The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-07-29
TRICKERY IN TRADE.
Rev. Dr.. Talmage Contrasts II with
Pair Dealing.
Condemns Business Processes by
which Values Are Misrepresent-
ed-Nany Merchants Mod
els of Integrity.
copyright, Louis Klopsch. 1871

washington. July =.
Integrity and trickery in business life
form the subject of DR.. TslmAge's SER
mon to-day, and the contrast he es-
tablishes between the two is q striking
one. The text is Proverbs 20:l4: Tits
naught, 1t is naught, said the buyer, but
when he is gone his way, then be
boasteth."
Palaces are not such prisons as the
world imagines. II you think that the
only times kings and queens come forth
from the royal gates is in procession
and gorgeously attended you are mis-
taken. Incognito. by day or by night,
and clothed in citizens apparel OF the
dress Of . working woman. they come
out and see the world as II Is. In no
other way could hing Solomon, the
author OF my text, have known every
thing that was going on. From my text
am sure he must In disguise some day
have walked into a store Of ready-made
clothing in Jerusalem and stood neal
the counter and heard a conversation
between a buyer and a seller. The mer-
chant put q price on a coat, and the
customer began 10 dicker and said:
Absurd! That coat IL not worth what
you ask for II. Why, just look at the
coarseness Of the fabric! See that spot
on the collar! Besides that, It does not
IT. Twenty dollars for that? Why,
II IL not worth more than ten dollars.
They have a better article than that
and for lower price down at Clothem,
Fitem & Bros. Besides that, ! don't
want 1t at any price. Good morning
Hold" says the merchant; do not 60
on IN that way. ! want 10 sell you that
coat. ! have some payments to make
and l want the money. Come, now, how
much will you give for that coat?'
Well" says the customer, II will split
the difference. You asked $40 and ]
said SO. Now, / will give you SIS
Well" said the merchant, at is a great
sacrifice, but take it at that price"
Then the customer with a roll under
his arm started 10 90 out and enter
his own place Of business, and Solomon
in disguise followed him. He heard
the customer as he unrolled the coat
say: Boys, / have made a great bar.
gain. How much do you guess ! gave
for that coat?" WELL" says one, wish.
ing to compliment his enterprise, "you
gave $50 for IT," Another says: u
should think you got it cheap IL you
gave SEA" NO." says the buyer, In tri.
umph; ~ got II for SIS. / beat him
down and pointed out the imperfections
until ! really made him believe II was
not worth hardly anything. II takes
me TO make a bargain. Ha, hal" @
man, you got the goods for less than
they were worth by positive falsehood
and no wonder, when Solomon went
back to his palace and had put off his
disguise, that he sat down at his writ
ing desk and made for all ages a crayon
sketch Of you. at is naught, II is
naught, saith the buyer, but when he
Ia gone his way, then be boasteth."
There are no higher styles Of men IN
all the world than those now at the
head Of mercantile enterprises in the
great cities Of this continent. Their
casual promise Is as good as q bond
with piles Of ~collaterals. Their good
reputation for integrity is as well es-
tablished as that Of Petrarch residing
In the family Of ColonEa. II is related
that when there was great disturbance
In the family the cardinal called all his
people together and put them under
oath to tell the truth, except Petrarch.
When he came up TO swear the car.
dinal put away his book and said: "As
for you, Petrarch. your word IS sufi.
Client" Never since the world stood
have there been so many merchants
whose transactions can stand the test
Of the Ten Commandments. Such bar.
gain makers are all the more to be
hoDored because they have witlstood
year after year temptations which have
flung 30 many fat and flung them 30
hard they can never, never recover
themselves. While all positions 10 life
have powerful besetments TO evil, there
are specific forms Of allurement which
are peculiar TO each occupation and
profession, and II will be useful to speak
Of the peculiar temptations Of business
men.
First, as in the Gene of the text, bust
ness men are often tempted 10 sacrifice
plain truth, the seller by exaggerating
the value Of the goods and the buyer by
depreciating them. We eannot but ad-
mire an expert salesman. See how be
first induces the customer Into d mood
favorable 10 the proper consideration
Of the value Of the goods, lie shows
himself TO be an honest and frank sales
a How carefully the lights are ar
ranged till they fall just right upon
the fabricl Beginning with goods Of
medium quality, be gradually advances
toward those Of more thorough make
and Of more attractive pattern. How be
watches the moods and whims Of bis
customer With what perfect calm
ness he takes the order and bows the
purchaser from his presence, who goes
away having made up his mind that he
has bought the goods at a price which
will allow him TO make a living margin
when he again sells theml The goods
we're worth what the salesman said
they were and were sold Of u price
which will not make II necessary for
the house TO fail every ten years in or
der TO fix up things.
But with what burning Indignation
Ne think OF the Iniouitons s-frstsgems