Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-02-16
Has Been Found to Be Good
Business Policy Both for
Buyer and Seller
OBLIGATION NOT ONE-sIDED
Consumer Gains AS Much BY Being
Fair With Merchant AS Latter
Does BY Being Square
and Honest.
(Copyright.)

that the Golden Rule has no place in
business. They have taken the posi-
ton that instead Of doing unto others
as you would have them do unto YOU,
the only safe and sane plan is to do
others before they have a chance to
do you.
Fortunately for business and for the
world at large, however these persons
are few and far between. The great
majority of people are honest.
1t has been proven repeatedly that
even in business it pays to practice the
Golden Rule, just as it has been prov
en- repeatedly that 'hOnesty is the best
policy" 1t not only makes a man feel
better down in his heart when he en-
plOys the principle of the Golden Rule,
but he finds that it is good business.
This applies not only to the man who
stands behind the counter and gives a
full pound of sugar to the man who
asks for a pound, but also to the man
who stands on the other side of the
counter and pays his money for the
pound Of sugar.
Does Consumer Do His Part?
The consumer expects the merchant
to be honest and square and give him
his moneys worth for every penny that
he spends with him, but how often
does the consumer stop and ask him
self the question, Gam / being as fair
and honest with the merchant as he is
being with me?" The consumer not
only expects the merchant to give him
honest weight and full measure at the
lowest possible price, but he expects a
world Of other things at the same
time. Nine times out Of ten he expects
the merchant to give him credit, and
nine times out Of ten the merchant
does it. Many times he expects the
merchant to Garry him for three or
four months before he pays for what
he buys, and as many times the mer-
chant does it. He expects the mer-
chant to pay for advertising space in
the church program which he is get
ting up, and the merchant does it. He
expects the merchant to kick in"
most literally when he is raising a
fund for the benefit of the town band,
and the merchant does it.
He expects the merchant to provide
the bonus which is to be paid to OBJ
tain a new factory which will benefit
the working man. the clerk and every
body else in the town, and the mer-
chant does it. He expects the mer-
chant to "come across" with a dona-
ton to help the poor family which
otherwise would become charge upon
the common funds of the community,
and the merchant does.
Another Side to Picture.
Now, look on the other side of the
picture. Mr.. Consumer decides that
he needs a new suit of clothes, or
Mrs. Consumer decides that she wants
q new kitchen range, or some OF the
little Consumers express desire FOR
q train of cars or a bobsled. Mr.. Con.
sumer picks up the big mail-ordeY
catalogue which the mail-order house
has printed with his money or that OF
others like him, and he looks it over
until he finds a picture that strikes his
eve. It's picture of a nifty" looking
suit of clothes. Of course, he can't
feel the picture to see whether the
cloth is as good as it looks; he can't
look the mail-Order man in the eye and
ask him whether he will guarantee II
to wear for at least a month or SIX
weeks; he can't tell the mail-order man
that ne will drop in the first of the
month and settle for it; he can't tell
the mail-order man that he would like
to have little of his business or
chance to do a little carpenter work
or painting or plumbing work for him.
as long as he is buying his goods from
him, for the mail-order man hasn't any
business or any work to give him. But
the picture is pretty one, SO Mr.. Con-
sumer digs out his hard-earned cash.
goes down to the postoffice, buys a
money-order and sends it to the mail
order man.
After a week or ten days, or possibly
two weeks, the suit arrives. 1t may
be nothing like the picture. The cloth
may be of poor quality. The chances
are that it doesn't fit at all. But there
is nothing for Mr.. Consumer to dc
but put the suit on and wear it. He
can't get his money back. He might
send the suit back and the mail-order
man might send another in it's place
but the chances are that it wouldn't
be any better than the first and Mr.
Consumer would only be out the addi-
tional express charges.
Found Golden Rule Pays.
Mr.. Consumer found that it pays to
remember the Golden Rule in business.
If he had done unto the merchant as
he would like the merchant to do unto
him, he would have got more tor his
money and he would have aided IN
making it possible for the merchant to
help him and his town when they
needed help.
The world has discovered that the
Golden Rule is not for use only on
I -<NVE