Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-09-19
The Drummer System.

L
drummers. Oar answer is that We
have expressed no dislike to the drum
mers as men, who at hotels, stables, sa.
looms, cigar stands expend their money
freely. They patrouize the steamboats,,
railroads and stage lines extensively
aud what little money that is requisite
f,r Their personal expenses is best wed
by them promptly aud goes into the
general circulation through the medium
Of the. landlord, the livery man, the
steamboat, railroad and stage compa
mics, all Of which is we'll. Bat we OBJ
ject to the practical workings of the
system. There are different grades If
mercantile houses n the larger cities
who send out these men for the sole
purpose of urging their goods upon the
purchasing public abroad all through
the Interior. A few of these men will
limit their efforts to the regular dealers
in merchandise in the interior towas, in
which cases the effect upon the general
public may not be SO blighting. But
the great majority Of those VIII use OPP
erations have come under our observa.
ton will sell 20 any aud every body who
will buy, and upon limited credit.
too, if they can foresec any reasonable
prospect Of their being able to pay.
They generally sell upon samples
, shown, which, 10 large number OF
/ cases. arc far above the goods shipped,
: though we will make exception in the
E case Of some houses, who send goods
equal to the samples. They generally
come among us at time so that t! Q
, goods ordered will arrive in the Terri
3 tory each year after the assessor has
/ made his annual assessment, and the
!. g ,ods sold here are never assessed, and
. no revenue il derived from them in
= support of the government. Ia this
i county alone more than sI5. 600 worth
# Of goods escape taxation. Again The
A drummers will not allow themselves K
}. be classea as peddlars and subject t
# pay peddler's license to sell. They
4 will not allow themselves to be classeC
"a as regular dealers aud subject to pay ,
Il dealers license. Thus both their bust
|. ness and the goods they sell escape
:. taxation. aud the resident taxpayers 0
" the territory lose the benefit Of tina
% much Of revenue in support Of th
d government, Will, the owners Of thcs
d goods have all the privileges of extend
ID ing their trade among US aud never pa
h US one dime. Again, where these me
"a deal with others than regular traders
ID they destroy TO that extent the trade @
ia our regular DEALERS. The system full
IN carried out would never warrant tn
Il establishment OF wholesale and jot
IN bing house in any town 10 ldaht
y. much less an importing house; but tn
10 capita Of San Francisco or some othe
to large city would actually do all the 10
ut trade Of the whole interior, and nj
m only would merchandising become III
az profitable in Idaho, but these lare
nv cities would get all the revenue fro
+. the goods sold among US, while o,
he farmers, mechanics and common labo
Of ing men would have al the burdens
to taxation to support our government
ter There s another feature in this systcr
,n It often happens Tint these men cen
in to small country dealer and make
Of large and so liberal offers to credit tn
mt the dealer is captivated and induced
ed purchase far beyond his means Of f.
ION filing, and then when payday com
ors There comes failure and a crash, al
led the moral standing Of that otherwi
ore good business citizen is complete
nd broken down. The wholesale reside
ip. dealer who knows that citiscn wou
,cu never urge upon Him 40 invoice grea,
he than he could frresee mis- business wou
ice justify. We say, then, give us regul
m importing wholesale aud retail busin'
be houses establishe ] in our midst by m
to who are identified with Us, are will
he to aid to the extent of their true :
cut rata Of per cent. of taxation to snppt
Of the government which protects the
0 AMI thus project our own citizens fir