THE FARMER AND THE TRADESMAN. 185 



take farmers a long time to understand all the tricks of trade. 

 It is a question whether it will not pay them best to woi-k 

 with the local dealer. It depends, of course, upon circum- 

 stances, but as a rule I think most money will be made in 

 that way by the farmers. 



But one thing is sure: if the farmer becomes seriously 

 indebted to the local tradesman he will pay roundly for his 

 folly. This is not, necessarily, because the dealer is a grasp- 

 ing, hard-hearted man, but because he must charge high 

 prices to pay for the risk. For some of the goods sold on 

 credit he will never be paid. He can not tell which these will 

 be, or usually would not sell them, but it is a necessity of busi- 

 ness that those who pay must help to support those who do 

 not. The dealer can not bear the entire burden. Those who 

 can pay cash, however, need not pay any part of these bills 

 unless they choose to. If, as already said, one's trade is large, 

 he can manage this matter individually. If it be small, he 

 can only obtain this benefit by combination with his fellows. 



I have but one tiling farther to say upon this subject, which 

 is that all retail trade is infected with fraud. If a farmer buys 

 ground coffee or spices, oils, paints, or even flour and sugar, 

 he can not be certain that he gets what he pays for. The 

 demand of the farmer for "cheap goods" induces extraor- 

 dinary efforts to supply it. This is done by manufacturers 

 who adulterate goods, or skimp the weight of packages at the 

 demand of retail dealers who wish to be thought to sell 

 cheaply. It is well to beware of all who pretend to offer extra 

 inducements in the way of prices. The manufacturers and 

 wholesalers usually make no more money on sophisticated 

 goods than upon those which are honestly made, or put up. 

 The retailer, if he at all understands his business, knows per- 

 fectly well what he is buying. He should be held rigidly 

 accountable to customers for quality and weight. All persons 

 dealing with concerns having a special reputation for low 

 prices should faithfully check off goods bought by weight or 

 measure. The cost of goods is about the same to all retailers 

 in good credit, and except as they transact specially large 

 volumes of business, their scale of profits must be about the 



