The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-20
BICYCLES FORCE ECONOMY.
Chicago Shopkeepers Say Every One Is
Economizing to Buy a Wheel.


Store keepers and tradesmen have their
own ideas osi political economy. They do
not explain the depression in business
and the financial difficulties by any of the
stereotyped arguments of the pubic
speaker. With them the cause is not the
outflow Of gold; IL is not the silver dol
lar-it is the bicycle. II the twentieth
century fulfills the prophecy that the man
who does not ride a bicycle will be a Curl
osity, 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 hygtenic in
Tention they do not object; for the rich
man they think it is just the thing. But
they do not Ike it on the insoalAment pan.
The installment pan, in the dictionary
or the tradeSmen. means no cigars, no
theater, no novelties in neckwear and no
meals for more than ID cents.
The chapter in the rradesmen'S poI.tl-
cal economy devoted to statistics pre-
seTits figures something like these: In
Chicago there are about I50 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 a 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 mo induceEnent for them. but they
have succumbed to the Establishments of
the installment plan. and are its slaves
for six months.
When the installmen1 plan gets its
clutches on the young man with a. salary
II takes $50 10 start with. As a rule ne
cannot spare this amount In one month,
SO he saves up his spending money for
months ahead. When he gets started hi.
gives up $40 a month. Bicycle dealers ara
considerate in that, In most cases. they
do not take away the earnings of the
tradesman for more than six months.
Sometimes they take 81 a month, but that
Is usually all the young man can pay
ard the agony of tho tradesrnan .Iasis
Ct5rly a year. However the matter is
figured up, the TadesmeIl lose about 81
100000 a month. When their statisticiau
made his first report some OF ehem faint
ed.
The restaurant keeper the cigar man
and the gents furnishing goods man can
tell months ahead when a regular Gus
TONER is contemplating the .nstallment
plan He comes into the restaurant cut
of breath and pretends TO be in a. great
hurry. He takes a seat at the lunch
counter instead of at the table where he
IS accustomed TO sit. The waiter brings
him o bill of fare
How long viii 1t take to get a tender
loin steak?" he asks
''Oh, about ten minutes" says the wait
er.
Too long. Can't wait. Terrible hur-
ry, you know. Bring me a ham sandwich
and a cup OF coffee and be qtrick about
it,"
When he HAS finished he paws his 10
cent check without looking at the pretty
cashier. and goes out on the run
AT the cigar store he drops from a ten
cent TO a three for quarter cigar The
next day ne finds something for a nickel
that he can bear. Then he gets to talk
ing about cigars being too strong for him
and buys a box OF cigarettes. FINALLY he
comes in and gives the cigar man a long
tale about his best girl not wanting him
10 smoke. and says he has promised 10
swear off. He tells the mag where he
used to buy his neckt4es that ne has a
very poor stock. The tie he saw Jones
wearing was beauty, but he cannot find
one Ike r in town.
The etorekeepers are resOrtiny TO all
sorts of devices to keep their trade. One
cigar man has rented his window to a b.
cycle agent, and says he IS catching the
spare change when the fellows come In
TO pay their inst ailments. AT many OF
the restaurants there are racks In front
of the windows where riders are invited
to hook their wheels whiis they take
dinner. Restaurant keepers think this
VIII shame the wheelmen into buying a
good meal.