The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-29
high-toned system upon which The wholesale

the wholesale house. He must have large
salary il he is somewhat popular, and his cX-
pcnscs arc necessarily very heavy, and arc TO
he borne by his employer. lie often con-
tracts bad debts, not umrcqueutly enough of
them to absorb the profits Of 4 six months
business, for the drummer deems it, as q rule,
his duty 10 sell. in order TO satisfy his emf
ploycr that he is not idle; and SO he takes
risks that the merchant himself. with time to
make inquiry and estigation, would never
take. Il FL - a.-
he separates the merchant from his GUS
TONER, and thus prevents TINT personal ac-
Quainancc with and knowledge of each other
that is absolutely necessary to the safety Of
trade. The principal evil this separation
produces Is to cause the customer TO transfer
his trade from one man to another, changing
il probably half Guzeu times year. This
viii always be the case While the drummer
travels over the country, and the retail rncr-
chaut is subject to a call from one or more
ut these commercial travellers" every day
in Tie year. But if tie retail merchants
we're LEI: 10 visit the wholesale dealer in his
store, there would not be these changes, and
the wholesale man could make pretty certain
calculations upon the amount of trade he was
likely to have within each succeeding season.
One among the heaviest wholesale dry
Goods dealers in Louisville said to us yester-
day, in course OF Il conversation in relation
10 the trade prospects Of the coming spring:
The drummer system of selling goods is
,,oin. he wholesale trade more harm than all
other c.;l,SrS combined. I most heartily wish
il w.S abolished. and trust there will be II
general movement in the trade for its aholi-
zion" And in conversation with other
merchants we find the feeling against drum
ming general. One merchant remarked to
uSa few lays aga, The retail merchant and
consumer pay all the expenses of the drum
incrs. The wholesale dealers cannot ailord
10 incur the heavy expense made necessary
by the employment Of GTlInlnerS without
being reimbursed; and so he has to increase
prices IL little OH the retailer, and the retailer
has to make Il corresponding advance 10 the
consumer" These are very piUn lacts t!iit
cannot be questioned or gainSaycd, for they
are the testimony Of wholesale dealers thenl-
selves.
The drummer system is q lowering OF the
dignity of the mercantile business. Hereto
fore we have been accustomed to look to the
merchant princes Of the land rs the embodi-
.nent Of all that was noble, and honorable,
and di9niticd in the commercial world; ana
| it was thea drcmed BY the retailer pleasure
hlc privilege 10 meet his wholesale merchant.
;u: for the drummer system the mercantile
profession would diminish into L mere scrnl-
Ile for trade. without particular reference aS
TO how it is obtained. The drummcr's glory
is to sell good bill. This is the climax OF
lis ambition. and We do hot intimate that
this ambition is not :. laudable one; but we
DO say that this ambition very often leads the
drummer to sell goods 1T great hazard, III
volving his employer i'll risks that should not
be laid upon him. and would not be II the
customer was left to trade directly with the
merchant himself.
There should nc general movement
among the wholesale merchants of the coul-
| try to abolish drumming. There was time
when drummcTS We're unknown, ana that
not many wears ago: and i'll those DAYS the
| wholesale merchant did far more prosper
U,ls and profitable business than he has done
since the cmp!oymcnt of drummcrS has be-
| come general. There are so many evils, so
many leaks, 50 many losses to the drumming
| system, that il is Il matter of astonishmcnt
| if iS tolerated for !; moment. The retail mcr-
chant is constantly annoyed to purchase what
| he does not need and what hc could not sell,
and not few country merchants have been
| brought t. Bankruptcy directly through the
| of the drummer.
Ii the retail dealer would consult his best
| interests he would aiways buy his goods III
:!;c houses OF the merchants with whom hc
| deals. UcWould then have an opportunity oi
| looking through full stocks instead OF mcaSrt
,arIlrs, and making his selections 50 rs to
nrrIrctly nee! the wants Of his trade. He
| would be able 10 cultivate the acquaintance
| of the men he depended upon to supply hi>
| wants. to learn The rum OF the markets, to
post himself Us 10 styles and prices, and the
probable advance OF decline i'll goods. In j
| hundred ways he would be advantaged, and
| the merchant of whom he purchased would
| he equally advantaged.
For the merchant TO adopt a system thai
| KEEPS the entire country retail trade out OF
| the city is injurious TO the nmtcrla Interests
| Of the city: and those who employ drum
mrrs do thi>, and rlully say to those whose
custom they seek, 1--WE DO not want to see
you in our storcS.' The system Injuries our
| hotels and lines Of railroads and stcanlhoats
| by Keeping people 1T home who would other
| WiS, travel. II injuries places Of amusement
| retail establishments, and many other lnte-
rests of the city that would be benefited if
the country merchants were permitted. a>
! formerly, to come directly here to make thcil
purchases, instead OF being absolutely Ooreo
| into making them Of the drummer.
When the old system prevailed among
wholesale dealers of reaching their custom
crs through the advertising columns of The
press. the city was crowded during the pur
! chasing season by merchants from every sec
ton Of the country. The wholesale mel'
chant then found no difficulty, and had to in
cur no burdensome expense to sell his goods
the hotels Were crowded, the places o
amusement were liberaliy patronlzed, ant
the city wore Il busy, busting, prosperou
air. that has departed since The days OF drum
mcrs were inaliguratcd. Lei there be gen
cral move among merchants in favor OF tin
abolition of the drummer system.--L0ulS
rtle Ledger.