The Opelousas courier., 1899-01-14
GET WORK FOR NOTHING.
Clever Contracts Made with Agents b.
Book pUhEfahera. e

nAHN~ "ALA 080ASD W
Book Publishers. s.
A correspondent Of the Journal
writes to expose the fraud contained
N many tiattering offers made by book
publishers to prospective agents, and
s5 a great many people are constantly
icing made the victims Of these ON
tracts, the exposition of the fraud IL
certainly timely. Speaking of the
methods employed by book manufac-
'lfers to secure agents, and get agency
YORK done, he says: They send out
adroltly misleading and grossly deceit
4ui contracts to those who are induced
% open correspondence with them by
ne Hatter1ng advertisements publish
Cd. These advertisements promise
large salaries, and in that way entice
many honest employment seekers. The
contracts sent out would appear, to
any one but a lawyer, to promise lu-
cratlVe positions. The conditions are
mat the applicant work a month sell
ing what books he can, makes delivery,
retains commission, and pays for the
Oooks. He is then to take the field at
d stipulated salary as general agent.
ana the shortese in salary Of the
month served is to be allowed. The
salary promised is from 37s to $125
per month" While he is doing his In
tl.iatory work he may write himself
oilnd to get some information concern
ing MS general agency work. This II
kept back until the months work Is
llhlsned. Then he receives a letter
promising him from SIS to $50 per
month, and the last four months OF
Inc first year 500 per month, salary
ana expenses to be paid out Of the
money secured by selling outfits to
agents. The contract sent by a pub
plshlns firm requires the outfits to
De sold at 1918 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 10 cents. The
contract, it appears, is a very careful
ly Worded one. Virtually it binds the
agent to work for the firm at a certain
ngure, but does not bind the firm to
hlre 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
or whom leave good positions to &C
cept the enticing offer. A lady gave
up her school last year to accept n
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 s75 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 n 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 a explain it. Now
l wish to pass this advice on to the
general public and advise that when
a contract is received from a book firm
offering an agency that it would be
well to place it in the hands Of an at
torney to see whether it is good or not.
Do this before you sign it."-Nebraska
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