The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-17

OF expenses. Take the discount, broth
err, whenever you can get II. i have
noticed that II r. not always the one
who does the largest business.
who IS making the largest profit.
In the grocery business there are so
mRny leaks. that the greatest care must
DO exercised by the one who y doing a
large business, or else he will lose mos
ney. Tho increased help to do tho
work and other expenses. are equal to
the larger profits. This Is especially
true when the increased trade Is
brought about by the reduction OF
prices Of the staple articles OF trade. In
order to increase the attraction TO your
place OF business,
The PrIcs-CuitIhE Evil.
Elm my own town, in past years, those
who cold groceries only. always got iu-
to trouble through thls-what l call bad
business OF cutting prices, that they
might build up their trade, II may be
they were bad business men that caus-
ed their failure. But II Is generally
thought that II was the small prohts
that caused the collapse. / have always
thought that y man was careful, pru-
dent and honest. he could make re-
spectacle living as grocer.
What IL applicable to a small town.
would not, In all cases. suit u larger
place. It certainly is M honorable po-
sltIon to be the medium OF exchange.
between the people in the necessities OF
life. Every one OF US should be a man
of honor. Are you such? An honest
merchant can change for the better, the
whole community Ia which he lives, and
by being the right kind OF man, he Will
be the more lastingiy prosperous In
places where the merchant Is prospect
Gus. the surrounding people are likewise
well-to-do II Is true, man viii pros
per when his surroundings are favor
able: but he can elevate and aid those
around him, when their condition Is not
so promising, by setting an Industrious
example.
"In the minds OF a great many, the
merchant IL recorded as dishonest. when
he really is not. and this fnlse opinion
the man has brought about by his own
acts. wonder II many OF US are not
guilty In the same waY7 and that Is by
having two prices for the same article.
/ do not think Il right to sell TO one
person On article at certain price ana
the same article TO some one else at an
other price. All goods should be plain
" marked for what you can sell them
for, and under only peculiar circum-
OInnCEHo LNt RAANG W NAsAAAnNNf
standing in front OF a clothing store
one time. the merchant asked custo-
mer 20 walk in. He showed him a
suit OF clothes and asked ti2 for IL. The
only and best possible price for II. The
man was not specially needing It,, but
said: II will give you 50 for II" After
considerable parleying. he got the suit
at his price Can you consclentlously
believe that that clothier was an hon
est man? oh, you say that was only
a trick in trade" II Is simply the
tricks in trade that make the people
think that all merchants are otherwise
than honest.
"All Of US should unite In an ohort
to put down the "instaliment man;
one who goes about selling all kinds
OF goods, and taking pay for them In
Installments And II not paid for ac-
cordInE to agreement, the goods are
taken up and the money paid on them
Is also kept, Il matters not II II Is near
Is the whole OF the debt. In nearly eV-
cry instance double price Is asked FOR
the article. The agent Is sometimes
m irresponsible fellow. who sells from
sample. He does not live In the COM
munity. Pays no taxes, helps no one;
but most always Injuries every -Unc he
touches. And It Is usually your custo-
mer. whom you frequently have 20 AID,
until the agents article is paid for
The InStaIIment Man.
eve should ask the legislature to
pass a law. making the license so high
that the instnllment man could not
travel, or prohibiting It altogether. The
man who Is stationary and helps to
build up his community, Is the one who
should be allowed the greater prlyi-
legeS. II may be wrong. but think the
more substantial man should have the
preference.
There is always more or less undue
advantage taken OF the people by the
peddler. than py the merchant. In
truth, / do not hear much said in our
town about wronK-doing or cheating on
the part OF the business men, and /
must confess, think we are very
nice sort OF people; but such is not al
ways said OF the peddler.
1--WE, as a body. should take action
TO stop the wholesale houses selling at
retail. can not see why a hotel or any
wealthy family abundantly able
20 pay, should have the privilege Of
buying OF any wholesale house. All ho-
tells charge full price and drummcrs
who stop with them are under no OBJ
legations to sell them. It increases their
trade none, because the merchant would
purchase what was sold TO the hotel.
Everyone should turn down the house
that sells to any person who Is him
self not in the retail business. (Ap-
plluse) This cannot be done unless n
fairly perfect union can be accomplish
ed among the merchants.
These large retail establishments in
the cities that send out circulars OF
ferlng so much for IS, $40 or SO, should
In some way, be made TO stop the work
they are doing. The giving OF forty
pounds OF sugar for 81 when II costs
more than twice that. as an inducement
70 buy $40. Is wrong, because they are
compelled to deceive In some other mr.
ticle to make up the amount lost on the
sugar There are many persons who
think that sugar only costs two or three
cents per pound. and they charge the
retailer with being exorbitant In his
prices. No hrst.class dealer would
handle the trash sent out by these SO
houses. II creates on the part or the
buyer, discomfort, and makes them
troublesome to trade with. whether
this sort OF trading can be stopped by
legislation or not. / do not know, but
I trust II can be- and that this NssoCia-
tldn will look to that end. To protect
each other. there should be local un-
ion I'm each town or county, where n
list OF all the bad debtors could be kept
1T seems strange sometimes, how
easily We drop into the clutches OF TEL
lows who wont pay. The struggle for
an Increased profit often brings us in
to trouble. Evcn an imperfect union
would be OF assistance on this line. Per-
sons moving from one place to anoth-
er could easily be placed upon the pro-
per list and protection be secured
thereby.
AS a financial matter. what affects
your trade mostP