The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-10-07
GET WORK FOR NOTHING.
Clever Contracts Made with Agents by
Book Publishers.

Book Publishers.
A correspondent of the Journal
writes to expose the fraud contained
In many fiattering offers made by book
publishers TO prospective agents, and
as a great many people are constantly
being made the victims of these con-
tracts, the exposition of the fraud Is
certainly timely. Speaking of the
methods employed by book manufaC-
turers to secure agents, and get agency
work done, he says: They send out
adroitly misleading and grossly deceit
full contracts to those who are induced
to open correspondence with them by
the fiattering advertisements publish
ed. These advertisements promise
large salaries, and in that way entice
many honest employment seekers. The
contracts sent out would appear, TO
any one but lawyer, to promise ID
erative positions. The conditions are
that the applicant work a month sell
Ing what books he can, makes delivery,
retains commission, and pays for the
books. He is then to take the field at
stipulated salary as general agent,
and the shortage in salary OF the
month served is to be allowed. The
salary promised is from SIS to $l25
per month" While he is doing his in
itiatory work he may write himself
blind to get some information concern
Ing his general agency work. This is
Kept back until the months work is
finished. Then he receives a letter
promising him from $50 to $50 per
month, and the last four months of
the first year S1G0 per month, salary
and expenses to be paid out of the
money secured by selling outfits 10
agents. The contract sent by a pub
fshing firm requires the outfits to
be sold at 1915 each. Here the scheIn
eliminates. Though an agent hac 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 20 to IS cents. The
contract, it appears, is a very careful
ly worded one. Virtually it binds the
agent to work for the firm at certain
figure, but does not bind the firm to
hire him at that figure. The correspon
dent further says: THE result OF this
scheme is that the book manufacturer
gets work out of many persons, some
OF whom leave good positions to &C
cept the enticing offer. A lady gave
up her school last year to accept ere
OF these offers, 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 law
profession would think her contract
binding the firm to $50 per month, yet
its construction was so adroit as to
bind the firm 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
/ wish to pass this advice on to the
general public and advise that when
contract is received from a book firm
Offering an agency that it would be
we'll to place it in the hands of an at
torney to see whether it is good or not.
Do this before you sign Nebraska
Journal.