Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-03-09


.SZEX ent orbit. there is on,
49, form of detective activity
which Is not likely to be
overdone. So long as buying and sell
ing are the principal occupations OF
civilized man, there will be no lack
Of opportunity for the credit man. It
is career that should appeal strongly
to the bright American boy, and one
that offers him certain advantages
which are not to be found in many
Of the overworked callings of the
present day.
Here is lifework that, while OF
sort of detective nature, is a sublimat-
ed phase of prying into the affairs OF
the other man, because it has to do,
not with finding out II the object of
the inquiry has actually done wrong
or committed crime. so much as dis
covering If he might do so; in other
words, if he pays his bills. This is
the place that the credit man fills in
commercial life. He is the product OF
the great advance in business that has
been made in the last quarter of a
century. which makes 1t necessary for
merchants and others to learn all they
can about prospective customers, so
as to be sure of them.
If your boy is a keen youngster. he
could not get into line OF work that |
offers greater opportunities; for in.
tegrity is the life Of commerce, and
the only way to discover integrity is
to Inquire, and the process OF inuuir.
ing into things Of such a delicate ma
lure requires the greatest tact. which
means that there must be places for
he employment OF this tact when It
Idvances beyond the rudiments.
NO special preliminaries, in the way
Il education or otherwise. are neces-
airy for your boy to make his start:
Or, anyhow. he must begin at the bot.
om and prove himself at every stage
his progress. This means that. at
or so, he applies to the head of the
redit department Of a large store or
-her mercantile establishment for a
ID. When accepted. he will be little
| 4
'thing, as yet. Of commercial life. +,
He will receive IS or Sc a week. and r
III go through the usual office boy ,
in cards OF callers. run. ;
ng all sorts Of errands for every 4
dy In the office, sorting reference :
rds. etc. Then. when he has got |,
run OF things, he will be set TO n
tting away the cards and reports 4
then maybe he will be set at max. >,
various entries on cards or in Z,
oks. All these entries have to do n
n people: With their personal =,
bits. with their earnings; with their 4,
irch going; with their paying their T
8 promptly; with their spending =,
re than they earn; with their habit n
'unning up bills. paying promptly in -
beginning. then not 30 promptly ~
hnally not at all. with a balance
due; with their being extraya-
I; with the character OF their as.
ates; with whether or not their
es and families are e1travagant- -
mort. with whether or not they are ~, ~
r. Intelligent citizens. thrifty. hon. ~.
lie, Trustworthy. az
hat Is the credit mans business. 10 br
out all these things. and have IL 81.
zen form that II can be told 10 the az
AZ the head OF the department a.,
ng Dill Of goods, 20 a stranger 80.
1g credit. and there he will know ~,
.her 70 give the man the credit he ,n
ur boy naturally assinilates all der
~ general way before he has liz.
Ming these records very long var
VIII begin 10 manifest interest IN are
u u al done n he IL ant. H.. san
Dc called into the oflce u the the
Iger q couple Of years after the ave
.n'nz. when be- will be earning IL A..
r w q week. aud told 10 40 On, ,bo,
discover - and 20 about a neu 49,,
neT. u vii probably BE- only 10 ,te
" the mans actual address cor. y.,,
ms With the one he gave on bls ] f,,o
.aiiDn for credit. or 10 reqgest Sc,,
ne references 70 on out a ~con.
ial' blank telling what he knous
me applicant. buf this a. get.
nio The credit business for the a.
inc IN earnest
pr this sort Of Investigating bsd
Ihe aspiring credit detective vii n A
a. harder work. such a. inter. she
y th- persons referred to them. = =,
and perhaps running down h.r
-, =. .-Ne' after credit ''Yol
'e opinion Of the customer. re. sgu
y by this time. after he has .ns