Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-03-28

honorable IMAM the grain uealer VINO
pours 1t into his mammoth bin. There
ought to be no such hostility. Yet pro-
ducers often think IL no wrong to snatch
from the trader; and they say TO the
bargain maker, "You get your money
easy Do they get it easy! Let those
who in the quiet field and barn
get their living. exchange places
with those who stand to-day
amid the excitements OF CONNER
cial life and see IL they find 1t so very
easy. While the farmer goes 10 sleep
with the assurance that his corn and
barley will be growing all the night,
moment by moment adding TO his reve-
nue., 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
spectators may that very hour be plot
ting some monetary revolution. or the
burglars be prying open his safe or his
debtors fleeing the town, or his land
lord raising the rent. or the fires kind
ling on the block that contains all his
estates.
Easy! Is it? God help the mer.
chants! 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.
In the next place we notice mercan-
tile lies. tn use before the counter and
behind the counter. will not attempt
to specify the different forms of CON-
mercial falsehood. There are merchants
who excuse themselves for deviation
from truthfulness because of what they
call commercial custom. In other words,
the multiplication and universally OF a
sin turns it into virtue. There have
been large fortunes gathered where
there was not one drop of unrequited toll
in the wine; not one spark OF bad tenn
per flashing from the bronze bracket:
not one drop OF needlewoman's heart
blood in the crimson plush: while there
are other great establishments in which
there is not one doorknob, not one brick,
not one trinket. not one thread OF lace.
but has upon it the mark OF dishonor.
What wonder il some day hand OF toll
be placed against the elegant wall paper,
leaving its mark of blood-four fingers
and a thumb: or that, some day, walk
that had been wrung and worn out and
blistered until the skin came of should
ing the halls. there should be voice
accosting the occupant, saying, six
cents for making Shirt" and, flying
the room, another voice should say.
Twelve cents for making an army
and the man should try to
sleep at night, but ever and anon be
until getting up on one elbow,
he should shrek out, who's there?"
One Sabbath night, in the vestlbule
Of my church after service, woman
fell in commissions. The doctor said
she needed medicine not SO much AS
to eat. AS she began to re-
vive in her delir'um, she said gasping-
": Eight cents. Eight cents. wish |
ronld get it done: | am so tired. | wish
could get some sleep. but must get il
done. Eight cents. Eight cents" We
found afLerward that she was making
garments for cents apiece, and that
she could make but three of them in q
day. Three times eight are twenty
four. Hear it. men and women who
have comfortable homes!
Some OF the worst Williams OF the city
are the employers OF these women. They
beat them down to the last penny, and
try t. cheat them out OF that. The
woman must deposit dollar or two be-
fore she gets the garments to work on.
When the work is done it is sharply in
,pected, the most insignificant flaws
picked out, and the wages refused and
sometimes the dollar deposited not CIV
IN back. The woman's protective
union reports case where one OF these
poor souls, finding ce where she
could get more wages, resolved to change
and went to get her pay for
work done. The employer says: ~ hear
you are going to leave me-" "Yes,"
The said, land / am come to get what
Tou owe me-" He made no answer.
She said, "Are you not going to pay
ne?" EYES," he said, II will pay you;"
md he kicked her down the stairs.
A merchant can, to the last item be
thoroughly honest There is never
my need OF falsehood. Yet how many
will, day by day, and hour by hour, ut
er what they know to be wrong.
You say that you are selling below cost.
I so, then it is right to say it, but did
hat cost you less than what you ask
or it? II not, then you have
You say that that article cost
Tou $25. Did it? If $50, then all right.
I it did not, then you have falsifed.
suppose you are a purchaser. You
re beating down" the goods. You
ay that that article for which s. is
,harged is not worth no more than "a.
8 it worth no more than 81? Then all
light. II 1t be worth more and for the
AXE OF getting it for less than its val
lie YOU willfully depreciate it, you have
alsified. You may call it a sharp trade.
The recording angel writes it down on
he ponderous tones OF eternity-"Mr.
10 and So, merchant on Water street,
y in Eighth street, or in State street:
r Mrs. So and So, keeping house on
Seacon square, or Brooklyn heights of
Srooklyn hill told one falsehood."
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