Year: 1879

We have many times before called the
attention 20 the penicious system of long
credit. The Sacramento Bee has the fol.
lowing pointed article on this subject:


A great deal of vexation. depression of
spirits, degradation and misery, might be
avoided by many people if they would
make it a point TO pay as they go. We
have known men, and wcmen too, who
would eat dry crust rather than go in
debt for butter who prefer independence
in their old clothes rather than 90 in deb.
for new ones who were prouder, happier,
better, with the battered hat and faded
feather that was their own than they could
be with new ones that belonged to anoth-
er. Fer Aigh>spirited natures there is no
greater slavery than that of debt To
owe for property had and used and not be
able to pay is to them most CALLING. And
such people will, in the long run, come
to the top. For time they may be over
shadowed by the fine pumage of some
birds of passage, who seek to and do
live on credit, until they have worn out
their welcome and then wing their way to
other fields and pastures new, in hope of
practicing their deception elsewhere. And
not only do those who live beyond their
means injure themselves, but they do
harm to the whole community. The
merchant who trusts and fails to get his
pay must charge his customers an extra
price to make Gp his loss or he must fail.
II he adopts the former plan he will soon
be discovered and people will avoid his
shop, so that in any case crediting those
who do not or canno; pay is ruinous to the
dealer. And. as a rule, it is no less dis
astrous to those whom he thus iavors Gf
favor il may be tormed), for they often
become so eXtravagant that when the day
of reckoning comes they find themselves
bankrupt-which they might not have
himself and to them and SAID, II must
have cash for my goods"





ultimately go in debtor food, pair OF
shoes or other necessaIics oflite--but there
hardly ever comes a times when il is ne
cessary to go in debt f or a new hat or
silk dress. These, and such as these are
luxuries or ornaments that can well be
done without when there is no money in
ls, -. &. IL,
dolph exclaimed, II have found the phil
osopher's stone Pay as you CO." and he
came quite near it. 1t is noticeable that
merchants who do a cash business, and
who are Industrious and economical, sell
dom, il ever, fail and those who pay as
they go always not only keep their heads
above water, but make actual progress.
And then the cash system is such cheap
way Of doing husiness-cheap to the buy
cr rs we'll as to the seller. The former
can command the best Bargains, while the
latter can afford to let his goods go at
far less profit than if he ran the risk of
making bad debt. All the carrying
trade is done on the cash systematic
main staples of produce are disposed of
for cash, and, as n rule, the cash system
is the only successful one in commerce.
Luckily, we are annually coming to it
more and more, and If the people would
make nm effort never to ask for credit, save
when it is absolutely necessary for them to
do SO, they would be much better off both
in mind and pocket-and If the merchants
would endeavor to curtail their credits into
the smallest possible bounds they, too,
would, we doubt not, find it in great re-
lief and much profit. Try it, all around.