The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-14
INSTALLMENT AND LOAN SHARKS AS PREYS UPON
 LEGITIMATE INDUSTRY
By ETHEL ARMIES of "The Story of c oaI and Iron in Alobnmav

Is certainly on parity with the money lender. There is no doubt but that a mass of evidence could be gathered to uphold all of the statements made. It seemed to me that you made it perfect ly plain that no reflections were being cast upon the honest, raight-forward furniture dealer, and I see no reason why any legitimate house should KICK
 The Other Side of the Question
 q do think however, that the general criticism against the malpractice of the installment plan might be likely in the minds of some people to throw suspicion upon the installment plan It. self. Whereas, the installment plan rightly carried out is a boon to thous- ands upon thousands of people. And 1t Is being injected into everything; dry goods groceries, real estate-wherever you go you find the installment plan working out. And you find there Is a necessity for it."
 The head of another large and relia- ble local concern, one of the leading in- stallment houses here. with reputa- ton for progress and clean business, said:
 T must say that there Is great deal of talk on the part of the public against the installment plan and some
  For instance how can any man who Is not In the furniture business estimate the value of a set of furniture? Yet they do 1t all the time! How can this man look at a piece of furniture and tell you how much 1t Is worth?
 Tt is absurd
 "Then another fact frequently lost sight of. Very few people keep strict account of their payments. A business house does. Everything is right down In our books. Yet invariably If GUS toner is asked how much he or she has paid down on a certain set or piece Of furniture that customer will double or treble the amount. I've never known 1t to fail.
 How much do you still owe us. Mrs. So. and So?' we will ask, when she has paid, say $50 on a s100 bill.
 "'Why,' she will reply, T guess l must owe you nine or ten dollars There 1t isl We show the receipts, we show our books, but 1t Is sometimes impossible to convince the customer. He or she goes away sore, and starts a lot of talk about being cheated. "In so far as payments from negroes go, they are very unreliable. They will agree to give, say two dollars week on a set of furniture for a given time. The first week 1t may be the sum agreed upon. The second week it is liable to be 75 cents, then SIPS or s1. or even 50 cents. We put up with this. but meanwhile keep strict account. The negro never does The time spreads out so long and in his own imagination his payments have been so regular that he Is thoroughly convinced he has paid the required sum, and even more.
 "So he becomes another one to talk. The advantages of the installment plan are so great today as to be self-evident. With young couples starting house. keeping, on a small salary-what bet ter system could be devised? Then 1t assists a young man In establishing credit in town. Credit is a good thing for anyone. A reliable furniture firm will very seldom take back a piece of furniture on which payments have been made, from a customer who will explain a delay in payment, and furnish good references.
 "1f there is illness or death In a fam fly, payments are frequently delayed for months and the customer is never pressed. by us.
 There are many sides to this ques- tion. Why not present them all? I be- lleve that in the article in the Age-Her- aid of July [, the right plan Is hit upon.
 There Is not a legitimate furniture establishment in Birmingham that will not help In the campaign to do away with the interruptions dealer, if we can be shown the facts in the case. All we want is the facts. I feel certain that the association of furniture men here will back up this attempt to drive out the so-called evil practice in Birmingham and cooperate in every way that we can. Our firm will. You are on the right track and we are with yoli