The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-08-22

nerce is ruined, PROSTATE, because over
done. 1t is only the possibility Of making
fortunes BY trade with no decided capacity
for the vocation That is vanishing. The
time is at hand, if not already upon us
when tho mercantile is to take rank with
tho most intellectual and arduous Of the
| liberal professions. The merchant Of the
next age must be genins--a financier-a
man born to be an efficient and benificent
distributor ofth bountics Of nature, Of the
products Of human labor. II be lack these
essential characteristics, let him aspire to
be anything else rather than merchant,
| for his own sake and for that of others
An Incompetent doctor may live though
his patients should not; a poor lawyer may
damage his clients yet pocket their fees; a
thick headed merchant must inevitably ruin
both himself and his trusting friend. The
chances that he may blupder on and dodge
bankruptcy for years, have grown less and
less until they are very nearly extinguish-
ed.
1t is idle and mischievous to hope for
largo profits henceforth, save in rare, ex-
ceptonal instances. The general diffusion
ofinteiigence and the improvement Of the
facilities for direct exchanges between pro-
ducer and consumer, render extensive and
regular trade on the old basis Of small sales
and large profits impossible. II the flour
dealers Of New England, the coal dealers d
New York, the shoe dealers of Ohio, will
not supply their customers at moderate
prices, they provoke competitors to sup
plant and destroy them; or, this falling,
they incite consumers to combine aud buy
at Wholesale cargo Of -four, Of coal, Of
shoes, for themselves. Any serious at
tempt to restore the old system Of sales on
long credits to customers Of doubtful sol.
vency, bu. at such high prices as to COM
pensate for the risk and delay Of payment,
would only serve 10 impel the consuming
classes to withdraw more and more Of their
custom from traders as class, and effect
more aud more Of their exchanges by
agencies and arrangements Of their own
The practical choice of,he mercantile class
lies not between large and small per cent
ages on their sales, but between small ones
and none.
But small advances on cost do not imply
small profits. On the contrary, there new
er was time when larger profits were real
| lied than may be now. Let us suppose,
for example, that New England consumes
annually ten thousand tons of western ba-
con, aud that the quanii,y go Consumed is
annually increasing. Now If any Boston
merchant at home can manage TO become
the channel Of interchange between the
producers and the consumers of half those
hams, at an average net profit Of two per
cent, assuming the hams TO be worth s $50
per ton, that merchant or house would clear
$4,000 annually on bacon alone. So
with -four, groceries, and every thing else.
These, then, are the essential bases Of
profitable and safe trade in the future
first, ability 10 supply the public demand
on AZ favorable terms as any one else can
offer; secondly, universal knowledge Of the
fact, and assurance that il may be relied on.
Let a Boston denIer in -four, or meats, or
cloths, or anything else, he able 10 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 can aud piil do SO, md his fortune is
made. No matter though his average net
profit should range even below one per
cent, his annual income must exceed his
necessary expenses by thousands Of dollars.
The merchant, therefore, who aims to
succeed in business must aim at these two
poin,s-frsi, 10 be sure that he can satisfy
a wide demand for the articles he deals in,
on the lowest practicable terms; secondly,
that everybody within the proper scope OF
his business is mnde aware Of his ability
and confident of his disposition to do SO -
These points attained, he has only to do his
business properly, as j. comes in upon him,
and his fortune is made.
TO the merchant or dealer who is sure OF
his ability to fill orders on the most favor
able terms, the attainment Of an adequate
publicity is the matter Of primary concern.
If his circle of trade is properly the county
in which he lives. then be should take ef-
fectual measures to let every family in that
county know what he sells and on wha,
conditions. II is idle to speak of the cost
as an impediment-- might ns well ohjec,
to the cost of shelterng his goods from bad
weather, protecting them from thieves or
dealing them out 10 customers. All the
other cost OF his business is incurred with
out adequate motive or return SO long as
this essential element OF his business Is
neglected or scrinped. Ifhis location and
his stock only entitle him to expect the
custom Of his own township or neighbor
hood, 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, bis sec
lion, or tho whole Union ffhe is prepared
to satisfy so wide demand on favorable
terms, the expense ofapprisng those whom
he desires for customers Of the nature OF his
business, the character Of his stock. The
range of bis prices and tho reasons Why he
should bo dealt with, is one which no can.
not refuse to incur without gross inconpe.