The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-23
QUESTION OF ETHICS

OF vultures. That is the reason they
get such hold on the public. BY
attending some church orvail the lodges
IN their city. as far as giving you SER
vice, they must be that to carry out
your plans.
TO your casket again. H-did not
nave but half enough exoelsior. God
per pound Coming TO your embaim-
ing, IL one OF my embalmers sent out
such Job l would not keep him for
the next case.
You ask me TO enlighten you as TO
how II In done i will tell you, buy
for cash and sell for same, and let
the customers have the benefit Next
year. instead Of raising your prices
lower them, and In n short timo you
Will have got the largest business In
your state. and all the small vultures
out or business and gone 10 something
where they can pay their honest bills
md not beat everyone they como In
contact with Then you will make
your people happy and be happy your
self The reason there II 80 much
jealousy today among the undertakers
II simply they do not like 10 see q
funeral get away from them, be-
cause there Is so much profit in them
III they lose nne--1t Is a wonder TO me
that the department stores do not take
up and furnish the public with burial
goods and I believe II the undertakers
living prices for the public that they
VIII handle these goods
That expense YOU speak about. the
undertakers of this United states to-
day are the most extravagant set OF
men In the world They are a lot Of
good fellows. they spend Sl5 to one
OF an ordinary business men, expect
Ing TO have some OF their friends pass
away so they can get chance at
them, Sometimes II Is far between
M
can show profit. ] have shown you
how you can make a nice profit and
not rob your brothers and friends. and
your business will Increase I'VE times
and you VIII make more money and
not have the vultures OF one to three
funerals month TO contend with
In regard to taking advantage Of
this man, you surely did. as $50 on
this mans funeral would have been
enough. / think. instead OF 400 profit
As TO the fact OF II being the first
case In your history OF being reproach
ed, no doubt there were hundreds
whom you have done work for who
felt like coming back TO you. but
why-the reason you trusted them for
very expensive funeral and he owed
you so much he was afraid TO re-
preach you.
You want me to advise you what
caused me to make the statement ]
did ] was asked the question and
told the truth. but you are only one
In tens OF thousands Just like you
who want 20 make a months expenses
hollering about the high cost OF living
and the courts are investigating the
high cost of living. II II about time
they were investigating the wholesale
robbery or tho burial OF tho dead In
this country 7 nm sorry 7 have not
time to go'more fully into this matter
with you.
tsIsned) T. r. NORTON.
Note-The foregoing letters are Civ
en- space In the Cssket I'm order 10 be
ralr with both parties In the contro-
versy without prejudice or favor. IL
liz understood that Mr.. Norton Is a so
called cut-rate advertiser In his city
and has been suspended from the local
association. The funeral directors OF
the country will doubtless read his ar
raignment OF the profession with no
little engagement. for in his controversy
with Mersrs Tebbutt & Palmer he
places his brother professionals every
whore on the list OF Offenders
Mr.. Norton docs the undertaking
profession a gross injustice by his as
pensions. when he calls some OF his
competitors vultures and robbers be-
smlrchinR the very honorable name
which he presumes 90 bear II seems
strange that a man who has n correct
conception Of tho ethics OF ordinary
human relationships should 80 far for
get himself az TO make such n sweep
ing dcnuncihton. IL IL true that there
are black sheep I'm all professions
members who are not credit TO the
cause they represent, and such are not
always the other fellow either, but
among undertekers thoy are tho ex-
ception, not the rule as The Capket
has found out by It's ~ years OF init
mate relation with the trade The
rank and rle Of the undertaking pro-
fessien throughout the country arc
men OF good moral character. honor
able, fearless men in the hour Of dan
ger, unselhsh and Of high reputs.
The Casket does not claim 10 know
the merits 81 M@ssrs Tebbutt A. Pal
ner's charges but by "placinr the
burden" on The Casket. an occasion
was given for adverse criticism and
nisinterpretatlon Of their hill. Had
the bill heen itemized and the charges
been made for personal services which
constitute large part or funeral
directors bill there would not have
been he same opportunitv to allers
everchsrseE and unfairnesa Ala
elimination between comm odittss and
services will ALWAYS serve W M, a
funeral director in the riRht urht
hefore the nuhllc and take awsv tho
sting 81 the charge OF heInR extor-
'ionate md unjust " stands TO rea
son that thu services Of rrrr-rersor
NO" no worth more thou thnse ~ an 4.
other and none are better Judges OF
that fact than the public.--Advt