The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-14
HE WHO HAS THINGS CHARGED.
shoDkeepers Who Prefer Him to the
Man who Pays Cash.
From the New Orleans Picayune


From the New Orleans Picayune.
Old Ben Franklin, who was once the
highest authority on this side of the sea
on domestic economy, was the author of
this maxim: "A nimble sixpence is better
than a slow shilling"
DR.. Franklin meant to express the doc.
trine that in business cash customers
were better than credit sales. and as he
wrote in time when the American states
were British colonies, and English money
was then in vogue, he expressed his max
i'm in terms of shillings and pence.
Times have changed since the days Of
Poor Richard" which was the name
over which DR.. Franklin's homely wis
dom was given to the public, and appar-
emily in the great retail stores in cities
the cash buyers arc not particularly es-
teemed.
In an article on shopping in New York
In the March Century Magazine. by Lille
Hamilton French, the writer says:
''Shopkeepers sometimes say that the
cash customer is the profitable one, but
fashion has already deserted those stores
where cash payments are the rule. Ny
corner grocer tells me that If each ono
of his customers should insist on paying
cash he would have to employ two extra
men just to make the change. Certain
ly many Of us could i'll afford the time to
wait for it. In the great retail stores
women are sometimes detained twenty
minutes until half as many cents in
change can find a way back to them.
There is, therefore, in large cities, where
time has a value not attached to il in
smaller places, a necessity for credits. for
having bills and accounts, and a certain
quixotic sense characterizes the conduct
of those who declaim against the custom
of accounts"
where In cities. The cash customer re-
ceves no favors or special consideration
when shopping and is always looked pJou
as stranger who would probably never
be seen again in the establishment while
the shopper whose name goes on the
books is well known and is an object OF
interest.
There is an old story to the effect that
once beat capsized i'm the river, throw
inG three persons into the water. man
on shore cried out in the most agonizlns
manner. begging the people TO rescue the
man with the red head. With difficulty
the red-headod man was fshed out OF the
water. while the other two drowned On be-
ing asked the cause of his intense inter
est in the party whose life was saved,
the information was elected that the red
headed man owed the other $l1. and X
he drowned. leaving no estate behind his
In this case the two cash customers were
allowed to drown. while the man whose
name was on the books saved his own life
by being in debt.
Another disadvantage suffered by Tho
cash customer is that he has less chance
than anybody else of getting credit
person who had bought in the same place
for twenty years and always paid money
down was on one occasion, when the
purse had been accidentally left behind.
refused credit for a trihing sum and was
denied the benefit of a G. o. D. package. 70
because the amount was too small Cor the
trouble
Nevetheriess. the buying for cash hos
one advantage 10 the buyer. II saves
peace Of mind. BY n the housekecper
escapes the sword Of Dsmocles In the
shape Of debts hanging over hor
In the wholesale business. however me
cash buyer gets his innings. There r. for
him a premium on his cash. discount
which the credit buyer does not get Here
he IL appreciated. and he IL ALWAYS 'fe
recipient OF particular attention 81 me
hands Of the "drummers" and their I'm
ployers Cash IN the wholesale Dufnffs
has not lost its attractions.