The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-08
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BICYCLES EoRce EcoNoMY.
Chicago shopkeepers Say Every One Is
Economizing to Buy n Wheel.


Eoonomizing to Buy a Wheel.
Storekeepers and tradesmen have their
own ideas on political economy. They
do not explain the depression in bust
ness and the financial difficulties by any
of the stereotyped arguments Of the pub
lie speaker. With them the cause is not
the outflow of gold, it is not the silver
dollar--it is the bicycle. If the twenti-
eth century fulflls the prophecy that the
man who does not ride bicycle will be
a curiosity they say they will close up
shop.
Every bicycle rider, they say, is in
training--physical or economic. If he
is not preparing to win medals or cash
prizes or pianos he is paying for his
wheel To the bicycle as a hygienic in
vention they do not object for the rich
man they think it is just the thing. But
they do not like it ON the installment
plan. The installment plan, in the die
tionary of the tradesman, means no ci-
gars, no theater, no novelties in neck
wear and no meals for more than 10
cents.
The chapter in the tradesman's polit-
ical economy devoted to statistics pre-
sents figures something like these: In
Chicago there are about 100, 900 persons
buying bicycles on the installment plan.
They are, as a rule, people who make
just enough money and have none to
spare. Some of them figure expenses
so closely that days outing with their
best girls or with the boys" means a
boycott of the street car for several
weeks. The bicycle for "spot cash" had
little or no inducement for them, but
they have succumbed to the blandish-
ments of the installment plan and are
its slaves for six months.
When the installment plan gets its
clutches on the young man with salary
it takes $50 to start with. AS q rule he
cannot spare this amount in one month,
so he saves up his spending money for
months ahead. When he gets started he
gives up $40 month. Bicycle dealers
are considerate in that, in most cases,
they do not take away the earnings of
the tradesman for more than six months.
that is usually all the young man can
pay, and the agony of the tradesman
lasts nearly year. However the mat
ter is figured up the tradesmen lose
about So, 900, 900 a month. When their
statistician made his first report some
Of them tainted.
The restaurant keeper, the cigar man
and the "gents' " furnishing goods man
can tell months ahead when q regular
customer is contemplating the install
ment plan. He comes into the restaurant
out of breath and pretends to be in
great hurry. He takes seat at the lunch
counter instead of at the table where he
is accustomed to sit. The waiter brings
him bill of fare.
''How long will it take to get ten
derloin steak?" he asks
"Oh, about ten minutes" says the
waiter.
"Too long. Can't wait Terrible hur-
ry, you know. Bring me ham sand
wich and a cup of coffee, and be quick
about it. "
When he has finished, he pays his 10
cent check without looking at the pretty
cashier and goes out on the run.
At the cigar store he drops from 10
cent to three for quarter cigar. The
next day he finds something for nickel
that he can bear. Then he gets to talk
ing about cigars being too strong for
him and buys box of cigarettes. Final
ly he comes in and gives the cigar man
long tale about his best girl not want
ing him to smoke and says he has prom
ised to swear off. He tells the man
where he used to buy his neckties that
he has very poor stock. The tie he
saw Jones wearing was beauty, but he
cannot find one like it in town.
The storekeepers are resorting to all
sorts of devices to keep their trade. One
cigar man has rented his window to a
bicycle agent and says he is catching
the spare change when the fellows come
in to pay their installments. At many
Of the restaurants there are racks in
front of the windows where riders are
invited to hook their wheels while they
take dinner. Restaurant keepers think
this will shame the wheelmen into buy
ing good meal Chicago Record.