The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-05-02
About "Drummers."

The propriety Of dispensing with drum
mers," or commercial agents, has been the
subject OF serious consideration in PIttsburg,
and we observe IL being agitAted elsewhere.
Ii 10 stated that many houses in Philsdel-
phis, as well rs in other large cities, COM
menced the year BY reducing expenses and
dispensing with travelling agents. Do
'druumers" pay? is the question TO be de-
termined, and 1t would seem, from this action
of merchants, that the answer is In the neg
alive. While II must be admitted that q
large house, having business relations in
the different sections of the country, requires
agents to attend to the settlement of accounts
and other matters, involving large amounts
Of money, the sending broadcast over the
States Of food of "drummers" iaundRting,
as it we're, the interior merchants with q
multiplicity Of samples" is regarded as an
abuse that calls for sn abatement. A great
army of these agents have regularly been
sent out, every wholesale house In almost
every city having one or more representa-
tiyes, who visit every town, village and ham
let in the country. Upon the extent of this
drumming" business the New York Grocer
has the facts and figures which will be re-
garded as interesting
There are said TO be 100000 drummers
sent out of this city alone. These average
at least 81 500 each in salary and commits.
sions, or $37 500, 900 paid TO the whole
number in salaries. Tito this we add their
travelling expenses, 81 per day, and esti-
mating they are upon the road l50 days
during the year, We have an item of $751;
600, 900 more, aud an aggregate of $50, 900
900, which is added TO the price of the
A.. al ~ ~
tail stores in the country which the goods
eventually reach, we And every dealer taxed
$l75,00 per year to sustain this srmy of
drummer" from New York city alone.
We would not be understood to say that in
all instances and under ell circumstances
the employment of travelling should be
dispensed with, for under certain circum-
stances il is an absolute necessity. In in
Producing . new article TO the attention of
the trade, or a new or improved package or
manner Of putting up goods, in specialties
generally, or whatever cannot be described
intelligibly or understood clearly without
seeing the article, then such q course be
comes indispensable, and an advantage to
both buyer and seller. But even then, after
such an article or staple or manufacture has
become universally known, the drummer"
can be dispensed with to the advantage of
both parties"
Houses in New York which carried out
for any length of time the plan of dispeGs-
ing with drummers, giving their customers
the benefit of corresponding reduction on
goods, report healthy business, with few
losses and better satisfaction to all parties
The Grocer further says:
Leading firms in every line of business
who have hitherto refused to make known
their bus mess in any other way except
through the expense OF maintaining dozen
or more 'drummers' securing the country,
have dispensed with their services and
returned to Q system Of judicious sdverts.
ing, which cannot fail to be highly
remunerative. Those who have tried the
Two systems are loud in their praises of the
latter method. A fra lAboriDg under the
necessary heavy expenses Of maintaining o
DOZEN statesmen, at cost of $3.50 to
$0O,OOO per Annum, cannot afford to sell
Its goods at as low figure as q firm whose
expenses are reduced by the same amount.
Indeed, experience proves that competition
Dy the latter against the former 10 almost
impossible. While very small portion of
she amount hitherto expended on agents
twho, ut the best, could visit but g small
portion of the trAde) would enable the firm
to place their business and prices weekly
every merchant in the country, and bring
large returns. Orders would be found 10
in nowise abate, and at the end of the year
fewer bad debts would be found on the
books Of our Wholesale merchants. Country
merchants themselves can compel this
charge, for their own goods by refusing to
give their orders TO these peripatetic sales
men, aud by sending their orders TO head
y quarters and insisting upon the prices which
ouses not under this unnecessary expense