Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25

usual manner of bidding by the buyers is
reversed. BY the rules of the Dutch auo-
ton the auctioneer names price in excess
of the value of the article TO be sold and
gradually decreases the price or cries II
down" until some one In the crowd accepts
the offer. This style of auction is prac-
ticcd to some extent in this country. and In
Washington particularly IN the selling OF
notions. II was formerly used quite gen.
orally IN Holland.
In some parts of England there was for .
nlerly a style of auction designated as sales
by the candle" which was derived from
the ancient custom OF measuring the time
within which the bidding must be COM
pleted. In a candle auction" the bidders
get together around table, and one of the
prospective purchasers makes an offer for
the article or thing TO be sold. The auc-
tioneer makes a mark on the candle which
Is lighted, and the other bidders have until
the flame burns down 10 the mark In which
to consider making higher bid. This form
OF selling goods would hardly be service a bile
IN this day, as a local auctioneer states at
tho auctions conducted by his firm he av-
erages one sale In every two minutes
in Japan the auctioneer does not say a
word; he merely holds or places the article
to be sold before the buyers and when
some one of them has offered price con-
sidered suitable the auctioneer closes the
deal.
There are many sentimental associations
clustered about auctions, for this form OF
sale has played an important part in the af-
fairs of mankind. Many tear has been
shed by unfortunate men and women who
have seen their old homes go under the
hammer" to some unsympa thetic and spec
ulative buyer whose destruction OF the old
home and its characteristic landmarks seems
like dissertation to the former owners
Many man has seen the last thing he
possessed in the world disposed of to an
absolute stranger. who considered only the
articles intrinsic value, and not any assoc
cations that might be connected with 1t
in the memory of the former owner
But while the sale of empires. old nomeJ,
great plots of land historic estates, etc.
may be notable and hold sentimental IN
terest. yet the history OF auctions contains
| instances almost innumerable OF sales more
affecting by far than any of those mem
toned.
Right here in Washington scarcely more
than 800 feet from where the magnificent
b. Capitol now stands, sixty or seventy years
ago human beings-slayes-were placed on
the block and, amid the heat of competitive
bidding, We're sold at auction TO the man
who shouted the highest price. In the buy
ing ard selling of slaves the auction played
| most important part, for it was princi-
pa.ly by this form of sale that the black
men and women were made the human
property OF planters and holders OF large
estates. All this has passed in the United
States, but i'll some OF the less civilized
counties the auction is used today The
me ans of trafficking in human beings
The history of auctions is replete with in
terest and the business occupies an i'm
pc: tant place IN the commercial world. A
school has recently been established in this
country for the training Of auctioneeys
Anyone can sell goods at auction" said
old auctioneer of many years exper-
ence In the business, but it takes one born
to the business to sell goods at auction and
make money at Il, both for his clients and
for himself A man may talk and talk and
not got results The repetition of an offer
stimulates the crowd to bid and gets the
buyers into competition with each other
and under the influence of their combata-
tiveness they sometimes give more for an
srticle than 1t IS really worth. But II Is
! rot the auctioneer's business to prevent
! competition or to interfere with a buyer IL
| he desires to possess article, even though
, he does bid more than il IS wort -