The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-07
INSTALLMENT FURNITURE
SHARK AND HIS VICTIMS
by ETHEL ARMIES


1L ARMIES
on mn naii' "ouio MI volumes. me
.ales u INJUSTICE 10 the negro here are
i nuiipel, me puolc snouio De
for thew are inst 49, ~ t tns eon as theS
J ever were. Dishonest and unscrunulo,,s
men of various nrofessions In law r,ad,-
cine the Insurance business The loan
business. the clothing furniture iewelry
and grocery business. peddlers and what
NOT. have reaned great harvest In this
district -
"You hear of the victims of great fires.
train wrecks sbinwr-rxs earthnuakes
hut what Of The corntlass moor GREG tures
who are troddan down IN daily STRUGGLE
for hreado -.
nyrny not lon, s,rce certain So
the 9r,o,nta,s IA .ot ,,ru,ands ~ three
hundred rniners-tbe maior,tv neyroes-
~ sion over n him consignment of
| tbair xvages A nigr.r will sign any,
thing He t,rnad the naner over 10 a
| iustioa Of tba nsaca IN Rassapoer and the
money was collected AT the next nav day.
Then he Skinned town n nrettv nearly
| closed Tho mines down can tell Won
tbat
| aTban tho iewa,rv neddIers Gonna
| Ground Eo,. hrass r,nss With gold ven
cor thew will ret from, * m to ak. ON
| tha ins+o,In,ant nIan Tbev can get
| abon,' anvtbine tbav ask Won know All
| The rars,,asion In tba world won't helm
tha sn,nlovaes T. is inst matter Of
adncat,on-slow work
- or. -.
heritage Oh lie Dig White Rouse
negro workman in one of the local
foundries came to his boss the other day
to borrow 50.
Il done bought me nice new bedroom
set" he said, AN jes' lacks IS. boss, TO
de fust payment"
The boss went over to see the furni-
ture 1t was gorgeous collection. imita-
ton mahogany with an art square,"
clock and three huge brass framed pic
lures thrown in-the whole not worth
S14, but sold to the negro for $l20l In
vain the boss tried to persuade the ne
gro ne nao maze a pad bargain! NO
The negro is great on mahogany. The
finest piece of genuine mahogany in Bes-
semer, a stunning, hand-carved wardrobe
with plate mirrors, beveed edged, is
| owned by a negro woman.
The average home of the wage-earning
negro In Birmingham is no different from
men. Frequently the house is in better
and cleaner condition--the company doc
tors can vouch for that But ali alike
are prey to the INSCRIPTIONS furniture
dealer.
There is scarcely concern in the Biz
! mingham district where a large number
| of men, both white and black, are en-
ployed, that does not have to confront
this phase of the selling-b y-installment
| plan or, as 1t is now quite regularly
called, the extortion plan"
BY 1t and through it. hundreds upon
hundreds of homes not only in mining
camps, but all over this district. IN Bes-
semer, Ensley, Pratt City. North Bir
mingham--everywhere- devastated
Devasted as ruthlessly, as utterly and
completely as by an earthquake shock.
/ Hard working men are bled for every
penny Such exorbitant prices are
Icharged-the prey caught by the little
down, and the little, Just so much a
month.
"Mores O.Teufporav
Inc esil mas peeh VI ions uuratioh IN
pirInih nan. inere is no hpateneh,
IS Preyaiene THIS year. at this Jay,
at THIS muir, 70 must pie'iui anu
sha mel VI eA'e'.
ASK any representative business men,
lawyers, PHYSICIANS, merchants any
large employers OF LABOR ABOUT INSIDE
conditlons' ana tney couid taie unIold'
would stir the whole Of Birmingham.
Inc business OF seliing furniture on
the fnstallment plan, when conducted
on the square, is not being called into
question.
Hardly!
The system maintained, under proper
conditions, Is great boon to thous-
ands upon thousands OF people. There
are invariably two sides to a question.
The furniture dealer has troubles, too.
No legitimate system Is here being
referred to-simply the extortionists,
ana the parasite breed.
1t Is the INSCRIPTIONS furniture deal
er. the firm that does illegitimate busi-
ness, that traps the ignorant workman
and feeds on OF his simplicfty-thfs Is
the type that should be drummed out
of Birmingham. 1t Is type that sell
dom advertises; 1t works in the dark.
There are firms in this district that
started business eight or ten years ago
with few suits of furniture in stock.
and la come instances they are still do
ing a thriving business. 1t is said, on
that same stock
They charge extortion prices and
then, Just the moment the final pay
ment Is overdue, collectors are sent to
pull the bill' as they call It, The fur
niture Is then cleaned, mended, revar-
nished and sold for new.