The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-07-28
TRICKERY IN TRADE.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Contrasts It with
Fair Dealing.
Condemns Business Processes by
which Values Are Misrepresent-
ed-Many Merchants Mod
els of Integrity.
copyright. Louis Klopsch, 1891
l. l.. Il. Nh. %

Integrity and trickery in business life
form the subject of DR.. Talmage's SER
mon to-day, and the contrast he es-
tablishes between the two is a striking
one. The text is Proverbs 20:14: at is
naught, IT is naught. said the buyer, but
when he is gone his way, then he
hoasteth."
Palaces are not such prisons as the
world imagines. If you think that the
only times kings and queens come forth
rom the royal gates is in procession
md gorgeously attended you are mis-
aiken. lncognito, by day or by night,
md clothed in citizens apparel or the
lress of a working woman, they come
out and see the world as il is. In no
uther way could King Solomon, the
author of my text, have known every
hing that was going on. From my text
am sure he must in disguise some day
save walked into a store of ready-made
clothing in Jerusalem and stood near
he counter and heard conversation
between buyer and seller. The mer-
chant put a price on coat. and the
customer began TO decker and said:
Absurd. That coat is not worth what
YOU ask for it. Why, just look at the
coarseness of the fabric. See that spot
on the collar! Besides that, il does not
fl. Twenty dollars for that? Why,
it is not worth more than ten dollars.
They have a better article than that
and for lower price down ut Clothem,
Fitem & Bros. Besides that, | don't
. nt Good t,arpfv,f, ~
Hold" says the merchant; do not go
off in that way. want to sell you that
coat. have some payments to make
and want the money. Come. now, how
much will you give for that coatP"
We'll" says the customer, 81 will split
the difference. You asked $50 and ]
said SO. Now, will give you S15."
WELL" said the merchant, "it is great
sacrifice, but take ii at that price"
Then the customer with roll under
| his arm started TO go out and enter
his own place of business, and Solomon
in disguise followed him. He heard
.he 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: 81
should think you got il cheap If you
gave $24." NO" says the buyer, In tri-
umph; 81 got it for SO. beat him
down and pointed out the imperfectons
until really made him believe it was
not worth hardly anything. 1t takes
| me TO make a bargain. lia, hal" o
| 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 nj his writ
ing desk and made for all ages a crayon
| sketch of you. at is uaught, il is
naught, saith the buyer but when he
is gone his way, then he boastcth."
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 a bond
| with piles of collaterais. Their good
reputation for integrity is as well os-
tablished as that of Petrarch residing
in the family of Colonna, 1t 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 10 swear the car
dinal put away his book and said: AS
for you, Petrarch. your word is suili-
cient." 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
honored because they have withstood
year after year temptations which have
flung so many fat and flung them so
hard they can never, never recover
themselves. While all positions in life
have powerful besetments 20 evil, there
are specific forms of allurement which
are peculiar to each occupation and
profession, and il will be useful TO speak
of the peculiar temptations of business
men.
First, MS in the scene of the text, bust
ness men are often tempted to sacrifice
plain truth, the seller by eNaggerating
the value of the goods and the buyer by
depreciating them. We cannot but adj
mire an expert salesman. See how he
first induces the customer into a mood
favorable 10 the proper consideration
of the value of the goods. He shows
himself to be an honest and frank sales
man. How carefully the lights are ar
ranged till they fall just right upon
the fabrcl Beginning with goods of
medium quality, he gradually advances
toward those of more thorough make
and of more attractive pattern. How he
watches the moods and whims of his
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 price which
will allow him to make living margin
when he again sells them! The goods
were worth what the salesman said