The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 3, February 3, 1894 Page: 3
8 p. : ill. ; 32 cm.View a full description of this newspaper.
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THE TEXAS MINER.
WHAT I WOULD DO.
I would not curse and swear when things go wrong; first, be-
cause it does no good; second, because it demeans the man;
third, because it sets a bad example; fourth because it gives
every one a poor impression of a man's ability, and frequently
makes enemies.
If I were a buyer—If 1 were a buyer, and wanted to see my
house make money, 1 would devote a great deal of study to my
business; I would study the customers, try and find out just what
they wanted, and see that their wants were supplied. I would
talk to everybody in the house that came in contact with the
people—all the sales people, the managers etc., and try and get
ideas from them as to what the people were asking for, and as to
how they were pleased with different kinds of goods that we
were selling. I would read all the best dry-goods trade-papers,
so as to get all the information that I could as to what was going
to be the reigning styles in the coming season. I would look at
the samples of every drummer that came to my town whether I
wanted to buy or not. hoping to catch some idea or get some
information as to the prices at which goods were being sold by
everybody. Hut because I looked at their goods I would not
allow myself to be persuaded to buy unless I needed the articles.
I would try to buy lightly and often rather than in heavy quan-
tities. In this way my house would be able to turn their stock
over at a better profit, and I would not be so likely to be
caught with unsalable articles.
In my dealings with dru nTiers I would never accept
from them presents, or any social treats, as this would place
me. in a manner, under obligations to them. A buyer should
always be footloose; he should neither consider his friends nor
his personal oblig \tions to any one but remain in a position
to buy from the man that sells the lowest. I would think,
in spending my employer's money for goods, that I must be
just before I am generous, and that I cannot afford to waste
their money to cater to any personal feelings of my own. I
would try to have everything new that was going, so that my
store would get the name of being the first to have all the
new styles.
If I were a salesman—I would wait on everybody to the
best of my ability. I would never snub a poorly-dressed cus-
tomer, but would 1hink she deserved just as much attention as
if she were rich. I would feel that every customer that I pleased
was a friend made. I would try and sell them just what
they wanted, and only satisfactory goods, so that the next time
they came into the store they would feel like calling for me
again, knowing that I did not mind how much trouble I had so
that I could give them satisfaction.
. I would make a business, at least once every day, of seeing
that we were not running short on any particular thing. If we
were likely to sell out of any particular line of goods, or if we
had a call for anything that we did not carry in stock, I would
make a memorandum of it and give it to the buyer. I would
watch the things that did not sell very well, and try to find out
why, and when I discovered the fault I would tell the superin-
tendent about it.
If I were an office boy—If I were an office boy, and wanted
to get on in the world, I think I would try to be prompt in every-
thing that I did. I would try to get to my work early, and
would try to do everything at the proper season. I would also
keep myself neat and clean, because I think a boy looks much
better with a clean face than with a dirty one. A little dirt on a
boy's face will often make a really bright boy appear dull. Then
I would try to be quick and active; I do not think that anyone
best men at the head of my different departments that I could
possibly get. I think that a good man will be more likely to
earn his salary and to make the department pay than a poor one.
I would never entrust a portion of my business into anybody's
hands, unless I were satisfied that he was perfectly competent to
take care of it, and then I would refer matters on that subject to
him and not go over his head. But I would keep a general
supervision of all the work, and if I wanted to do any particular
thing in his line of business, I would work through him, rather
than over him.
If I had a good man of ideas in my employ, I would give
him enough liberty to use his skill and make a success of the
business in his own way. Too many directions are always detri-
mental to the work of the man who has ideas of his own.
If I were a man or boy—If I had nothing to do, rather
than be idle, I would ask that something be given to me. I
think if my employer saw that I was interested in my work he
would appreciate my services more. Whatever I might have
to do, I would try to do it well; first, because I am building my
own reputation, and if I am to make anything out of myself, I
must have the good opinion of my employer. Whenever I was
praised I would show that I appreciated it by trying to do still
better. I would devote all my energies to keeping myself
straight and working my own way upward, and then I do not
think I would have time to bother with anybody else's business.
ANSWER TO "A PRIVATE."
"A Private's" letter in last issue says "have we not the same
right to force our coal on the Government as that of the silver
men their silver?" That is the stock argument of many men,
and they say the same about wheat, corn, copper, iron, etc..
etc., and you might ask the same question with equal force
about gold. Gold receives its value because of the stamp of
the mints, and because governments make it a legal tender in
payment of debts. If the governments of the world should
demonotize gold as many of them have silver, it would proba-
bly not be worth as much per ounce as silver is now.
Gold and silver were chosen as mediums of exchange over
4000 years ago, and have at a ratio of about 16 to 1 been
the mediums to facilitate the commerce of the world; there
was no attempt to change it until 1817. Then England had
become rich and powerful, and was rapidly becoming a cred-
itor nation, then she began the fight to make gold the only
standard as a medium of exchange between nations. It is
simply a fight of the creditor classes against the owners of
other property than money and the debtor classes. The
creditor class want to make money more valuable by decreas-
ing the amount used as money, so that they can buy more
property, more hours of labor with their money. If "Private"
can make out that that state of things would be advantageous
to the laboring classes—to the producer—we are open to hear
his arguments.
A ROCKY ROAD.
Grover the First—surname Cleveland—is having a hard road
to travel with his senate and house of representatives. All men
do not want to be driven like whipped curs, and all men cannot
be bribed with offices. Democrats kick like steers at times, and
the president had better be careful about coming within reach of
their heels. Four or five cents a pound for cotton will be the
going price if the gold bugs force a single standard on us. A
dollar a day is more than the average man can earn if the presi-
dent makes gold coin the only legal tender in payment of debts
and the only medium of exchange.
likes a lazy boy, and the quicker I was with my duties, the
quicker I believe I would be promoted. Mr- Gladstone is eighty-four years old, and is in the best of
If I were a proprietor—If I were the proprietor of a dry health, as strong and active as most men twenty years his
goods store, and wanted to make money, I would have the very junior.
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McAdams, Walter B. The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 3, February 3, 1894, newspaper, January 27, 1894; Thurber, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth200450/m1/3/?rotate=270: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.