The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-04-18

help the merchants 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.
MERCANTILE LIES
In the next place we notice mercantile
lies, those before the counter and behind
the counter. | will 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 call commercial
custom. In other words, the multiplied
tion and universality of a sin turns it into
a virtue. There have been large fortunes
gathered where there was not one drop OF
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 b1ood-four fingers and
a thumb-or that some day, walking the
halls, there should be voice accosting the
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 on one elbow, he should
shrek out, WHO'S theres"
One Sabbath night, in the vestibule of
my church after service, woman fell in
conyulsions. The doctor said she nee,ied
medicine not so much as something to eat.
A G fr wi in, ha,- Ia1;
said gaspingly: Eight centsi Eight cents:
Eight centsi wish / could get it done; |
am so tiredl wish 1 could get some sleep,
but must get it donei Eight centsl Eight
centsP' We found afterward she WAS max
ing garments for eight cents apiece. and
that she could make but three of them in
day! Three times eight are twenty-fou
Hear 1t, 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 case where one of these
get more wages, resolved to change en-
ployers, and went to get her pay for work
done The employer says, 81 hear you are
going to leave me-" Eyes" she said, land
am come to get what you owe me-" He
made no answer. She said, "Are you not
going to pay; me?" eyes," he said, s.I 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.
s q 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 1t, is
right to say it. But did that cost you less
than what you ask for it? If not, then you
have falsiffed You say that that article
cost you twenty-five dollars. Did its If
so, then all right. If it did not, then you
have falsified. = s-',-'- 80 = So
Suppose you are a purchaser. You are
beating down" thegoods You say that
that article for which five dollars is charged
is not worth more than four Is it worth
no more than four dollars? Then all right.
If it be worth more, and for the sake of
getting it for less than its value, you will
fully depreciate it, you have falsified. You
may call it sharp trade. The recording
angel writes it down on the ponderous
tones 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
You may consider it insignifi-
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 a row of pins, or case
of needles. Be not deceived. The article
purchased may be SO small you can put it
in yonr vest pocket, but the sin was bigger
than the Pyramids, and the echo of the
dishonor will reverberate through all the
of eternity
You throw on your counter some speci-
mems of handkerchiefs. Your customer
asks: ..Is that all silks No cotton in itp,'
You answer, 1T is all silk Was it all
silk? II SO, all right. But was it partly
cottons Then you have falsified More
over, you lost by the falsehood. The custo-
mer, though he may live at Lynn or Doyles-
town or Poqghkeepsie, will find out that
you have defrauded him, and next spring
when he again comes shopping he will
look at your sign and say: :I will not try
therei That is the place where got that
- So that by that one dis
honest bargain you picked your. own
pocket and insQlted the, Almighty.
Would You dare to make an estimate of
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 tobaeconistsf Lies about sad;
dies, about buckles, about ribbofs.. about