Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-21
INSTALLMENT PLAN.
A COMPARATIVELY MODERN WAY OF
DOING BUSINESS

Its blessings and It's Bane-HOw the Gus
tom Started Thirty Years Ago In New
YorlS-GrOwn to Enormous Proportions
In All the Cities of the Country.
There Is one trait in which people Of the
present day have departed widely from the
example Of their forefathers. Without
giving the latter credit for all the virtues,
it is safe to say that, generally speaking,
they didn't buy things until they had the
money with which to pay for them. They
were not victims of the ''installment" hab-
it, which now numbers It's thousands in
New York and every large city.
An Irlshman who kept little store in
Barclay street some 30 years ago has the
credit of being the first man to grasp the
fact that there were unnumbered people
in this city who would be glad to buy
merchandise of all sorts pertaining to
homemaking, but whose circumstances
would not allow them to pay cash down
for 1t. They were ambitious to have more
clothes, more furniture, more brio-a-brac,
to rise to higher plane or to keep pace
with their better to do nelghbors; but,
alas, their income would not allow 1t.
They had never been taught to save, which
is slow, uncertain, old fogy method any
way, and so they sighed and longed in
vain.
This long headed man realized this fact
and sat him down to oogitate- He bad a
little capital which was not turning over
as quickly as he could wish, and he wisely
reasoned that these people who wanted all
sorts of things so badly might be willing
and glad to buy them If they could have
little accommodation" OF course
these good citizens had been allowed lit
tie occasional credit at the grocers' and
butchers shops, and perhaps even at the
tailors where they were known. But he
would do better than that. He would sell
them almost anything unreasonable person
might desire and deliver 1t to them, and
he would allow them to make payment at
such intervals and Of so small amount
cash that they would not feel tt''-magio
wordsl
Ho commenced In small way-en-
gagged half a dozen good men, gave them
some samples and q list Of the different
goods he would furnish on this plan, and
before long tho returns began to Como in.
1t was Immediately evident that this
filled long felt want" People at last
saw way to satisfy their longings for
fine things without bankrupting them
selves to pay for them. The goods first
sold in this manner were neither large nor
oostly-lamps, clocks, albums, Bibles,
rugs and the like. But the business has
been gradually syStematlzed until now q
man can step into an immense shop, select
from large stock furniture carpets,
stoves crockery, kitchen utensils, pictures,
everything wanted to furnish his house or
fiat completely, then supplement- his own
wardrobe with whatever Ia lacking, and
that Of his wife and children. More than
that, he can buy the house which Is to con-
tain all this on tho same plan, can insure
his and their lives, and last Of all, can ar
range with funeral director" (the un-
.dertakers are all dead) to bury him, all on
this beautiful 1nstallment plan
But, If you are the intending purchaser,
don't fancy that the goods you have select
ed will ba Immediately loaded on q van
and sent to your house You must 60
through the hands Of an Investigator. 1"
This interesting person takes your name,
address and place of business at tho office
and goes out on a still hunt to find out
what no can In relation to your income,
your habits, your moral character, etc
He Is an important factor In the scheme,
and good man commands good salary.
His report being satisfactory, then are you
soon made happy with house filed with
new goods, and your duty and pleasure
now consists only in having the weekly or
monthly payments ready when the COL
leCtor calls.
Don't imagine that he will forget you,
or bo bashful In claiming his money, or
can DO thrown off the scent by moving
away. He has ways you would never
guess at of following your movements and
will stick to you closer than your shadow
until he has extracted the last cent due
For man who has horror Of being dun
ned the plan Is not an unmlxed good
Then there Is tho ironclad mortgage,
which Is an interesting accompaniment
of the installment plan, giving the creditor
the right to replevin his goods whenever
the payments are not prompt and accord
ing to contract. This Is practically never
enforced, except In the case Of sales Of fur
niture, sowing machines, safes and the
like. Clothing, carpets, boots or shoes
and bonnets, 1t can readily DO seen, would
be useless to offer for sale q second time,
1t is said that the commissions Of good
canvasser for safes on this plan are enor-
nous. 1t is hard to effect much damage
on an iron safe, When the purchaser gets
tired of the never ending payments and
says he will pay no more and his safe is
lifted" and returned to the warehouse,
unkind people hint that 1t Is very easy b.
apply little putty, paint and varnish
and send 1t out as q new article to go the
rounds again. But this is probably SIAN
der.
The number employed in the business
as canvassers, investigators, deliverers and
collectors Is enormous and increasing.
They can DO seen on every car and ferry
boat, pulling out their books and slips,
making memoranda, calculating expenses
and worrying their brains over the ingrat-
htude of some one they have just come n
contact with who has possibly receive
them ooldly, has frowned at them, has DO
money, doesn't know when he will have
any, and wishes from the bottom Of his
heart he had never listened to the entreat
les Of the siren who sells her blandisb-
ments by installments--NewY York Trib
una