Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-30
WOMEN ARE SLOW PAY
PHASES OF CREDIT QUESTION IN
RETAIL SHOPS.
First, Hints Are Sent to Woman Who
Can Settle, but Doesn't-Appeal to
Husband the Last Resort.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Credit at the retail shops is one of the
prettiest toys that some women have to
play with.
Any single woman of moderate means, or
any married woman whose husband has the
reputation of being good pay, easily obtains
| such credit. Once obtained, the thing acts
like magic. Whatever favors the shop has
to grant are hers for the asking Goods
| worth hundreds of dollars are sent to her
| on approval her checks are cashed: she
may, If she will, call carriage and have
the fare charged to her account just as II
the shop were her club
It is true that the retailer, while glad to
grant credit to any person who seems
worthy of 1t. is never quite sure what will
happen when the name of woman goes on
his books. The trouble is not that women
| are less likely to pay their debts than men,
but that they are less business-like.
Dull in Business Ethics.
Some Of them, indeed, seem incapable of
| learning the ordinary ethics of business 1t
is said at the shops that the average wo-
| man does not easily grasp the significance
| Of the phrase monthly settlements" usu-
ally placed on bills. She does not realize
that the merchant really wishes, as far as
days
Women who have had credit for half a
lifetime will disregard this little warning
until credit Is withdrawn. The withdrawal
OF credit. however. Is not ordinarily resort
ed to unless the delinquent is a small pur-
chaser or an object of real suspicion to the
shop.
When the threat Of withdrawal comes
even the most persistent delinquent is angry
and surprised. Her reply is either a erieyed
letter OF protest or a dignified note an
nouncing that she is forever done with the
house. ~
Many women with credit and perfectly
able to pay their debts permit bills tn rim
Tor a year or more. If such customers are
regarded as safe, and purchase largely.
there is no threat to withdraw credit
Ihere are the usual hints, an unitemized
account with the words ito bill rendered /"
or line indicating the date of the earliest
creult, or woro from the bookkeeper say
ing that 1t is desirable to get in all ac-
counts as soon as possible in order to facili-
tate the settlement of the year. There are
women of means who disregard all these
hints.
Bill to the Husband,
Then perhaps bill is sent with interest
added to the amount. Some women nav
both bill and interest More often, how
ever, the check is for the amount of the
oil! only. II this hint is disregarded the
bill Is likely to be sent to the husband.
This piece Of strategy almost invariably
brings an angry note from the wife pro-
testing that had she suspected the matter
10 De pressing she would have paid long
before.
In some cases, when bill of hundreds or
thousands has been paid after such an
incident, the lady begins at once to buy
again on credit. and within the next twelve
month forces the shop to resort to exactly
the same measures. She is again angry
and surprised. again pays, and once more
begins her career of credit.
Such conduct on the part Of a woman
able to pay and sure in the end to do so
produces no change in the habtual cour-
tesy of the statesmen. The day after the
termination of such an incident she NAV
have hundreds Of dollars worth of goods
sent home on approval. or demand any one
OF the dozen forms Of favor that the house
Is accustomed to show to its credit Gus
toners.
Small losses come to the house because
of such women, but their peculiarities are
trying to the ordinarily prompt man of
business.