The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-05-21
DIAMOND sALEsMEN.
Competent Men Hard to Find Even q
Princely Salaries.

Princely Salaries.
ga thoroughly competent and thor
oughly equipped diamond salesman" y"
said leading importer of the valuable
stones, sis almost as rare and valuable
as the diamond itself. l will say freely
to you now that if / could find a sales
man who filed all the requirements of
the position, would gladly pay him a
salary of $4,000 or $500 per year.
But it is difficult to find well equipped
salesman who has not some draw back
or fault There is man in my mind
now who is most valuable salesman,
is possessed of thorough knowledge OF
diamonds, and his only fault is the fact
that he will get drunk. Now il this
man was strictly sober he could add
several thousand dollars yearly to
his salary. As it, is, he draws
a large salary, and the house
which employs him would worry il
they thought there was any danger
of losing him. You can appreciate the
danger of employing a man who is
addicted to drink as diamond sales
man at once. You see we are forced by
the nature of our business to give such
salesman when he goes out valua-
BILE lot of goods to sell. We can't sell
goods like other people. The buyer
must examine each one. Hence we are
forced to give a man large and valua'
BILE stock of goods when he goes out to
visit our customers. Now, anyone
would naturally hesitate before he
gives man, who is addicted to drink, a
stock of goods worth from $40, 900 to
$50, 900. The firm who employs the
salesman to whom refer thoroughly
realizes the danger, and so does the
salesman himself. He knows his own
value, and he also knows his own habits.
In order to protect him when he
goes ont with stock of goods man is
sent to accompany him. This man who
has nothing else in the world to do, al
ways watches the salesman and takes
care of his stock when he gets drunk.
| He receives salary of 81, 200 year and
has all of his expenses paid. OF course,
this man is of really no value except as
guard over the salesman, and you can
at once see the estimate placed by the
firm on the salesman's value.
'sIf they could get as good man who
was not addicted to liquor, they would
quickly discharge the man they now
employ. There is no doubt about che
temptations in the way of diamond
salesman. They are greater than those
placed in the way of any other class Of
trusted men / know.
/ ''One of the greatest dangers to dia-
mond importing firm is that trusted
salesman viii fall in with an unscrupu
lous woman, or will become addicted tC
the habit of gambling. Suppose a mar
becomes a gambler, and suffers losses
heavier than he can afford. He gets il
a tight place. Like every gambler, h,
feels his luck will soon turn. He knows
that he has 500, 900 or S25, 900 worth O
goods with him, on which he can a
once realize ready money at pawn
shop.
s'He never doubts the turn of the card
his way He sci or pledges his goods
Any of his regular customers will bur
from him and will never suspect any
thing if he offers bargain. He hai
done that often before for the sake o
trade. He loses the money and his de
linquency is soon revealed. Then comc
arrest, prosecution and conviction. A
/ said when / began, good damon,
statesmen are rare, and could nam
now several men who have been foun,
short, but whom their employers hav
forgiven and offered another chane
sooner than lose their services. If W
could sell goods by sample all this woul,
be changed, but we can not, and henc
we are forced to take the risks. AS
result, you win find that as soon as pos
sible most importers of diamonds give
salesman as soon as they possibly ca
an interest in the business besides hi
salary, so as to offer an additional in
ducement to him to be honest" N. Y
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