The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-15
GREAT REPRESENTATIONS.

There are parts of the world where
punctuality is held of no account in
the making Of successful transactions,
and among the Persians IL is absolutely
unknown, says the Chicago Tribune.
According to Henry Savage Lander
who has spent much time studying
business methods among these people
the Persian hates anything that savors
or promptness. He is q dreamer, and,
although he cannot be called absolutely
lazy. as he is usually absorbed in deep
thought, still he seldom has little leis-
urs for anything else. The returns for
his work, however beneflcent, are too
small for his expectations.
In marked contrast is his adherence
for punctuality. There is no country
where time counts for less. He thinks
nothing OF making a business appoint
ment for 10, delaying 1t until II, only
to explain that he wished he might
have come sooner. but it could not be
helped; he had just finished his morn
ing meal. However important the bust
ness transaction may be, he will not
give it his attention until he is ready
It was only recently an Englishman
| called on a dealer TO buy Persian rugs
| The servant brought the word, and the
| merchant commanded him to tell the
| stranger to return in a few hours and
| he would see him. The word was
| brought back that the Englishman had
| TO make a train within an hour. Then
| let him CO., said the dealer. My meal
J is as important as his train
| The manana of the Spaniard sinks
| into perfect insignifcance when COM
| pared with the habits of the Persian
| Punctuslity is especially unknown
| when il comes to paying debts. He
/ must take time to reflect about every
| thing and will not be hurried. Three
! months to q creditor. or even six
/ months, seem terribly short in his eyes.
| A period of twelve. eighteen or twenty
months suits him better, but he never
is ready to pay unless placed under
| great pressure.
| A Frenchman called on a Persian one
| day and asked him to pay a debt, but
| will pay you sometime" When is
| sometime7" Gueried the impatient
| Frenchman. rs IL twelve months.
| eighteen or two years?" ct don't know, -
| answered the bland son Of Iran ''I
guess we had better say when 1 am
| ready"
1t must be said to the Persian
credit that they usually pay in the end
! but they wonder why people should
! worry when they have so much time.
1t is quite beyond them TO realize what
difference IL makes whether payments
/ are made today, tomorrow or a year
| from today. They look upon American
haste as an acute form of lunacy and
believe that our strenuous life is SO
! foolish it is not worth consideration.
| AS a cultured Persian recently told an
ambitious young American, AZ work a
| little. enjoy much, and live long, while
you work much and will die before you
| attain the fruits of your labor We
must take time to sleep and enjoy our
| food"
Business conducted in European and
! American fashion cannot prosper in
Persia. 1t is hard to say whether this
desire simply to act on impulse is due
to temperament, conceit- or climatic con-
/ ditions. With conditions such as they
are, the economic development Of pro-
| duction, distribution and circulation is
bound to be hampered.
The currency is another difficulty that
limits the making OF business success
Gold coin is a mere commodity and is
so scarce it is used chiefly for presents
| and boarding.
In spite OF these obstacles, most Per-
slams earn a livelihood and often sue
| coed They are skilled craftsmen show
ing wonderful ability for weaving and
the working OF metals. but they are
seen at their best when making loans
| Of money at high interest on ample Sc
curity. They often get from 80 per
| cent to 50 per cent, sometimes 100 per
cent. while Is per cent is deemed a
! modest amount for small private loans