, 1874-01-22
THE PL[>W QUESTION.


thoro arc nlany,
THE PL<>W QUESTION.
Tho AEo1acy-Sy stenl-- ri osvsnnKers vs..
5aoxsoNv111E, ILL.,, Jan. 10, 1874
10 the Editor of7'hs CAfcaao 1t,6uuo
Sin: 1n tho irteryiow with Mr.. Doero By your
reporter, Us giy,n In The TRIBUNE OF tho 17th.
thero arc soue Reconsideration of statement
which you will, pcrhaps, permit mo to poiut out.
Alr. Deero s.dmits. ut AL carly stage Of the
conversation, that There arc "too mauy dealers
in agricultural implements in place. Unl,,u
Efforts are n'ade to overload the purchasers, ill.,
yolving an unhealthy mud unsafe credt-sys,on,. ~
1n this hc hss stated the difficulty very con-
caely; and 1t ia strange that hc las not tliscoy-
o1ea what is clearly evident: that tue agoucy-
system adopted BY tue manufacturers has cou-
ttibutcd, and will always contribute, to such q
result. Tile whole sys.om is perulclous from bo-
ginning to end. Tho proper order Of business ia
exactly reversed. It IL tho desire to acll whiol,
becomes the controlling olomout in tho tranBac-
siou. rather stan tho necessity to buy. Lot US
have glancn at the present ageucy-syasom:
Tie Wholosaling agent ia acnt out from tho
works to make tho grand rounds mud establish
local agencies. These nen command large
salaries, and arc expected to mako
iargo ;a's ,on,a. aa.los: a,. Here is tho first
eemet ,n me ,,ea, oaroa TO- osor1oal the market.
always s'I'posal to DO, hc is induced to or1or
just as mauy as tnore is any possible expectation
OF Hellin2:. You may not have enough wnou
tue marl;et OPENS. and 80 lose snlosf "You
good stock to carry over. and won't spoi,"-aro
among the encouraging suggestions. AS they
arc not to be paid Tor III cash at daso Of orlor.
but time IL granted, probably, until tho selling
season iias ooNe, tho agent il inclined TO pro-
vl4o for eVelv anticipated demand. We'll, Tic
soason ,comcn; otier agents in tho same
and several agents are, therefore, proyid,, d,
Cd with sufficient stock Of each particular mali
ufacturo to supply tho cntiro demand. And now
agents has paper maturing; liH stock must be
puld for. lie can't wait for tho farmers to come
md buy as thoy need. 11o must go to them. Uo
ls compelled to sell, or hs paper goes to protest,
As thoie arc moro than eau bo sold for cash, it
naturally follows that d 'good note ia prefor-
ahlo to dead stocK; and so the salcs arc pressed
on time, and too oEten, on longtime credits, :
llo takon thesc email notes to tue bank, Gets
them discounted, after giving Lis iudorse-
ment, mud meets the large nolo to tho manu-
are very. many fartners who cannot resist tho
temptation to buy the now machine ,-espocfally
when tho saving it will OBJECT is 80 very farge,-
according to the agont,-lf they eau get it "'ou
have dono very we'll for year or two more, IL
Sast aside, mud trou1leaome picco OF paper IL
lodged in bunk, or in the hands OF somo private
note shaver, waiting there for q few months
until maturity. when big hole in tho gra,n-
bin or vacant stall in the stouis-shod attosts its
payment. It i. plainly to be Bcon that tic
market is forced boyosid real necessity.
Now, If all those payments woIo actually
made Mt maturity, 1t would not be 10 baa. But
it Ii not 80. short crop leaves Tho grain-bin
empty, ata tilore arc not ssecrs enough to meet
al euch demands; aud. whlo the farmer may
not fa i'll tho usual accoptatiou of tlu torn, ii
the agent falls III making number Of these col
leetions his paper goes to protest and he does
tail. 1t il tho experience Of tho p1ow-lnaaels
that sucn failures arc common, and duo per-
centage IL addcd to the cod&-pr1co to cover theBa
risks.
Let us aoo now what proportion Of tho 500
which machine may soil for tho manufacturer |
roallzos. usual percentage to tho rota!lor il |
25 per cent and it III often aH much III 10 per cent,
This loduceB It to 575. The Wholesale agent
will gov not far from 40 per cont OF that, which
leducoB 1t to $Go. Allow 10 per cent for tho risk
Or loaB. aud We hayo q net receipt to tho man
Implements do not allow quite such COMMITS
slona; but know from experience that some Of
Eliom allow moro, mud tila is not fur from the
truth in plowb aud reapipg machinery.
Lot lii take it tho other way. now, aud, as I |
shall n'xintain, the only Legitimate way. 1ruo,
horo must be au agency systo!a, but, instead OF
1aving the manufacturers to appoint tho agents,
| would have The purchasers mike tho appuint-
nionts. Let the farmers of county. We will
say, decide how maly implements OF any partc-
tlar kind they need, aud how many they aro ablo
% pay for, casl. down, Or at least Oh delivery.
rhls maY DO decided just as long In advance as
low, md tho orders may be mnda for as largo
Quantities as practicable. The buyer compre-
lends tho advantage OF carload lots rs woil ID
1oeH tue manufacturer, aud, II he docs not, it
Sill take bnt little time to learn III It not owl
lcnt that tic manufacturer can afford to I'LL such
'tdera for tho not cost OF $54, aud 10 just ~
. % an addition to ' first ''ses cost "'uia IL
ithor case, but would DO less to oaoh pu! !cllhAer,
nce tue proHent agent adds rather moro tllan
ne g, actua' froight-oxponso upon each machine,
Iho agont who aets for the association Of
aEnlors must have pay for lis seryices, cor
a1n!y; bit, as ho takos no rlhk, ho Gun afford
Now, I an we'll awaro thsst there lnast bo an
goloy -system OF one kiud or tho other, anu,
ho one beng already established, IL must
oeosaarlly be employed until tho other can be
ol!orally substituted, 10 tint nolther party may
Q too n'!1cL inconyenioucod for tho tins being.
aBll'Hystem will check tho extravaganza induced
lol'g credits, and ,noulcato oeunoInY III tho
tirci'abe OF Implements, as will a. clleapen
rccs. Creator caro- will be tahon, and, itistoa1 |
tho damage to farming machinery by oxpos-
re When not III actual uao,-whcA Ii now aAti-
'tlaI loss to Western farmers OF millions, year-
we Bllal! SEQ those artsc!os kopt in good or
Or and properly housod.'
II ho had addod that tho adoption OF tho CASH
'atoM would 50 Iar toward Following tho neoea- ! I