A California correspondent writing to us says, in connection with other remarks, " we are now shipping from one to two millions of dollars monthly to the Atlantic States, for whieh we get paid in merchandise of the following kinds:Boots and shoes made up of paper, leather and shavings, so that persons often wear out four pairs a month, unfinished pants and shirts, axes with bad handles, colliers' picks without steel." It is really dishonest to send such goods in exchange for hard cash, and we hope that such a suicidal system will soon be stopped. Wm. D. Wilson, Editor of the Iowa Farmer, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, writes to us that he intends to travel extensh'ely through that State during the coming winter, and will undertake to sell patent rights on good agricultural machines adapted to that region. Mr. Wilson is a stranger to us, but we presume he can furnish satisfactory references if called upon to do so.
This article was originally published with the title "Dishonesty" in Scientific American 13, 10, 78 (November 1857)
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican11141857-78b