma
ture. They remain the property OF the
seller, who holds a mortgage until the
,ast payment Is mado.
The attempt to apply the instalIment
plan 70 the sale Of clothing hasn't becn
a brilliant success. because wearing sp-
parcl is apt to be worn out before the
time for the final payment comes.
''Our business now" said large furni-
ture dealer on Park row the other day,
lis almost entirely on the instsllment
basis now. Twenty years ago every
thing We sold was practically for cash,
but now the house which doesn't soil on
credit can't stay in the business very
long. Young married folks are among
our best customers. and every day we
are helping 10 start newl ly-E eddcd pair
in housekeeping. IL - the greatest
boon 20 thc young man of to-day that,
without any outlay, he is able TO be
master Of his o%n house instead of TAX
ing his chances in : bOarding-hou~c. Il
would surprise you 10 see the number Of
persons in all walks OF life Who utilize
the installmcnt system. Even men II
moderate means prefer 10 buy very often
on credit, and use their ready money in
their business. or course, in this bust
ness ~ have 10 be pretty good judges Of
human nature, but there are rarely very
few whom we refuse. Risk necessarily
accompanies the installmenJ system,
but whore the volume OF business is
large a house can afford 70 carry ac-
counts for long time. Sometimes a
person falls behind in his payments,
but il lie has good excuse 70 give Is,
a. sickness in his family, for instance,
we always allow him more timo. In
fact there is Practically no limit set.
As long as a man shows an inclination
70 pay US We do not press hiu, and some
run indefinitely.
Sometimes We look up a man or =
woman who comes in TO buy on credit,
but as a rule We can rely on the judg-
ment Of our statesmen. who are pretty ex-
pert in sizing up the prospective custom
crs- Some of our most interesting call
crs are tho young brides that are 10 be,
Who often CO me bravely in alone 70 Sc
lect the furniture for the household
They usually get along very well until
it comes to giving their names. Then
they hesitate, stanmer and blush, be
cause they don't know whether TO give
their maiden name or that OF their pros
pective husband. IL usually ends with
the young lady confiding 10 the sales
man a complete explanation of the i'm
portant event, with the time that the
wedding is 10 come off, who the bride
maids are to be, and where the wedding
10 10 take place"