No less important than the securing of credit is the extending of credit to others. The young business man will soon discover that all orders brought to his shop do not represent profit, and that the least desirable customers, those who are refused credit elsewhere, are the first to discover his location and overwhelm him with orders, without even asking the cost. Before doing work for a new patron, however, the contractor should exercise the same caution that supply houses exercise toward him. In this commercial age responsible men do not resent inquiring as to their responsibility, and it is better to lose the work of irresponsible men.

When an order for a small amount of work is left by some one living in the neighborhood who is unknown to the contractor, he can easily and quickly ascertain the individual's responsibility by inquiring among the shop keepers in that locality. If the man is reputed to not pay his bills do not hesitate to demand payment in advance, security, or refuse to do the work. The time lost in superintending such work and subsequently trying to collect the bills would go a long way toward securing paying work.

In the large cities speculative builders of little or no responsibility often have the appearance of material worth and prosperity by reason of the fact that they are building a row of houses. The young business man will do well not to be carried away by appearances in such a case, but to look well into the responsibility and promptness of all such builders. Indeed, before signing a contract for any work the plumber should first satisfy himself that the other party to the contract is not only able but is likewise willing and anxious to pay all debts contracted. He cannot afford to risk the chances of business success by doing work for people of questionable responsibility, for no matter how much he might desire to take a chance on the contract he should remember that he owes certain consideration to his creditors, and has no right to risk their goods.

Carrying Stock.___What stock to carry, and the amount, will be questions that will arise in the mind of every plumber who contemplates engaging in the plumbing business, and they are not easily answered, for each case is a law unto itself. It may be stated, however, that when the place of business will be located in a large city convenient to supply houses, only such stock should be carried as is absolutely necessary for the jobbing and repair trade. The use of money is of value, and when goods can be ordered one day and delivered the next there is no reason for carrying them in stock. The money that would otherwise be tied up in material can remain to the contractor's credit in a bank or trust company, drawing at least 3 per cent. interest, and he saves the extra cost of drayage and handling twice, besides the rent of a place for storing the goods. When, on the other hand, the plumber's business is located far from supply centers the better plan is to carry a full and complete line of everything required in that locality. By this means he will save much of his workmen's time on operations by having everything for them so that they will not be delayed or inconvenienced by lack of materials, and, furthermore, he will save on the purchase of goods, for if he buys pipe, for instance, in carload lots, he will secure a better price, will receive a freight allowance and will save on the time of handling and carting the material. Stock goods are the only materials, however, that should be carried. Specialties for which there is little demand need not be purchased until ordered. Again, if doing a heating business, while advisable to carry one or more boilers in stock, still, it would be foolish to lay in an extensive line, for the sizes required vary so that it is better to order a boiler of the right capacity when needed.

In ordering soil pipe and fittings for stock it should be borne in mind that a certain percentage of it should be double-hub pipe, and that unequal numbers of the different kinds of fittings will be used. The proportion of the various fittings likely to be required for the work as done in that locality should be studied out and the goods ordered accordingly. The main error to guard against is the laying in of a large stock of dead material - that is, material which there is little or no use for.