Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-02-13
Integrity is Therefore Condition Of
Real Success and not Detri-
ment to Business.
By Norman Fox.

thing. The bargain was good one on
both sides. If 4 merchant advertised that
for dollar bill on any solvent bank, he
would give a dollar bill on some other
equally good bank, the offer would be a
fair one, bat would not find many takers.
To bring trade he must be able to an
nounCe that for one dollar received there
will be given to the customer what will be
worth to him more than that dollar
Trade, is the scientific use of the term
is an exchange of property to the advan-
tage of both parties. The merchant must
devise bargains which will be for the Gus.
toners profit as we'll as his own. The
thief seeks to benefit himself at his neigh
bor,s expense. The philanthropist seeks
to benefit himself at his own expense The
merchant S problem is to benefit both him
self and his neighbor in the same transac-
ton. He must be able to offer for dollar
what costs him less than dollar. will be
worth to his neighbor more than dollar.
so that both can make profit. If he can
devise and effect sufficient number of
such transactions he can become a rich
man, and that not by defrauding his
neighbors, but by adding to the wealth
of society,and that to an amount far greater
perhaps than what he had gained for him
self.
There is then d moral dignity in the po-
Sitlon of the man behind the counter. As
he sells a piece of silk to the lady, milk
pan to the farmer, and handful of mar
bIes to the small boys, he gives them for
their money what Is worth to them, still
more than what they pay him.
Each com that drops into his till lings
out the announcement that aneighbor has
been benehted and as buyers pass out his
doors they pass out better off. When he
retires on his fifty orhundred thousand or
his million, he can enjoy the proud cOnsci-
ousnes, that he has added to the wealth of
his community, an amount even larger
than his own gains.
The law OF trade is given in the words,
''ThOu shalt love thy ncighbor as thysclf =
The merchant must look out for the inter-
ests of his customer as intently as for his
own. The dealer who would cheat has not
yet learned the A-BC Of the mercantile
profession. It's only an his customers
are themselves profted that they will come
and buy So that he can be profted If he
defrauds them they well cease to purchase,
and he will have killed the goose that laid
the golden egg. Take the whole volume
of business in New York or Chicago in
given time, from the news-boy, or the ap-
pe-wOman, to the transactions on tie ex-
changes, and 1t must be admitted that.
while there may be much dishonesty, the
percentage of fraud is very small indeed.
But if the great preponderance of trade is
honestly conducted, and to the advantage
of both parties, it is evident that dis
honesty is not necessary condition of
success.
We may admit that sometimes dealer
- II
was it not in spite of, rather than because
of, his fraud? You may continue to pat
ronize the grocer who has unloaded on you
some of his spoiled eggs, and who puts the
big berries on the top of the basket. In
you, and you still find it profitable to deal
with him. But just so fa' as he has cheat
ed you he has rendered you indisposed to
deal with him, and so has stood in his
own light"
Elderly ladies tell US that shopping"
forty years ago was process of chaffering
and dicllering and beating down"
The mel chant asked higher price than
he was really willing TO accept and the
customer would start for The door, pre-
tending she was not going to take the
goods, in order to make him come below
Iilt plltC W LlSu SIC lIiICIuSO W pay II StlS
could do no better # the buyer was
sharp enough the seller was gagged while
on the other hand the ignorant customer
was defrauded in price or quality of the
goods. To-day, however, the rule is TO
have but one price, and to give as good a
bargain ID the ignorant as the experienced
buyer could obtain.
This is especially the case in the largest
and most enterprising establishments.
1t Is the ablest dealers, the tirst-class men,
who see mcst clearly that the most money
is made when merchant and customer are
friends instead of enemies. The dealer
who wouldcheat shows that he is not up
to the latest ideas in his profession. The
actual experience of the mercantile
world has shown that fraud is not only
unnecessary but 1t Is a positive hindrance
to success.
If a young man came to consult you re-
garding the advisability of his accepting
an offer of membership in gang of bur
glars, you would, entirely apart from the
question of morality, advise him 20 decline.
He and his companions might make one
or two good hauls, but they would be de-
fying the whole community and sooner or
latter must be crushed. Furthermore, to
be a successful bank-breaker demands great
abilities. The man must be a frst-class
mechanic, to drill through steel plates. He
must have long mead to plan the job
which, commences not earlier than such
an hour, must be completed To earliey than
such a time He must nave remarkably
strong nerves and a cool head to work
effectively amid the greatest dangers.
Now these aud other such qualities needed
! for this business will commend a high
salary at honest work. Is it not easier to
make money honestly than dishonesty? {?
He who seeks to benefit his neighbors
will be aided by them. But when he
sets out to defraud his neighbors he makes
war upon society and the whole power of
the community will he banded together
| against him.
| Ii discussions on the distribution of
wealth it is often assumed that the rich
man cannot have become such honestly,
and as TO the multi-miliOnaire, his Grim
/ inality Is deemed automatic. 1t Is often
! said that one of these magnates Is MT
/ ADLER than ordInrry men, but only dis
/ honest. If, however, dishonesty alone
/ could make large fortunes more men would
/ be very rich But would it be easy for a
nan to rob society of fifty or hundred
/ millions? Suppose man went down to
/ Wall street 10 take that amount, giving
| nothing in return: suppose he went into a
banking Office and proceeded to stuff bonds
and treasury notes into his pockets, would
/ he not have to be a marvellous athlete,
| whip all the clerks IN the establishment
with all the policemen on that beat? Sup
| pose he thought it better to use fraud rath-
than force, would he not have to be mar
velous man to prevail On all those shrewd
inanciers to give him up fifty millions Of
property, taking only cats and dogs in re-