Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-29
Agency ISSUES A
new RATING BOOK
For the Information of Merchants
Beneficial to Man Who Pays
His Debts.

organization of the business men OF
Webster City, has been in operation
six months and has met with the
support of many of the best business
houses of the city. They have with
in the past two weeks gotten out a
new loose-leaved ledger which is in
small handy size for the use of each
business or professional man, and 1t
is hoped to place one of these in ev-
cry store or business house in town.
Copies of the book are now in the
hands of the subscribers, all OF
whom pronounce it to be the best
book of the kind ever published COW
ering the trade territory of Webster
City and surrounding towns. 1t has
always been customary for one
merchant to pass information to an
other regarding his customers and
that is all that is claimed for the
rating book, except that this is a
better way than the old, as it does
not necessitate the communication
of such information over the tele-
hone.
The system is not to keep man
from getting good markings, but to
assist him to change his rating for
a better one if that is advisable.
There are those naturally in COM
munity to whom this would not re-
fer, but the volume of business in a
community the size of this one, Is
often done with people of small
means and upon their payment or
nonpayment depends the success OF
the business firms.
This system is not one which will
stand for five years or any definite
period of time. AS men or women
want to raise their standard they
are enabled to do so. Only this last
week the ratings of three in the
community were raised. Every
week the book is, as it were, balanc'
ed, and the standards of some raised
and others lowered.
Every person as near as possible
is given a rating and there are five
different standards. In some bust
ness houses this volumne will bt
within reach of proprietor and clerl
and the rating of the person asking
for credit, ascertained before it l:
extended. That plan will depend up
on the pleasure of the merchant OF
business man. However the CASE
may be, such information is not in
tended to injure any one nor in any
way to curtail their business rela
lions with the merchants, but should
act as a direct benefit to the homes
man, be he rich or poor.
In fact, anything that acts for thu
benefit of the merchant is an indi
rect benefit to all customers. AS tn,
book is based upon actual expert
ences of the business men of thu
city with the people of the commun
ity, it is indispensable to the bust
ness or professional man.
A committee will within few
days wait upon a number Of tn
business men who have not yet beer
seen and it will be hoped to interO
the merchants Of the city to such al
extent that so many membership
may be secured that the cost o
maintaining the agency will be re
duced to a minimum.
A small initial membership fe
will be charged in addition to a reg
ular monthly installment, to be bas
ed on the class and amount of bust
ness done In this way it is hoped t.
keep the expenses on an equitabl
basis. Within the next ten days I
Is hoped to increase the membership
to one hundred, which will establish
the system at once upon a paying
basis.