Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-03-24


as given up 10 fraud and every form
of unrighteousness; but our cities do
not absorb all the denominations. Our
citizens have learned the Importance of
not always trusting to the size and style
of apples in the top of the farmers bar
rel as an indication of what may be
found farther down. Many of our peo
pie are accustomed to watch and see
how correctly a bushel of beets is
measured; and there are not many
honest milkcans
Deceptions do not all cluster round
city halls. When our cities sit down
and weep over their sins, all the sur
rounding countries ought to come in
and weep with them There is often
hostility on the part of producers
against traders, as though the man
who raises the corn was necessarily
more honorable than the grain dealer,
who pours it into his mammoth bin.
There ought to be no such hostility.
Yet producers often think it no wrong
to snatch away from the trader, and
they say to the bargainer, "You get
your money easy" Do they get it
easy2 Let those who in the quiet field
and barn get their living exchange
places with those who stand today
amid the excitements Of commercial
life and see if they find it 50 very easy
While the farmer goes to sleep with
the assurance that his corn and barley
will be growing all the night, moment
by moment adding to his revenue, the
merchant tries to go to sleep, conscious
that that moment his cargo may be
broken on the rocks, or damaged by
the wave that sweeps clear across the
hurricane deck, or that reckless specu-
lators may that very hour be plotting
some monetary revolution, or the burg
lars be prying open his safe, or his
debtors fleeing the town, or his
landlord raising the'rent, or the fires
kindling on the block that contains
all his estates. Easy Is it2 God help
the merchants 1t is hard to have
the palms of the hands blistered with
outdoor work, but a more dreadful
process when, through mercantile ankle
ties, the brain is consumed
THE LIES OF THE TRADERS.
In the next place we notice mercan-
tile lies--those before the counter and
behind the counter. will not attempt
to specify the different forms of com.
mercial falsehood. There are mer-
chants who excuse themselves for devi-
alton from truthfulness because of what
they call commercial custom. In other
words, the multiplication and univer-
salty of a sin turns it into virtue.
There have been large fortunes gath
cred where there was not one drop Of
unrequited toll in the wine; not one
spark of bad temper flashing from the
bronze brscket; not one drop of needle
woman's heart blood in the crimson
plush; while there are other great es-
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 "A shirt; !" and,
flying the room, another voice should
say, '"Twelve cents for an army blank
ct :" and the man should try TO sleep at
night, but ever and anon be aroused,
until getting up on one elbow he should
shrek out, who's thereT
One Sabbath night, in the vestibule
of my church after service, n woman
fell in commissions. The doctor said
she needed medicine not so much as
something to eat. AS she began to re-
vive in her delirium she said gasping-
ly; Eight cents eight centsl eight
centsl / wish | could get it done; !
am SO tired wish could get some
sleep. but | must get it donel Eight
centsl eight centsln We found after
ward that she was making garments
for eight cents apiece, and that she
could make but three of them In day
Three times eight are twenty-fourl
Hear ii, men and women who have
comfortable honest
Some of the worst villains of the city
are the employers of these women
They beat them down 10 the last penny
and try 10 cheat them out of that. The
woman must deposit n dollar or two
before she gets the garments to work
on. When the work is doneit is sharp
ly inspected, the most Insignificant flaws
picked out and the wages refused, and
sometimes the dollar deposit is not
given back. The Women's Protective
union reports case where one of these
poor souls finding a place whore she
could get more wages, resolved TO change
employers, and went 90 get her pay for
work done. The employer says; IL
hear you are going TO leave me.
"Yes, she said, "and an como 10 get
what YOU owe me- He made no am
swer. She said, "Are YOU not going 10
pay NOR YES, lac said, 81 will pay
you, and he kicked her down the stairs
There are thousands of fortunes made
la commercial spheres that are through
out righteous. God viii lot his favor
rest upon every scroll, every pictured
wall, every traeeried window; and the
Joy that FLASHES from tho lights, and
showers from the music, and dances Ia
A