The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-07-20
THE "DEADBEAT" AND HIS NU-
MEROUS DEBTS.

There is no other country In which (
as many people go in debt and stay
in debt from generation to genera
ton as we have in this country. OF
course there may be some special
reasons why this is the case. One can
not be imprisoned for debt in this
country, and, after consuming the
goodies of the indulgent grocer for
months and years, or, after smoking
the cigars of the generous drug store
man, the free and easy debtor can
SNAP his fingers at the men whom he
has swindled and, If sued, can recon
vene with a plea for libel against the
man who has dared to whisper that
he is unreliable. The "deadbeat" may
buy on credit what he can in this
country, and when his game plays
out, may move further west and
work it over and over again freely
and safely; and there are at least
some instances in which such rascali-
| ty has not hurt such men in either
society or politics. 1t is no disgrace
to swindle a grocer or dry goods man
that way in this country, and 1t Is
perfectly safe thing to do AS far as
the law Is concerned,
There are, however, some better
| reasons why many Americans go per-
sistenly into debt. Ours is new
country in which most persons are
left to go west and make their own
start. 1t goes without saying that
many of them must use their credit.
under the peculiar conditions which
prevail 1t is fair to explain that
large majority of the honest and in
dustrious ones lift their mortgages in
due time and meet even those obli-
cations which they are not bound in
any manner save in honor to meet.
1t is not always a bad idea to go in
debt, and there are millions Of Am
orleans who do not abuse the oppor-
tunity to wisely use their credit. The
suggestions presented herein relate
to the other sort-to the "profes-
| sionals"
leading grocer of Newport, after
working himself bald-headed and
worrying his life out in futile efforts
to collect his bills, has determined
to stop everlasting credit" and as
first step has published his inten
tons in the Newport press. Ever
lasting" is the word. If debts are col
lected of some it will be by frying
the fat out of them in the hot world
to come. Hereafter, says this dis
! gusted grocer, 1--WE have made up
our minds to give credit to no one
| beyond ninety days. We no longer
can take cognizance of hard luck sto-
ries from multimillionaires."
1t is not the grocer or other credi-
tor alone who has right to protest
against this American habit of max
ing debts and then refusing to pay
them. There are others. Among such
others are those who pay for what
they get The tradesman who allows
the credit and fails to collect the
debt is not the sole loser. He must
charge his losses up to the customers
who pay. He allows so much for bad
debts and adds it to the prices at
which he sells goods to his honest
! customers. 1t is fair, therefore, for
hose who pay to put in their pro-
| tests against the indulgence extend
cd to the professional" He is an
embodiment of selfishness, worth
/ lessness and dishonesty and entire
ly too much consideration has been
given him in the past. This is the
only country in the world in which
swindlers of his stripe are respected
or in which it is possible for them to
even remain out of jail.-Dallas
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