The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-08
TALKS ON THRIFT
YOU AND YOuR CREDIT

Every man should be jealous of two things: his good name and his credit. A good name helps his credit and good credit helps good name. He should value his reputation as his choicest pos equally as well, if not better than he guards his money He can protect his good name by keeping good comany, avoiding questionable places and bad hab- it's in general. His name is what he chooses to make it. He can build up and protect his credit by one course-borrow- ing and paying as he agrees-buying on time and paying on time
 The greatest force in the business world is credit-the power to borrow; to get trusted; to obtain the property of another to use as our own on a mere promise to pay. Credit" says Webster, "has done more thousand times to enrich the na- tions than all the mines in the world" Credit spans rivers. opens mines. builds railroads, moves commerce and wages war. Our whole business structure rests upon it. For every extension of credit there must be debt, and there can be no hSAiS WASI0 lHcIS IS no deDL.
 Debt Is not dishonorable; the abuse of credit is. The man who runs in debt is not business offcast, but a sensible man provided he uses his credit aright. There are some forms of debt to be encourag aged: there are others to be avoided To buy house with mortgage on it is com mendable; but to buy an automobile from tho Of
 ought to be a disgrace. To run a gro- cery bill is no crime to fail to pay a you agree ought to be. To furnish your house on the lnstallment plan may be the best thing you ever did-some people could not have a home any other way; but to buy clothes on 8 dollar a week installment plan Is financial suicide
 strange as 1t may seem, those who have operated on the pay-as-you-go-or- don't go plan find it difficult when they must ask for credit. The trouble is. they have done nothing to establish their credit This is particularly true in large cities where ones habts are not well known. put In small places reputation IS a cash customer soon gets to be common prop- erty. At any rate 1t is a good plan to deai on credit for the sake of the time when you may need accommodation.
 One of the best known public account
 .i'o III -ro" Ioih StdteS that early in life he saw the time coming when he wouId need to borrow, and concluded to estab- fish his credit beforehand He knew that IL he borrowed and paid promptly. he would soon have good credt and 6 per cent for credit is cheap. And so he opened a bank account, got in favor with his banker borrowed but paid punctusIIv until he was well regarded as a credit risk.
 The time came when he needed money to finance his undertakings, and he found no trouble in getting what he wanted. be- cause he had established himself as a saf borrower.
 Guard your credit as you guard your health. It will always be a good friend to you and never desert you. Borrow when you must, but pay as you agree there is no other way. Make your word as good as your bond. Treat your debts as sacred obligations. Don't 'welch, on your business transactions Play the man Doht let the lender do all the worrying oyer the debt, do some yourself Don't let It go at that, but worry to a certa in result. Don't think for a moment vour creoitor has forgotten your debt, no mat ter no" oid we never forget such things.
 when you must borrow, do not go to your Irlends, but find some organized agency (they exist in every large citvl that makes lending a business. If voTr proposition is good, and you can ouslifv you can get your loan, and it will he . cold business proposition, satisfact to both. 'o
 Next to good bank account sood credit 1t your best friend. Guard it as such. oS AMERICAN BANKERS, AssorrArro>,