The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-23
Honesty In Business.

i Thes. iv, 6.
st. PauPs Epistles are full Of sub
lime doctrines, heavenly concepts, di-
vine truth, and just as full of prac-
tical rules of conduct Among the
latter that which my text enunciates
has daily applications. In fact, there
is no point upon which mems atten-
ton should be more frequently called
than that which regards their busi-
ness intercourse with their fellow
men. For in none do more offend.
1t is of hourly occurrence that we
! take advantage or try to take advan-
tage Of others in business transac-
| tions. We may hesitate at murder
and palpable robbery, scruple at gos-
sip and defamation of charter and
hold up hands Of holy horror at the
many acts of selfishness which we
observe; but there are seemingly no
qualms of conscience at the tricks
which are played to get the better of
others when a bargain is to be made,
a sale to be effected or bartering in
commercial transaction. Honesty in
business seems be a lost virtue.
notwithstanding the effort of the
public to buy articles at as low a
| price as they can, it is a rare thing
for the purchaser to receive the
| worth Of his money. Even what one
| picks up at "a bargain" seldom equals
the price paid. Though we may be
on our guard against high prices and
eXtortion, we are never completely
satisfied that we have not after all
been cheated.
Builders who erect modest houses
or more pretentious temples are
| known to use unseasoned timber, or
inferior cement, or poor materials;
unless one is ever on the watch, he
| is sure that some cheap stuff will be
! mixed with that which has been put
| to the test and admitted as good.
| Contractors will do their best to avoid
| fulfilling their contracts to the letter
and spirit. Hotel keepers charge 25
| cents for an orange you could buy
| from dealer for 1-2 cents. Doc
| tors and lawyers send in large bills to
| those who seem able to pay because
they lose a great deal from others
who will not pay. The shoes one
! buys as good and solid will soon be
| found to have paper soles. Material
with avowedly fast colors will run as
soon as it gets a chance. A lot of
rotten apples are purposely mixed
| with barrel whereof the top layers
are fine and attractive specimens.
Trade is rotten and there seems 20
| be no honest, square and fair dealing.
| Banks lend you money at per cent,
and when you put your money in the
| bank you will get only per cent. A
| book is purchased today for a dollar
and tomorrow you can't obtain twen-
ty-five cents for it. A magnificent
| side-bOard, which costs hundred
| dollars when bought, will not bring
one-fourth of that when sold. A
poor woman has a lot of solid jew
| elry and precious stones and gems:
| adversely nd poverty force her to
| offer them for sale; what she receives
| is mere pittance and in no way
| equals their just value. Thus on all
sides advantage is taken of the
brothers necessities, ignorance or
| guilelessness. The aim of merchants
and contractors of every kind seems
to be to strike as shrewd a bargain
as they can without regard to hon
esty, value and justice.
Tradesmen who have a conscience
and would abide by it and sell their
| merchandise at only a just price are
apt to meet the scorn Of their neigh
! bors and open hostility and in the
end fail. They will be regarded as
was Antonio by Shylock-hated for
that, in low simplicity, he lends out
money gratis and brings down the
rate of usance here with us in Ven
| ice"
Cheating in business does not seem
to be punishable. Yet there is high
| law against it. The practice comes
| under the condemnation of the com
mandment which says, Thou shalt
not steal" If it be crime to take
a dollar out Of a rnan's pocket sur
reptitiously, it is also a crime to take
| the same or less from him in a bust
ness transaction in which he is made
to pay more than he ought If it be
wrong to injure anOther's property
and goods, it is also wrong to give
him inferior articles when he expects
to receive for money solid and true
| 4 In inn 20, a.