New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-18


been real improvement in the condition Of the
producers Of cloth, II not Of corn also Aud, as To-
tellieence 10 dffuses and Knowledge ia brought 10
bear upon the mott intimate and hOmely relations
of life, the coat OF making exchanges-in other
words, the charges and profits of non.producing
Traders-must aud do decrease continually.
But this by no means proves that Trade 10 poorer
nor that traders a class do worse than formerly.
Ii only proves thet the number OF Traders cannot
and do not increase in proportion with the incresse
of Trade, without snbiecting them TO the necessity
Of taking smaller and still smaller profits Every
year the number Of producers and OF CONSUMERS "
others products increase, also the aggregate Vi
products EXCHANGED Every year the construction
of Canals Harb0rs, Steamships and other iscluties
Of TRANSPORTATION and traffic, imPels greater anu
stil greater production, with q stu greater exeeh
sion of Commercial exchanges Inc helshOo'uoCu
in the Ohio valley which was clad In homespua,
and did not pay ten dollars 10 each person Tor all
its purchases from others half century since NO"
wears the fabrics OF Old and New. England, ana
il liberal patron Of the spico growers OF BON u;
Indies the tea OF China, the coffee OF Brazil ana
the fsh of NewfouDdla nd-Probably paying thirty
dollars per head for the products oil other l1dostry
than its own although the average range OF prices
Ia aboutbalf whatit as in 1900. Trade has greatly
Increased is mere asipg and is bound to increase
even more rapidly than 1t has ever yet done.
1t 10 idle, therefore, TO say that Commerce is
ruined, PROSTATE, because overdone. Il is only
the possibility Of making fortunes by Trade with
no decided capacity for the vocation that is vanish
ing. The time 10 at band, if not already upon as,
when the mercantile is TO take rank with the most
intellectual and arduOus Of the liberal proie SONS
The merchant Of the next age must be q genus
fnapcer-a man born to be an efficient ana osneu.
cent distributor of the bounties oil Nature Vi tne
products of Human Labor. Ii ne iach lIese os
sential characteristics, let him aspire to be any
thing else rather th nm a merchant, for DIS SAKE
and for that of others. An incompetent doctor may
live though his patients should not poor lawyer
may damage bis clients, yet pocket tnelr iees a
thick be AIDED merchant must Ineyltaoiy rum ootn
himself and his trusting friends. The chances that
be NAV buDder on and dodge bankruptcy for years
have grown less and less until they are very nearly
extiDguisbed.
IL is idle and rnschievous to hope for large profits
bepceforth, save In rare exceptional Instances
The general diffusion of intelligence and the i'm
provement Of the facilities for direct exchanges be-
tween producer and consumer render extensive
and regular trade on the old basis OF small sales
and large profits impossible. II the -four dealers
of New England the coal dealers Of New York,
the shoe dealers Of Ohio will not supply their Gus
toners at moderate prices, they provoke competit-
ors to supplaDt and destroy them or this failing,
they incite consumers to combine and buy at
wholesale a cargo of four of coal OF shoes, for
themselves. Any serious attempt to restore the
old system OF sales long credits 10 consumers of
doubtful solvency, but at such high prices as to
would only serve to impel the consuming classes
to withdraw more and more Of their custom from
traders class, and effect more and more OF their
exchanges by agencies and arrangements of their
own. The practical choice Of the mercantile class
lies not between large and small per centages on
their sales but between small ones and none.
But small advances on cost do not imply small
profits. On the contrary, there never was time
when larger profits were realized than may be
now. Let us suppose, for example, that New
England consumes annually 5000 tuns Of Western
Bacon, and that the quantity SO consumed is an
nually increaIing. Now, if any Boston merchant
ut home can manage to become the channel OF In
terchange between the producers and the con-
sumers Of half those Hams at an average net
profit OF 2 per cent assuming the Hams TO be worth
$3.50 per tuD that erchant or house would clear
5000 annually on Bacon alone. So With Flour,
Groceries, and everything else.
These, then. are the essential bases oil prohta'
bic and safe trade in the future-irst, ability to
supply the public demand on as favorable terms as
any one else can offer secondly, universal knowl-
edge of the fact and assurance that it may be re-
he'd on. Let Boston dealer In Flour, or Meats, or
Cloths, or any thing else be able to supply all New
England with whatever he deals in at the lowest
possible rate, and let all New England be assured
Of the fact that he and iciH do so, aud his for
tune is made. No matter though his average net
profit should range even below per cent his an
nual income must exceed his necessary expenses
by thousands OF dollars.
The merchant, therefore who aims to succeed in
business must aim at these two ponts-6rst, to be
sure that he can satisfy wide demand for the ar
ticles he deals in on the lowest practical terms
secondly, tina. every body within the proper scope
of bis business is made aware of his ability and
confident Of bis disposition to do SO. These points
attained, he has only TO do bis business properly
il comes in upon him, and his fortune is secure.
To the merchant or dealer who is sure of his
ability TO fill orders on the most favorable terms,
the attainment of an adequate publicity is the mat
ter OF primary concern. IL his circle OF trade is
properly the County in which he lives then he
should take efectual measures to let every family
in that County know what he sells aud on what
conditions. 1t is idle to speak Of the cost as en-
impediment-be mig bit as well object TO the cost of
shelteriDg bis goods from bad weather, protecting
them from thieves, or dealing them out to custom
ers. All the other coat of his business is incurred
without adequate motive or return so long as the
essential element of bis business is neglected or
scrimped If bis location and his stock only entitle
him 10 expect the custom OF his own township or
neighborhood, then he should incur the expense of
fully informing that locality. Just so with the
wholesale merchant who aspires to a custom CO.
extensive with his State, his section, or the whole
Union. II he is prepared 10 satisfy so wide de-
mand on favorable terms, the expense of apprsing
those whom he desires for customers Of the nature
OF his business the character OF hs stock the range
OF bis prices, and the reasons why he should be
dealt with, 10 one which he cannot refuse to incur
without gross incompetency, and ruinous prodigal
ity By thus refusing, he increases bis expenses
for rent lights and fuel, clerk hire &C. from half
per cent to three, FIVE, and in some cases ten per
cent. his aggregate sales and renders it morally
impossible that he should sell at profit and 81 the
same time sell as cheaply as his more enterprising
and capable rivals. In effect he cOnfesses defeat
and incapacy and retreats to the rear rank of his
vocation.
Some men who know enough to advertise are |
vet 10 narrow as to oonfne the advertisements to |
Journals Of their own creed or party. II they do |
not choose to trade with any but men Of like faith
this is wise but if they desire to have the whole
public for customers, 1t is otherwise.
There is a large class who delight TO shine in |
newspapers and placards as wits and poets, and |
announce their wares in secondhand jokes, or in
ioggerel fit to set the teeth OF dull saw on edge