The Republican journal., 1899-10-05
The Experiences Of Book Agent.

In July Mr. G. R. Marshall, travelling
manager representing j. Fl. Moore Co., 216-
21S South Third street, Philadelphia, Pa,
visited Belfast and engaged lady of this
city for a travellers position for his COM
pany, under the following provisions OF
contract signed by him, and by the COM
pany:
"Witnesseth that the said j. FL. Moore
Company agrees to employ said the first
party as Traveller, to appoint Local Agents,
which position first party agrees to accept
at salary rating of not less than $40 nor
more than 500 per week as hereafter provld-
ed, with expenses Gncluding car-fare, hotel
bills. postage, etc., paid by j. III. Moore
Company and an additional allowance of
commissions as hereafter provided.
In consideration whereof and to determine
the weekly salary rating within the limits
above stated, the said first party hereby
agrees TO enter the service OF the said second
party tor preparatory period of thirty (3O)
days OF eight hours each to be devoted to
the sale Of Oar New Possessions in the ter
ritory of Belfast
sit being agreed that compensation for
the preparatory period shall be the regular
agents profit on all goods sold, and that one
fifth of said profits (between the limits
above stately shall be the regular weekly
salary thereafter as Traveller"
"The above contract is made binding upon
j. H Moore Company by first party depos-
ltlng with their countersgning representa-
tive the sum of 81 so (receipt of which is
hereby acknowledged as a guarantee that
first party will qualify for and accept the
travelling work. Said deposit of 81 80 shall
be reft nded in cash when first party has ac-
cepted the travelling position and appointed
l. agents on the regular contracts of j. II.
Moore Company"
ana also from the representations of the
travelling manager, that she would be paid,
Tor weekly salary as traveller, one-fifth of
the profits on the sale of the book, the lady
received most generous support from her
friends, and thus sold enough books to
enttle her to weekly salary as traveller
which nearly reached the highest limit
specified by the contract.
After ordering the books, she sent for the
contract for the travellers position, which
duly arrived, with the full amount of week
ly salary to which she was entitled written
in, but with the following provision:
ut is mutually agreed that expenses las
per weekly timized statement) and salary
shall be payable exclusively as follows
First party shall retain salary and expenses
from total collections from agents appointed
by her. Should said collections on account
! OF sickness, bad weather, or for other good
cause, fail to equal salary and expenses any
week, the said first party may retain any
shortage thus incurred, from the balance or
balances of any succeeding week or weeks
Should there, on the completion of services
herein specified, be a shortage due first
party, second parties agree to remit said
| first party such part of Fifteen Per Cent
% per cent? commission on the sales of
agents OF said first party, as is necessary to
pay said shOrtage''
By this, 1t will be seen that not even tray
cling expenses are paid by the company,
but that tie traveller must collect everything
which she receives from the money paid her
by the agents whom she appoints.
There is nothing unfair ia the second con
ira CT, providing that the first contract gave
any intimation Of this provision as to the
way the salary should he paid, On the con-
trary, however, the first contract is 80 ex-
pressed that even bl.i4ass men and lawyers
(though they may distrnst it) can find no
it has previously deceived business man. as
the lady now learns. She makes this state
ment hoping that il may expose the methods
used by Mr., G. r. Marshall, and also to ex-
plain the situation to those who subscr bed
for the book, whose KIND interest she highly
appreciates Nothing would have induced
her to enter upon the sale of the book, eX-
cept for the expectation of an assured salary
in the travellers position,