New-York tribune., 1878-05-01

the sharp practical counsels of Mr. Eugene Schuyler
Again no one can glance these extracts wthout
henr convinced by cumulative testimony that our
merchants and manufacturers have made severai
crave mistakes III their business dealings with other
nations. Notwithstanding the fact that comm'S
sions in NcwYork for buying aud selling are twice
as great as they in European cities that insurance
from New-York TO South aud Central america, for
instance is twice as heavy rs from European ports
that freghts are dearcr end communication
less regular and frequent, that our IN
forest is higher aud our credits shorter
our merchants, instead of deyotlng them-
selves assiduousy to the details OF business,
so rs to by extra pains and prudence THESE
difficulties if IN the present condition of commerce
it is mpracticable to remove them) have constantly
fallen behind their competitors III this respect
There Is universal complaint, for example. that
our goods are carcessly aud extensively packed.
Not only do they take up needless bulk, and in this
way augment the already oppressive freight charges
but they are liable to damage and waste to a degree
unknown with goods packed i'll Europe. 1t appears,
too that our advertisements and prlce-llsts nave
none of the expliCness which is found in the clrcu-
lars and illustrated catalogues of English, French
and German houses, and besides this our re-
plies to inquiries from wOuld-be purchasers
are incomplete and, perhaps inpatient, and thus
compare unfavOrably with the full and polite re-
sponses received from European merchants.
Another fault among our progressive people
is tendency to push in and overstock
market soon as 1t seems 10 DC
omen to tr - Whenever any satisfactory sales of
an article az. Elected in y new district, our i'm
petuous asc,!s scour the country and sell to
small dealers at wholesale rates. or stock
UP ncghborng markets with the same
goods at lower prices, and by these irregu-
larities destroy any hope Of permanent trade.
A still moro serious error is the occasional one OF
sending out wares inferior TO samples eX-
hibited or of allowing the quality of an article
to dctcriorate after its sale has once been estab-
lished. Ignorant foreigners stigmatize such busl-
ness methods as swinding and the reputation OF the
whole country suffers from the untaned enterprise
of thcse frisky traders
Another hndrance to the introduction of objects
Of American manufacture Is thus spoken of by one
of the most intelligent officers of our Diplomatic
service: 81 have always found" writes Nr.
Eugene Schuyler, one obstacle-the apparently in
grained belief Of American manufacturers that
they know better than their customers what is
wantedp He then shows the necessity of making
concessions to the tastes and prejudices of pur-
chasers, tho character and manners of the
people. and the regulations of Governments
which interfere with trade and commerce.
He cites an instance where n manufacturer of street
ears lost a large and lucrative contract because he
was unwilling to supply trucks for certain kind of
rails, in conformity with some restrictions in-
posed by Government, because, be claimed,
his experience had proved that these were not good.
Mr.. Schuyler hits upon very practical method of
helping to introduce our cotton goods into
Turkey by sending samples showing designs colors
and patterns suited to Turkish taste and advises
exporters to initiate them even to the width and
length Of the pieces. From all this 1t follows
that III order TO build up a permanent and
lucrative foreign trade, something is needed
besides an efficient diplomatic service and
cheap frcghts, judcious tariff system,
favorable commercial treaties, or expositons' or
sample warehouses" of American products
at the business centres of the world. All
these viii help. But, after all, our merchants
must learn to adapt themselves to the ways and
wants Of the world, and must look after the minute
details of their business with the same patience and
care which is exercised by those who already
possess the field.