Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-05-13

For some days Mr.. NJ. g. Cobb, General
| Agent of the. Mercants Retail Commercial
Agency, IS Deasboin ST., Chicago, Illinois, has
| been in our city calling upon our merchants
and explaining the benefits of such an organi~
cation with the view of establishing branch
agency in this city. The object commended
| itself favorabIy to our citizens, and on Thurs
day night last sufficient number ofmerchants
and others assembled in the Council Chamber
and organized a bra nch agency by the election
| of the following officers President, w. g. Kin
ney; Vice-President, @. 4. Gladke: Seer etary
and Treasurer, ]. B. Burwell; Executive Board.
]. Mason Miller, A. Loeb, j. II. Liggett, G. W..
Warden, ]. @. Whitock, II. B, Brown. Henry
Hutchinson. w. 9. Barton, and B. Becher, jr
AS we understand the purpose of such organi-
zation, it is that the merchants may protect
each other against persons who make accounts
and will not pay them. Such persons are re-
ported and. all who belong to the organization
get the benefit of such reports. aud thus learn
to whom to deny eredit.lTo enable our readers
more fully to understand its workings, we
quote the following from circular issued by
the agency
.sThis Agency uses no dishonorable means to
orce collections or settlements. but the mer-
chants propose to exercise their legal right to
| refuse credit to person who gains the reputa-
honorably.
| There is no law compelling merchants to sell
cir goods on credit. There Is no law forbid
ding m erchants refusing credit to any person
they see fit, and when merchant sells his
goods on credit 1t is as an accommodation to
the consumer, and q such consumer has no
appreciation OF the favor extended and uifully
neglects to make reasonable adjustment of
his indebtedn ass, then he should be compelled
to pay as he buys. 1t Is better for him and
much more profitable for the merchant. Many
a poor worthy man has been refused credit for
the necessities of life because Of the merchants
unpleasant experience with bad debtors, bnt
this system will tend to Obviate all that, be-
cause the man who does respect his credit Will
chants, while the dead beat and others OF his
kind will also be known to the members O;
this agency and be absolutely refused credit
no matter II he moves to another town or
state his reputation as poor pay will follow him
and the merchants In such new place of resi-
dence will also refuse him credit. This agency
issues regular and legal BIZ Monthly Abstract
of unsettled accounts. Each member agrees to
forfeit tsUentf dollars to his branch as penalty,
settled account appears in the abstract and no
account can appear therein until the debtor
has had full and fair opportunity to go to the
merchant he owes and in some way arrange
such indebtedness. The man a0lto can pay and
aUon' pay and the man who cannot pay, but
will not go to the merchant and state lis con-
dition and make effort to arrange, is the per-
son this Agency is after.
This Agency does not interfere with the cred
1t of men who deal honorably, no matter If
they are slow; neither does it in any way regu-
late prices Its sole object is to compel men to
be honest with merchants or to pay spot cash
for goods purchased