Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-09
Honesty In Advertising.

EalcSMcE can Sell ShCudE. PRINTED Stale
mems absolutely false not only bring people
into the store but assist in selling fraudu-
lent goods. Men have become rich BY dis
honesty. There are plenty Of cases where
actual gain has come from following the
modern ada%c, that, dishonesty IS the best
best business policy" II Is useless for
mOrahStS to deny the truth OF this state
Eent, for they are overwhelmed with the
evidence OF many recorded cases where
misrepresentation and fraud have enabled
men TO make money and keep money. But
ever finaucicr knows that in nine cases out
OF ten strict honesty and business integrity
will build up more solid foundation for
business lhan any amount of gilt-edged mis-
representation.
The majority Of reliable houses are those
which are honest inside OF the store and
out Of it.
Transient trade undoubtedly comes to the
dishonest advertiser. and goods are sold
over dishonest counters, but fer all that,
honesty in every department of business Is
that which has not only founded business,
bur has developed and held every business
worth holding
The shrcwd business man is not after
transient trade. He IS not after the woman
VINO comes to him 10 buy to-day, TO skip to-
morrow, 10 come 10 him the day after to-
morrow. perhaps. He is after the woman
who comes a! three days.
One regular customer is worth more than
three transient customers.
am aware that the papers are filed with
advertisements Of "Unhcard-of Bargains,
OF "Uuparalleled Discounts OF Heart
Reudiug Sacrifices, Of Fire Smoke, "
and Of Water" of Damaged Goods" of
"I'ru Dollar Bed Quilts ii - Of $40
Ovcrcoats at SD. Of Lowest Prices, - and
al, that sort of thing intended to misrepre-
sent 10 possible buyers, and TO draw into
the store the fools of the community.
Notwithstanding that his kind of thing
has paid and continues 10 pay in certain
cases am more convinced that the theory
s. wrong Irrespective OF ConScIenCc-prlnCl-
pc and That none of these advertisers can
hope to leave TO their children u business
which IS worth anything more than its
transient value for the day.
Bargains ar the cheStnuts of trade. and
LESS than-CoSt-goodS' Gbcls on common
sense.
True. some women believe III bargains,
and other womr0 look for bargains. but
Unparalleled Bargains" never nave eX-
listed. meyer viii exist. and never Will be
believed 10 have existed
Where 'rr stores III the same town are
advertising he same bargains. ten stores
are materially assisting in drawing trade
away from itself There is nothing origi-
ma about 4 bargain. II has been worn
t'rcudbarc. No man ever sold goods less
IMAM ffbnl except lll'lfl lH'tA4lOI thtGill-
Stances, and no man has ever been believed
to have sold goods less than cost, even
though he may have been 50 doing.
Ii is absolutely useless To advertise 10 do
thing, even though you may do it, when
no one believes You are gong 10 do II.
Fire smoke. and wafer have burnt out
their value. The people can no longer be
filed with that sort of smoky nonsense.
tremendous sacrifices" and all that nom
sense. billed IN biz type. insult the reader
disgust the thinking man ana women, and
bring to the store set of curiosity seekers
who may buy forunce and then stop buying
Many Il store has existed by billboard ad-
vertisiug. by !. IN. and misrepresentation,
with i bpl~tered-up credit which no bank
viii discount.
In thc,s days Of sharp competition and
srnomug men and lying merchants, origi-
nIlily is to be praCticed At any reasonable
sacrifice
Honesty nj the present day is originality.
Ii Is better To underestimate the quality
OF the goods ~ let the purchaser be sur
priScd when ne secs them. than TO OvcrcStI-
mate and diSappuiut the buyer.
An olere~tuua1e may bring the man to
the store, but il viii not sell the goods. An
IuGcrcst innate may not bring rs many men
10 the store. hui II will make a customer OF
every one of them.
90 not believe in Understanding As a
general thing would tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth, de
syribiug the goods as they are. painting
them in the brightest of natural colors, AZ
ranging them So that all that is il them will
show, and no more.
Abraham Lincoln never said trucr words
than when ne remarked. YOU cant fool
=. OF the people al. of the time" The ad-
vrrtiscr cannot do il, even though he thinks
he can
The beS: ana most prosperous stores in
every city are those which are noteu for
their honesty. Everything they sell is is
represented OF the money Is refunded.
Their trade Is solid: advertising keeps it
alive. and brings more; customer once in
Is In forever
To-day advertising has run 10 such an ex-
agEerItcd extreme that people are begin
ming 10 miStrust ii. The opportunity IS
ripe. and MOI half improved. The adver-
tiScr. wHrtherhe sells Overcoats, stockings.
or boot lacks. should announce in the most
honest terms exactly what he has TO sell.
NOT only should he advertise honestly. but
tn" advertisements should have the appear
Uuce of that generous, opeu-Leurted truth
1a.urSS. which carries with it conviction.
and which makes = friend of the reader. and
Il permanent friend when the reader be
comes u buyer.
II Is simply a question whether the ad-
verliscr proposes to do business and 10 con-
iuuo - DO business to yet the most out Of
his business. OF whether he proposes to
work 10y The aid of flash liEht-to make a
great Zeal OF money to-day and fail tomor-
row.
! assume that the average business man
would rather be- honest than dishonest. and
on thai hypothesis make the broad clam
that honesty i'll advertising viii build more