72 



HORTICULTUPi: 



January 19, 1&07 



OUR CREDIT SYSTEM: ITS USES 

 AND ABUSES. 



Jiv S. S. Skidelskv. liead before the Flor- 

 "ists' Club of I'liiladelpliia Jan. 1, 1907. 



( Continued Jrom page ^jy.) 

 And right here I wish to be under- 

 stood that I am in no wise reflecting 

 upon the honor of those who, through 

 no fault of their own, but owing to 

 adverse business conditions or un- 

 foreseen circumstances, were com- 

 pelled to liquidate their affairs as best 

 they could — in other words, to fail in 

 their business. Such men deserve our 

 sincere sympathy, and it behooves us 

 as men and as members of a "noble 

 craft" to do all within our power to 

 aid them. It is the scamp, not the un- 

 fortunate victim of circumstances— 

 the man (God save the name) who 

 lays his trap for the unsuspicious Hol- 

 lander, who scans the trade papers and 

 picks his victims as he sees fit to suit 

 his own nefarious designs; it is a fel- 

 low of this sort, I say, that deserves 

 our unqualified censure and our utter- 

 most condemnation. Aside from the 

 moral element involved, aside from the 

 fact that scoundrels should be dis- 

 'couraged on general principles, we 

 must view the situation from the 

 standpoint of , self interest, of self pro- 

 tection. It is a duty which we owe 

 to ourselves, to our fellow-members, 

 ito the community at large to turn the 

 rascals down and out. It is high time, 

 indeed, that we realize the situation 

 &s it affects our common interests. 

 Often the misdeeds of one miscreant 

 -will reflect upon the honor of the in- 

 nocent. It is but human nature to 

 profit by experience. If John has vic- 

 timized us, it is not likely that we 

 -will place our implicit trust and con- 

 fidence in Tom, notwithstanding the 

 tact that the latter means us no harm. 

 It is in instances of this sort where 

 •credit not only ceases to be a blessing 

 and a privilege, but it becomes an ab- 

 solute curse, and the sooner we real- 

 ize it, the sooner we devise some means 

 and ways whereby to put an end to 

 such abominable practices, the better 

 for all concerned. Our trade papers 

 can and should help us to accomplish 

 this worthy object, for there is no 

 means more effective, there is no 

 weapon more powerful than the press. 

 Under the glare of its far-reaching 

 searchlight human rats invariably go 

 under cover. If credit is a privilege, 

 that privilege must not be abused. 



Fortunately, however, such men, the 

 black sheep in our fold, are but in the 

 minority and need not be considered 

 in connection with our credit system, 

 as practiced by the rank and file, the 

 men whose honesty and honorable in- 



SPECIMEN NURSERY STOCK 



Deciduous Trees and Shrubs. Evergreens. 

 Rhododendrons. Azaleas, over one hundred 

 (100) acres of the choicest varieties. 



SEND FOR PRICE LIST 



COTTAGE GARDENS CO. 



Queens, Lone Island, - New York 



Nl 



$6.00 to $10.00 per 100 



EDWARD SWAYNE 



'ml WEST CHESTER PA. 



tentions are beyond reproach, who 

 meet their obligations in the long run. 



A few weeks ago I happened to meet 

 a fellow traveler, representing a West- 

 ern crockery concern, who in the 

 course of our conversation, remarked 

 to me that "the florists are awfully 

 slow pay; that while other business 

 men will either pay upon maturity, or 

 else will write to the house and ask 

 for an extension of time, the florists, 

 as a rule, do neither; that statements, 

 letters and drafts seem to have no ef- 

 fect upon them. Eventually, of 

 course, they pay, but they do so to 

 suit their own convenience, regardless 

 of conditions or terms." I need hard- 

 ly add that there is a deal of truth in 

 these remarks and that the man knew 

 whereof he spoke. As a matter of 

 fact — and I say it without any fear or 

 reservation — in the majority of cases, 

 terms are honored more in the breach 

 than in the observance. To be sure, 

 the average florist means well; he 

 means to pay his bills — some time; 

 he has good Intentions, but — and here 

 comes the rub — good intentions never 

 were and never will be a negotiable 

 asset; good intentions can never pay 

 an account. A book full of "good in- 

 tentions" is no more effective and can 

 no more sustain the stability of a busi- 

 ness house than a prayer of Dowie, for 

 example, can stay the ravages of an 

 incurable disease. Like prayer, good 

 intentions are good enough in their 

 place, but in this matter of fact world, 

 unless backed by something tangible, 

 something negotiable, good intentions 

 r.re of no particular consequence. 



It seems to me — and again I say it 

 without any fear 'or reservation — that 

 some of the best men in our business 

 have but a mistaken idea as to the 

 duties and obligations they owe to a 

 business house. Just because they see 

 fit to patronize a business bouse, it 

 does not necessarily follow that they 

 have the right to ignore the business 

 terms as laid down by that house. I 

 do not mean to convey the idea that I 

 am an advocate of iron-clad rules, that 

 none but strict conditions should gov- 

 ern all business transactions transpir- 

 ing between buyer and seller. On the 

 contrary, I believe in liberal business 

 methods, I believe in liberal business 

 terms. I hold that any man, worthy 

 of credit, is entitled to all due con- 

 sideration and liberal treatment, but 

 I likewise believe that privileges of 

 this sort should not be abused un- 

 necessarily. 



Assuming for the sake of argument 

 that such a thing as a committee of 

 credit men, appointed by, and acting 

 under the direct supervision of the 

 Societ of American Florists, were 

 possible; assuming furthermore that 

 such a committee had the power to 

 act, to pass judgment and to lay down 

 rules and regulations in all matters 

 pertaining to our business or credit 

 system, would it not appeal to each 

 and every one of us if this committee 

 saw fit to pass a resolution something 

 of the following order: 



1st. Resolved, That no business 

 house is worthy of patronage unless it 

 manifests a liberal spirit towards its 

 patrons. 



2nd. Resolved, That no business 



house need or dare expect the good 



will of any florist in good standing 



unless it shows consideration for and 



(Continued on page y4.) 



We are in 

 Possession 



of a small consignment 

 of 



which are in excellent 

 condition, and will offer 

 them while they last at 



$7.00 per 100 10 in a lot 



CHAS. WOOD, catchy lilac. 

 PAEONIA, large red. 

 MARGARET DIXON, fine white, 



good one. 

 PERLE BLANCHE, white. 

 J. MARGOTTEIN, brilliant, glossy 



pink. 

 MAGNA CHARTA, bright pink. 

 P. C. DE ROHAN, fi ry red. 

 BARONESS ROTHSCHILD, pale 



flesh. 

 PAUL NEYRON, dark rose. 

 FISHER HOLMES, rich crimson. 

 PIUS IX., fine shade of red. 



Wm.Elliott&Sons 



201 Fulton Street 

 NEW YORK 



