Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-03-26

ing bne Town. or MS lauuiOr4 IdiclAB INC
rent, or the fires kindling on the block that
contains all his estate Easyl Is it, God
help the merchantsl 1t is hard to have the
palms of the hands blistered with outdoor
work, but more dreadful process when
through mercantile anxieties the brain is
consumed.
LERCASTI.E LIES
In the next place we notice mercantile
lies, those before the counter aud behind
the counter. Twill not attempt TO specify
the different forms Of commercial false
hood. There are merchants who excuse
themselves for deviation from truthful
ness because of what they can commercial
custom. In other words, the multiplica-
tion and universally of a sin turns it into
virtue. There have been large fortunes
gathered where there was not one dropo
unrequited toll in the wine; not one spark
of bad temper flashing from the bronze
bracket; not one drop of needle woman's
heart blood in the crimson plush, while
there are other great establishments in
which there is not one door knob, not one
brick, not one trinket, not one thread OF
lace but has upon it the mark of dishonor.
What wonder if, some day, hand of toll
that had been wrung and worn out and
blistered until the skin came off should be
placed against the elegant wall paper,
leaving its mark of blood-four fingers and
thumb-or that some day, walking the
halls, there should be a voice accosting the
occupant saying, 'Six cents for making
Shirt" and, flying the room, another voice
should say, Twelve cents for an army
blanket" and the man should try to sleep
at night, but ever and anon be aroused,
until, getting up en- one elbow, he should
Shrek out, who's there?"
One Sabbath night, in the vestibule of
my church after service, a woman fell in
commissions. The doctor said she needed
medicine not SO much as something to eat.
AS she began to revive in her delirium, she
said gaspingly: "Eight cents! Eight cents
Eight cents! wish could get it done; /
am so tiredl / wish could get some sleep,
but must get it donel Eight cents Eight
centsp We found afterward she was max
ing garments for eight cents apiece and
that she could make but three of them in
dayl Three times eight are twenty -four
Hear it, men and women who have COM
| Portable honest
Some of the worst villains of the city are
the employers of these women. They beat
them down to the last penny, and try to
cheat them out of that The woman must
deposit dollar or two before she gets the
garments to work on. When the work is
done it is sharply inspected, the most in
| significant flaws picked out, and the wages
refused, and sometimes the dollar deposited
not given back. The Women's Protective
union reports q case where one of these
poor souls, finding place where she could
get more wages, resolved to change en-
ployers, and went to get her pay for work
done. The employer says, "I hear you are
going to leave me-" "Yes, she said, "and
l am come to get what you owe me-" He
made no answer She said, care you not
going to pay me2" eyes," he said, II will
pay you;" and he kicked her down the
| stairs.
There are thousands of fortunes made in
commercial spheres that are throughout
righteous God will let his favor rest upon
every scroll, every pictured wall, every
traceried window, and the joy that flashes
| from the lights, and showers from the mu-
sic and dances in the children's quick feet
pattering through the hall, will utter the
congratulation of men and the approval of
God.
THERE IS NO NEED OF FALsEHooD.
| A merchant can, to the last item, be
thoroughly honest. There is never any
need of falsehood. Yet how many will,
day by day, hour by hour. utter what they
know to be wrong. You say that you are
selling at less than cost If SO, then it is
right to say it. But did that cost you less
than what you ask for it? If not, then you
have falsifed You say that that article
cost you twenty-five dollars. Did it? If
SO, then all right. If it did not, then you
have falsifed. 5
Suppose you are a purchaser. You are
"beating down" the goods. You say that
that article for which five dollars is charged
is not worth more than four. Is it worth
no more than four dollars2 Then all right.
If it be worth more,j and for the sake of
| getting it for less than its value, you will
fully depreciate it, you have falsifed. You
may call it a sharp trade. The recording
angel writes it down on the ponderous
tonnes Of eternity, "Mr. So-and-so, mer-
chant on Water street or in Eighth street
or in State street, or Mrs So-and-so, keep.
ing house on Beacon street or on Madison
avenue or Rittenhouse square or Brook
lyn Heights or Brooklyn Hill, told one
| falsehood." You may consider it insignif-
can't because relating to an insignificant
purchase. You would despise the man
who would falsify in regard to some great
matter in which the city or the whole
country was concerned; but this is only a
box of buttons, or row of pins, or case
| of needles. Be not deceived. The article
purchased may be SO small you can put it
in your vest pocket, but the sin was bigger
than the Pyramids, and the echo of the
dishonor will reverberate through all the
mountains of eternity.
| You throw on your counter some speci
mems Of handkerchiefs. Your customer
asks: SIS that all silk? No cotton in itp'
You answer, "It is all silk" Was it all
silk2 If so, all right. But was it partly
cotton2 Then you have falsifed. More,
over, you lost by the falsehood. The custo
| mer, though he may live at Lynn or Doyles
town or Poughkeepsie, will find out that
| you have defrauded him, and next spring
when he again comes shopping he will
look at your sign and say: II will not try
therel That is the place where I got that
handkerchief" So that by that one dis
honest bargain you picked your OWL
pocket and insulted the Almighty.
| Would you dare to make an estimate ot
how many falsehoods in trade were yester
day told by hardware men and clothiers
and fruit dealers and dry goods establish
ments and importers and jewellers and
lumbermen and coal merchants and sta
tioners and tobacconistsP Lies about sad
dies, about buckles, about ribbons, about
carpets. about gloves, about coats, about