The Monte Vista journal., 1898-10-08
Oct WORK FOR NOTHING.
Clever Ce.tr.ess Made With Agents by
Dook PublisherA

Clever Contraeta Made with Agents by
Dook Publishers
A correspondent OF the Journal
writes to expose the fraud contained
In many nattering offers made by book
publishers to prospective agents. and
a. great many people are constantly
oeinS made the victims Of these con-
tracts, the exposition Of the fraud u
certainly timely. Speaking Of the
methods employed by book manufac-
turers to secure agents. and get agency
work done. he says: They send out
adrottiy misleading and grossly dscese-
ful contracts to those who are induced
70 open correspondence with then by
the natterinx advertisements psbsish-
ed. These advertisements promise
large salaries. ind In that way entice
many honest employment seekers. The
contracts sent out would appear. to
any one bat lawyer. to promise lu-
crative positions. The co1ditions are
that the applicant work . month SELL
ing what books he can, makes delivery.
retains commission. and pays for the
books. He is then to take the held At
. stipulated salary as general agent.
and the shortage in salary Of the
month served IL to be allowed. The
saiary promised 10 from SIS to 3l25
per month" While he Is doing his in
itiatory work he may write himself
oiind to get some Information concern
ing his general agency work. This 10
kept back until the months work il
finished. Then he receives a letter
promising him from $75 to $50 per
month, and the last four months Of
the hrst year 500 per month. salary
and expenses to be paid out OF the
money secured by selling outfits to
agents. The contract sent by a pub
fishing firm requires the outfits to
be sold at 1915 each Here the scheme
eliminates. Though an agent had the
tongue OF an angel he could never
make his expenses selling outfits at
that price. Many book firms sell these
same outfits at from 25 to rs cents. The
contract, II appears. is a very careful
ly worded one. Virtually 1t binds the
agent to work for the firm at Q certain
nsure. but does not bind tha nrm to
hire him At that aEure. The correspon-
dent further says: The result OF this
scheme IL that the book manufacturer
gets work out Of many persons, some
OF whom leave good positions to &C.
cept the entlcing offer. A lady save
up her school last year to accept one
OF these ofiers. and when she found
she had been deceived came to Lincoln
to consult her attorney. The attorney
At once Informed her that, while nine
out OF ten persons outside the iav
profession would think her contract
binding the arm to S75 per month, yet
Its construction Eas no adroIt as 70
bind the frm to nothing. Another
lady thus deceived went from Lincoln
to Chicago. in the hope OF getting her
wrongs righted. There are many 9TH
er persons in the city who have lost
valuable time in trying to get one OF
these positions. The secretary Of one
OF these book concerns in a recent let
ter to me says: You had better place
the contract in the hands Of some intel
ligent person who can explain It,. Now
i wish to pass this advice on to the
general public and advise that when
a contract is received from a book firm
onering an agency tina; 1t would be
well TO place II In the hands OF an at
torney TO see whether II is good or not.
Do this before you sign t."-Nebraska
Journal.